SB 796 Virginia Senate · 2027 Regular Session

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

Summary
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.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
Feb 2026
House of Delegates Passage
Governor
Introduced Jan 23, 2026 Last action Jul 21, 2026
Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
29
Key actions
6
Committee
5
Amendments
3
Mar 2, 2026
Lower · Passed
House committee offered
lower
Feb 24, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Communications, Technology and Innovation
lower
Feb 17, 2026
Upper · Passed
Read third time and passed Senate (39-Y 1-N 0-A)
upper
Feb 17, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senator Durant Amendment agreed to
upper
Feb 17, 2026
Introduced
Reading of amendment waived (Voice Vote)
upper
Feb 17, 2026
Introduced
Floor offered Senator Durant Amendment
upper
Feb 13, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
upper
Feb 11, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported from General Laws and Technology with substitute (14-Y 0-N 1-A)
upper
Feb 11, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senate committee offered
upper
Jan 23, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology
upper
Jan 23, 2026
Introduced
Presented and ordered printed 26105447D
upper
1 primary · 2 co-sponsors

Sponsors