SB796
Artificial Intelligence Companion Chatbots and Minors Act; established, enforcement, civil penalty.
Status:
In House
Latest Action:
March 2, 2026
House: Continued to next session in Communications, Technology and Innovation (Voice Vote)
Chief Patron:
Tara Durant (R)
Session:
2026 Regular Session
Summary
As Passed House of Origin. Artificial Intelligence Chatbots and Minors Act established; enforcement; civil penalties; individual action.
Creates the Artificial Intelligence Chatbots and Minors Act to require a covered entity, defined in the bill, to (i) implement certain reasonable systems and processes, (ii) make reasonable efforts to notify appropriate emergency services or law enforcement if it obtains knowledge that a user faces an imminent risk of death ... (More) or serious physical injury, and (iii) submit a report to the Attorney General after obtaining knowledge of certain covered incidents, defined in the bill, connected to one or more of its chatbots. The bill also requires an operator, defined in the bill, to disclose the non-human nature of the chatbot to users at certain intervals. The bill authorizes the Attorney General to initiate an action to seek an injunction and civil penalties for violations and also provides an individual civil action for any person harmed by a violation or the parent or legal guardian of a minor harmed by a violation. (Less)-
Bill History
- 01/23/2026 - Senate: Presented and ordered printed 26105447D
- 01/23/2026 - Senate: Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology
- 02/11/2026 - Senate: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB796)
- 02/11/2026 - Senate: Senate committee offered
- 02/11/2026 - Senate: Reported from General Laws and Technology with substitute (14-Y 0-N 1-A)
- 02/12/2026 - Senate: Committee substitute printed 26107851D-S1
- 02/13/2026 - Senate: Rules suspended
- 02/13/2026 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (36-Y 0-N 0-A)
- 02/13/2026 - Senate: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
- 02/16/2026 - Senate: Read second time
- 02/16/2026 - Senate: Committee substitute rejected (Voice Vote)
- 02/16/2026 - Senate: Reading of substitute waived (Voice Vote)
- 02/16/2026 - Senate: Senator Durant Substitute agreed to (Voice Vote)
- 02/16/2026 - Senate: Engrossed by Senate - floor substitute (Voice Vote)
- 02/17/2026 - Senate: Engrossment reconsidered by Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
- 02/17/2026 - Senate: Reading of amendment waived (Voice Vote)
- 02/17/2026 - Senate: Senator Durant Amendment agreed to
- 02/17/2026 - Senate: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute as amended
- 02/17/2026 - Senate: Rules suspended
- 02/17/2026 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 3rd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
- 02/17/2026 - Senate: Read third time and passed Senate (39-Y 1-N 0-A)
- 02/24/2026 - House: Placed on Calendar
- 02/24/2026 - House: Read first time
- 02/24/2026 - House: Referred to Committee on Communications, Technology and Innovation
- 02/27/2026 - House: Placed on Communications, Technology and Innovation Agenda
- 03/02/2026 - House: House committee offered
- 03/02/2026 - House: Continued to next session in Communications, Technology and Innovation (Voice Vote)
