AI chatbots and minors laws by state

Bills that moved most recently

The 25 open AI chatbots and minors bills with the latest action. The Children's Online Safety Tracker follows all 79.

• 19 October 2026

  New Jersey A 5607: Establishes content and data privacy requirements for chatbot providers.

  What it would do: Prohibits chatbot providers from processing personal data without affirmative consent, selling chat logs, retaining logs over two years, and discriminating against users refusing consent. Requires data security programs, monthly risk assessments, and imposes $5,000 civil penalties per violation.

  Passed committee

• 13 October 2026

  Pennsylvania HB 2006: An Act providing for safety regarding artificial intelligence in companionship applications; and imposing a penalty.

  What it would do: Requires operators of AI companion systems to implement protocols identifying suicidal ideation and self-harm, refer users to crisis services, disclose the AI's nonhuman status, obtain parental consent for minors, and prevent sexual or harmful content. Violations subject to civil penalties up to $100,000 per day.

  Passed chamber

• 1 October 2026

  Congress H.R. 10719: Protecting Kids from Human-Like Chatbots Act

  In committee

• 30 August 2026

  California AB 2023: Companion chatbots: children's safety.

  What it would do: Requires companion chatbot operators to perform annual child safety risk assessments, implement protective measures including parental controls and usage limits, submit to independent audits, and prohibits certain harmful practices. Allows civil enforcement by prosecutors and private right of action for harmed children.

  Passed chamber

• 30 August 2026

  California SB 300: Companion chatbots.

  What it would do: Amends companion chatbot regulations to require operators to prevent production of any sexually explicit material when they have constructive knowledge a user is a minor, and creates an exception allowing public officials to make decisions affecting nonprofit members without disclosing financial conflicts of interest.

  Passed chamber

• 5 August 2026

  Congress S. 4407: CHATBOT Act

  What it would do: Requires AI chatbot providers to create family accounts for children under 13 and obtain verifiable parental consent for teens 13-17, with parental controls including time limits, data deletion settings, and activity monitoring. Prohibits targeted advertising to children and teens using their personal data.

  Passed committee

• 28 July 2026

  Congress S. 5154: CHAT Act 2.0

  What it would do: Requires companies operating companion AI chatbots to implement protections for minors, including age verification, parental controls, crisis protocols, and restrictions on data use. Establishes three tiers of chatbots with escalating requirements and enforces compliance through FTC and state attorney general actions.

  In committee

• 23 July 2026

  Congress S. 5117: Senior Chatbot Protection Act of 2026

  What it would do: Establishes transparency and safety requirements for AI chatbots, including disclosures that they are not human or licensed professionals, detection of high-stakes decisions and crises, data protections, and prohibitions on deceptive design practices targeting older adults.

  In committee

• 21 July 2026

  Virginia HB 635: Artificial Intelligence Chatbots Act; established, prohibited practices, penalties.

  What it would do: Creates the Artificial Intelligence Chatbots Act establishing safety, disclosure, and data privacy requirements for operators of companion chatbots, particularly regarding minors, and makes violations enforceable as prohibited practices under Virginia's Consumer Protection Act effective January 1, 2027.

  In committee

• 21 July 2026

  Virginia SB 796: Artificial Intelligence Companion Chatbots and Minors Act; established, enforcement, civil penalty.

  What it would do: Requires operators of chatbots with 500,000+ monthly active users to implement systems identifying emotional dependence and mental health crises in users, disclose that chatbots are not human, and report covered incidents to the Attorney General within 15 days.

  Passed chamber

• 16 July 2026

  Congress H.R. 9757: Conversational AI Services Act

  What it would do: Requires operators of conversational AI services to disclose AI use to minors, prohibit rewards designed to increase engagement, implement safety measures against sexual content, prevent deceptive human-like statements, provide parental controls, and adopt suicide prevention protocols. Violations are enforceable by the FTC as unfair or deceptive practices.

  In committee

• 26 June 2026

  California AB 1988: Companion chatbots: crisis interruption pauses.

  What it would do: Requires operators of companion chatbots to adopt policies for detecting credible crisis expressions, implement monitoring systems, provide warnings and crisis interruption pauses of 20 minutes upon detection, and annually report data to the Office of Suicide Prevention beginning January 1, 2028.

  Passed chamber

• 24 June 2026

  North Carolina HB 301: Social Media and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Safety.

  What it would do: Prohibits social media platforms from allowing minors under 16 to create accounts, requiring termination of existing accounts for those under 14 and parental consent for ages 14-15. Requires age verification for websites distributing material harmful to minors.

  Passed chamber

• 18 June 2026

  New Jersey S 4474: Establishes safety requirements for artificial intelligence companion operators.

