View source for 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.<ref name="tcai-sb1119">[https://www.transparencycoalition.ai/news/ TCAI, "TCAI Bill Guide: SB 1119 and AB 2023, California's child safety chatbot bills," April 22, 2026]</ref>

== 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.<ref name="tcai-sb1119"/>

== 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.<ref name="tcai-sb1119"/>
* '''Annual risk assessments''': Identify child safety risks (including self-harm), mitigate them, document actions, and publish a child safety policy online.<ref name="tcai-sb1119"/>
* '''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.<ref name="tcai-sb1119"/>
* '''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.<ref name="tcai-sb1119"/>
* '''Advertising and data protections''': Ban targeted advertising (including in-chat product placement); prohibit selling or sharing minors' personal information except as authorized.<ref name="tcai-sb1119"/>
* '''Reporting and audits''': Mandate public incident reporting mechanisms, annual independent audits, and an Attorney General complaint system.<ref name="tcai-sb1119"/>
* '''Enforcement''': Civil actions by prosecutors ($5,000 per negligent violation, $15,000 per intentional violation) or harmed children (damages, fees, injunctions).<ref name="tcai-sb1119"/>

== 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.<ref name="tcai-sb1119"/>

'''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.<ref name="tcai-sb1119"/>

== 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.<ref name="tcai-sb1119"/>

== See Also ==

* [[News California-AI-Bills-Committee-April-22-2026|California Advances Wave of AI Bills Through Committees]]
* [[News Idaho-S-1297-Conversational-AI-Safety-Act-2026|Idaho Enacts Conversational AI Safety Act]]
* [[News Nebraska-LB-1185-Conversational-AI-Safety-Act-2026|Nebraska Enacts Conversational AI Safety Act]]

== References ==
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[[Category:State Legislation]]
[[Category:California]]
[[Category:Chatbot Regulation]]
[[Category:Child Safety]]