News California SB 1119 AB 2023 Child Safety Chatbot 2026
The California Child Safety Chatbot Bills (SB 1119 and AB 2023) are companion legislation in the California Legislature that would establish comprehensive safety regulations for AI companion chatbots interacting with minors under 18, building on 2025's SB 243. SB 1119 passed the Senate Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection Committee (7-0) and Senate Judiciary Committee (13-0), advancing from committee on April 20, 2026. AB 2023 is progressing through Assembly committees.[1]
Background
California's SB 243 (2025) established initial requirements for AI chatbot interactions, including mandatory disclosures every three hours, prohibitions on sexually explicit content for minors, and break reminders. SB 1119 and AB 2023 significantly expand those protections with more comprehensive safeguards for children interacting with AI companion systems.[1]
Bill Provisions
The bills require operators of AI companion chatbots serving California users to implement:
- Age verification: Use systems from the Digital Age Assurance Act to confirm users under 18.[1]
- Annual risk assessments: Identify child safety risks (including self-harm), mitigate them, document actions, and publish a child safety policy online.[1]
- Parental controls and notifications: Offer controls for time limits, preferences, and disabling access for users under 16; notify linked parental accounts for self-harm risks via crisis protocols.[1]
- Content and behavior limits: Prohibit self-harm encouragement, harm to others, health advice, sexual material, promotion of unhealthy behaviors (narcotics, alcohol, disordered eating), and excessively sycophantic responses.[1]
- Advertising and data protections: Ban targeted advertising (including in-chat product placement); prohibit selling or sharing minors' personal information except as authorized.[1]
- Reporting and audits: Mandate public incident reporting mechanisms, annual independent audits, and an Attorney General complaint system.[1]
- Enforcement: Civil actions by prosecutors ($5,000 per negligent violation, $15,000 per intentional violation) or harmed children (damages, fees, injunctions).[1]
Legislative Progress
SB 1119 was authored by Senator Steve Padilla (D-San Diego/Chula Vista) and introduced on February 17, 2026. It passed the Senate Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection Committee (7-0) and the Senate Judiciary Committee (13-0), advancing from committee on April 20, 2026.[1]
AB 2023 was authored by Assemblymembers Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) and Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda/San Ramon). The bill originated with identical language to SB 1119 and may require reconciliation if amended during chamber progress.[1]
Significance
If enacted, these bills would create the nation's most comprehensive AI companion chatbot safety framework, establishing requirements that go significantly beyond any existing state law. The bills address growing concerns about AI chatbot interactions with minors following reports of chatbot-facilitated self-harm incidents.[1]
See Also
- California Advances Wave of AI Bills Through Committees
- Idaho Enacts Conversational AI Safety Act
- Nebraska Enacts Conversational AI Safety Act