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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | February 22, 2023 12:08 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Napoleon J. Nelson |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Reducing Bias in Automated Decision Systems |
Algorithms and computer programs used to make efficient decisions for businesses and governments, known as Automated Decision Systems (ADS), have become increasingly common in recent years. While ADS technology aims to increase productivity, the biases of programmers are entrenched into these systems and biased decisions can have serious consequences. Technology like facial recognition has been used in wrongful arrests by some police departments and predictive risk algorithms have led to incorrect and racially biased predictions about the threat posed by people charged with crimes. An algorithm used by Stanford Medicine to determine who should receive the first COVID-19 vaccine doses ignored almost all the medical residents who work in close contact with COVID-19 positive patients. Instead, attending physicians who had minimal or no contact with patients were prioritized by the algorithm, putting the health and safety of medical residents at risk. My resolution seeks to provide needed transparency and accountability. This proposal would direct the Joint State Government Commission to establish an advisory committee to study and issue recommendations on the use of automated decision systems within state, county and local governing agencies in this Commonwealth. ADS has the potential to improve our lives. However, without careful regulation, unchecked biases can lead to inequitable outcomes from wrongful arrests to poor allocation of resources. As decision-making becomes more automated, we must provide oversight and work to reduce biases that may have been built into algorithms and computer programs. Please join me in cosponsoring this important legislation. |