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SB796Virginia2026 sessionEngrossed

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

Plain-language summary

Creates the Artificial Intelligence Companion Chatbots and Minors Act, requiring covered chatbot operators to implement reasonable safety systems, notify emergency services or law enforcement when a user faces imminent risk of death or serious injury, and report certain safety incidents to the Attorney General. Operators must also disclose to users that a chatbot is not human at set intervals. The Attorney General may seek injunctions and civil penalties, and individuals harmed by a violation, or a minor's parent or guardian, may bring a civil action.

Summary generated by AI from the official bill text — may contain errors.
History
Jan 23, 2026
SPresented and ordered printed 26105447D
Jan 23, 2026
SReferred to Committee on General Laws and Technology
Feb 11, 2026
SFiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB796)
Feb 11, 2026
SSenate committee offered
Feb 11, 2026
SReported from General Laws and Technology with substitute (14-Y 0-N 1-A)
Feb 12, 2026
SCommittee substitute printed 26107851D-S1
Feb 13, 2026
SRules suspended
Feb 13, 2026
SConstitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (36-Y 0-N 0-A)
Feb 13, 2026
SPassed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Feb 16, 2026
SRead second time
Feb 16, 2026
SCommittee substitute rejected (Voice Vote)
Feb 16, 2026
SFloor offered Senator Durant Substitute
Feb 16, 2026
SReading of substitute waived (Voice Vote)
Feb 16, 2026
SSenator Durant Substitute agreed to (Voice Vote)
Feb 16, 2026
SEngrossed by Senate - floor substitute (Voice Vote)
Feb 17, 2026
SEngrossment reconsidered by Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
Feb 17, 2026
SFloor offered Senator Durant Amendment
Feb 17, 2026
SReading of amendment waived (Voice Vote)
Feb 17, 2026
SSenator Durant Amendment agreed to
Feb 17, 2026
SEngrossed by Senate - committee substitute as amended
Feb 17, 2026
SRules suspended
Feb 17, 2026
SConstitutional reading dispensed (on 3rd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
Feb 17, 2026
SRead third time and passed Senate (39-Y 1-N 0-A)
Feb 24, 2026
HPlaced on Calendar
Feb 24, 2026
HRead first time
Feb 24, 2026
HReferred to Committee on Communications, Technology and Innovation
Mar 2, 2026
HHouse committee offered
Mar 2, 2026
HContinued to next session in Communications, Technology and Innovation (Voice Vote)
Progress
Introduced
EngrossedFeb 16, 2026
Enrolled
Passed
Signed into law
Sponsors
TD
Sen. Tara Durant (R)Prime sponsor
AE
Sen. Adam Ebbin (D)
CH
Sen. Chris Head (R)
SV
Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg (D)
Sources
Always verify against the official source. Summaries are AI-generated and may contain errors.