States / Virginia / SB 796

SB 796 Passed First Chamber

Artificial Intelligence Companion Chatbots and Minors Act; established, enforcement, civil penalty.

Introduced
In Committee
Floor
Crossed Over
Passed
Enacted

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 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.

Chamber
Senate
Introduced
Jan 23, 2026
Last action
Jul 21, 2026 — Continued from last session
Session
2027
Momentum
74 · High