Protecting Children from Manipulative AI Chatbots: State Legislation Tracker
As AI chatbots become increasingly available and easy to access, teens are among their most frequent users. At the same time, there are mainstream efforts to integrate this technology into toys for very young children.
The American Psychological Association has expressed significant concern that AI chatbots programmed to foster emotional relationships may negatively impact children’s development and social wellbeing.
Conversations with AI chatbots frequently end up being highly sexualized regardless of the user’s age and there are numerous pending lawsuits alleging that chatbots have encouraged children to commit serious harm to themselves and others.
While there are very few existing guardrails protecting children from this technology, state legislatures across the country are introducing urgently needed legislation to change that.
The table below illustrates where states have passed or are in the process of debating legislation to protect children from the harms of manipulative AI chatbots.
Public Citizen offers a model bill as well as legislative support for any state lawmaker interested in moving this forward in their state.
| State | Bill | Status | Level of Protection for Minors |
|---|---|---|---|
| AL | HB 324 | Introduced 2026 | Protects minors from manipulative features |
| AZ | HB 2311 | Introduced 2026 | Protects minors from extreme harms |
| AZ | HB 2737 | Introduced 2026 | Data privacy approach |
| CA | AB 2023 | Introduced 2026 | Protects minors from manipulative features |
| CA | SB 1119 | Introduced 2026 | Protects minors from manipulative features |
| CA | AB 1064 | Vetoed 2025 | Protects minors from manipulative features |
| CA | SB 867 | Introduced 2026 | Ban on companion chatbots in toys |
| CA | SB 243 | Enacted 2025 | Protects minors from extreme harms |
| CA | SB 300 | Passed Senate 2026 | Protects minors from extreme harms |
| CO | HB 1263 | Passed House 2026 | Protects minors from extreme harms |
| CT | SB 86 | Introduced 2026 | Protects minors from extreme harms |
| FL | SB 482 | Failed 2026, Pending in Special Session 2026 | Protects minors from manipulative features - can be overriden by parental consent |
| FL | HB 659 | Failed 2026 | Protects minors from extreme harms |
| FL | HB 1395 | Failed 2026 | Protects minors from manipulative features - can be overriden by parental consent |
| FL | SB 1344 | Failed 2026 | Protects minors from manipulative features - can be overriden by parental consent |
| GA | SB 540 | Passed Senate 2026, Passed House 2026 | Protects minors from some manipulative features |
| HI | HB 1782 / SB 2788 | Passed House 2026, Passed Senate 2026 | Protects minors from manipulative features |
| HI | SB 3001 / HB 2502 | Passed Senate 2026 | Protects minors from extreme harms |
| IA | HF 2204 | Introduced 2026 | Protects minors from manipulative features |
| IA | HF 2507 | Introduced 2026, Substituted with SF 2417 | Protects minors from extreme harms |
| IA | HF 2715 | Introduced 2026 | Protects minors from extreme harms |
| IA | SF 2417 | Passed Senate 2026, Passed House 2026 | Protects minors from extreme harms |
| ID | S 1297 | Enacted 2026 | Protects minors from extreme harms |
| IL | SB 3262 | Introduced 2026 | Protects minors from manipulative features |
| IL | SB 3368 | Introduced 2026 | Protects minors from manipulative features - can be overriden by parental consent |
| IL | HB 5044 | Introduced 2026 | Product liability |
| IL | HB 4705 / SB 3261 | Introduced 2026 | Requires child safety plan |
| KS | HB 2772 / SB 499 | Introduced 2026 | Data privacy approach |
| KS | HB 2671 | Introduced 2026 | Protects minors from manipulative features - can be overriden by parental consent |
| LA | HB 791 | Introduced 2026 | Data privacy approach |
| LA | HB 1188 | Introduced 2026 | Protects minors from manipulative features - can be overriden by parental consent |
| LA | HB 295 | Introduced 2026 | Protects minors from manipulative features |
