WASHINGTON—The Senate voted early Tuesday to remove a provision from President Trump’s megabill that would ban state laws that regulate artificial intelligence. The move is a setback for the tech companies and White House officials who fear a patchwork of state regulations will slow the development of AI.

The House passed its own version of the legislation in May, but the Senate changed several critical provisions, and the final package will need to go back to the House for approval. Some of those changes were made to conform with the Senate’s complex rules for budget reconciliation — the process Republicans are using to pass the bill with a simple majority and avoid a Democratic filibuster.

The Senate holds a marathon vote series on President Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill.”