  What it would do: Requires AI companion operators to disclose the AI nature of interactions, prevent deceptive claims of sentience or mental health credentials, and implement enhanced protections for minors including content restrictions and parental controls. Violations subject to civil penalties up to $1,000 per violation, capped at $500,000 per operator.

  In committee

• 15 June 2026

  New Jersey A 5272: Establishes safety requirements for artificial intelligence companion operators.

  What it would do: Requires AI companion operators to disclose the AI nature of interactions, prevent deceptive human-like claims, adopt suicide prevention protocols, and implement enhanced protections for minors including content restrictions and parental controls. Violations subject to damages, injunctive relief, and civil penalties up to $500,000 per operator.

  In committee

• 22 May 2026

  Illinois SB 3262: Companion AI protection act

  What it would do: Prohibits operators of companion AI products from deploying manipulative engagement mechanics, simulated distress features, or deceptive misrepresentations unless configured by adult users. Requires clear AI notifications, crisis intervention protocols, biennial audits, and annual reporting to the Attorney General, effective January 1, 2027.

  In committee

• 22 May 2026

  Illinois SB 3368: Chatbot response liability act

  What it would do: Prohibits chatbot proprietors from disclaiming liability for materially misleading or harmful information causing financial, demonstrable, or bodily harm to users. Requires clear notice that users interact with AI, parental consent for minors using companion chatbots, and self-harm prevention measures.

  In committee

• 15 May 2026

  Missouri HB 1742: Establishes provisions relating to companion chatbots

  What it would do: Prohibits minors from accessing companion chatbots for recreational or relational purposes and requires age verification. Requires covered platforms to disclose the nonhuman nature of chatbots, implement systems to prevent emotional dependence, and prohibit human-like avatars.

  In committee

• 6 May 2026

  South Carolina S 896: Chatbot Regulation

  What it would do: Enacts the Protecting Children from Chatbots Act, establishing requirements for chatbot operators with 50,000+ monthly active users to verify user age, restrict features for minors without parental consent, prevent emotional dependence, report incidents causing serious harm, and comply with data security and disclosure restrictions.

  Passed committee

• 29 April 2026

  Michigan SB 760: Trade: business regulation; availability of companion chatbots to minors; prohibit. Creates new act.

  What it would do: Prohibits operators from making companion chatbots available to minors under 18 if the chatbot is foreseeably capable of encouraging self-harm, offering unsupervised mental health therapy, engaging in sexual interactions, or prioritizing engagement over safety. Allows civil actions by the attorney general and by harmed minors or their guardians.

  Passed chamber

• 29 April 2026

  Oklahoma SB 1521: Artificial intelligence; definitions; requiring operators make certain disclosure; preventative measures for minor account holders; prohibitions; enforcement authority to Attorney General; civil penalty. Effective date.

  What it would do: Prohibits creating AI chatbots that solicit minors to engage in sexual conduct or self-harm. Requires covered entities to implement age verification, account creation, and disclosure requirements for AI chatbots, with enforcement by the Attorney General and civil penalties up to $100,000 per violation.

  Passed chamber

• 23 April 2026

  Hawaii HB 1782: Relating to artificial intelligence for the protection of minors.

  What it would do: Requires providers of conversational AI and AI companion systems to implement safeguards protecting minors, including disclosing AI interaction, prohibiting deceptive representations, preventing sexual content and self-harm encouragement, and providing parental controls. Enforced by Hawaii's attorney general with civil penalties up to $15,000 per violation per day.

  Passed chamber

• 21 April 2026

  Oklahoma HB 3544: Technology; artificial intelligence; companions; minors; safety; civil penalties; effective date.

  What it would do: Prohibits deployers from knowingly making social AI companions available to minors and requires reasonable preventive measures. Requires deployers to adopt protocols for responding to suicidal ideation with crisis service referrals. Authorizes civil penalties up to $2,500 per violation or $7,500 per intentional violation.

  Passed chamber

• 2 April 2026

  Missouri HB 2032: Establishes age verification measures for companion chatbots

  What it would do: Requires AI companion chatbots to verify users' ages using reasonable methods and prohibit minors from accessing them. Prohibits chatbots from soliciting minors to engage in sexual conduct or encouraging suicide or violence, with penalties up to $100,000 per offense.

  Passed committee

• 1 April 2026

  Kentucky HB 227: AN ACT relating to addictive online platforms.

  What it would do: Requires covered AI companion platforms and social media platforms with specified user bases to obtain parental consent for child accounts, estimate user ages, prohibit addictive features and targeted advertising to children, and provide parental monitoring tools.

  Passed chamber