| LA | HB 734 | Introduced 2026, Withdrawn 2026 | Protects minors from manipulative features - can be overriden by parental consent |
| MD | HB 1250 / SB 827 | Introduced 2026 | Data privacy approach |
| MD | HB 952 | Introduced 2026, Passed House 2026 | Protects minors from extreme harms |
| ME | LD 2162 | Introduced 2026 | Protects minors from manipulative features |
| MI | SB 760 | Introduced 2025 | Protects minors from manipulative features |
| MN | SF 4997 | Introduced 2026 | Protects minors from extreme harms |
| MN | SF 1857 | Introduced 2025 | Protects minors from manipulative features |
| MN | HF4452 | Introduced 2026 | Protects minors from extreme harms |
| MN | HF 1991 | Introduced 2026 | Prevents minors from accessing chatbots |
| MO | HB 2031 | Introduced 2025 | Protects minors from manipulative features - can be overriden by parental consent |
| MO | HB 2032 | Introduced 2025 | Protects minors from manipulative features |
| MO | HB 1742 | Introduced 2025 | Protects minors from manipulative features |
| MO | SB 1455 | Introduced 2025 | Protects minors from manipulative features |
| NC | SB 624 | Introduced 2025 | Duty of Loyalty |
| NE | LB 525 | Enacted 2026 | Protects minors from extreme harms |
| NE | LB 1185 | Introduced 2026 | Protects minors from extreme harms |
| NE | LB 939 | Introduced 2026 | Protects minors from manipulative features |
| NE | LB 1083 | Introduced 2026 | Requires child safety plan |
| NM | HB 174 | Introduced 2026, Failed 2026 | Protects minors from some limited manipulative features |
| NY | SB 9051 | Introduced 2026 | Protects minors from manipulative features |
| NY | A10379 | Introduced 2026 | Protects minors from manipulative features |
| NY | SB 5668 / AB 222 | Introduced 2025 | Protects minors from manipulative features - can be overriden by parental consent |
| NY | S 3008 C | Enacted 2025 | Protects all people from extreme harms |
| OK | SB 1521 | Introduced 2026, Passed Senate 2026 | Protects minors from extreme harms |
| OK | SB 2085 | Introduced 2026 | Protects minors from manipulative features - can be overriden by parental consent |
| OK | HB 4083 | Introduced 2026 | Protects minors from manipulative features |
| OK | HB 3544 | Introduced 2026, Passed House 2026 | Protects minors from manipulative features |
| OR | SB 1546 | Enacted 2026 | Protects minors from extreme harms |
| PA | HB 2215 | Introduced 2026 | Protects minors from manipulative features |
| PA | SB 1090 | Passed Senate 2026 | Protects minors from extreme harms |
| PA | HB 2006 | Introduced 2026 | Protects all people from some extreme harms |
| SC | H 5476 | Introduced 2026 | Protects minors from manipulative features - can be overriden by parental consent |
| SC | HB 5138 / SB 896 | Introduced 2026 | Data privacy approach |
| SC | S 1037 | Introduced 2026 | Protects minors from manipulative features - can be overriden by parental consent |
| SD | SB 168 | Failed 2026 | Protects minors from manipulative features |
| TN | HB 1898 / SB 2171 | Passed House 2026 | Requires child safety plan |
| TN | HB 1946/ SB 1700 | Passed Senate 2026, Passed House 2026 | Protects minors from extreme harms |
| TN | SB 1493/ HB 1455 | Introduced 2026 | Unlawful to train a chatbot to be manipulative |
| UT | HB 438 | Failed 2026 | Protects minors from extreme harms |
| UT | HB 286 | Failed 2026 | Requires child safety plan |
| VA | SB 796 | Passed Senate 2026 Carryover until 2027 | Curtail emotional dependence and extreme harm for all users |
| VA | HB 758 | Failed 2026 | Protects minors from manipulative features |
| VA | HB 635 | Carryover until 2027 | Protects minors from extreme harms |
| VT | H 784 | Introduced 2026 | Data privacy approach |
| VT | H 804 | Introduced 2026 | Protects minors from extreme harms |
| WA | HB 2225 / SB 5984 | Enacted 2026 | Protects minors from manipulative features |
| WA | SB 5870 | Failed 2026 | Protects minors from extreme harms |
| WI | AB 965 / SB 939 | Failed 2026 | Protects minors from extreme harms |
Last updated: April 23, 2026
See an error or want to share information on relevant legislation? Please contact Ilana Beller (ibeller@citizen.org).