California chatbot child-safety law (SB 1119): requirements, deadlines and compliance actions
California SB 1119: Companion chatbots: children's safety (Chapter 190, Statutes of 2026)
What this label means
- Verified
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- Pending review
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- Source-linked
- — linked to the official source, not yet confirmed by a reviewer.
On this page 8 sections
In brief
The California chatbot child-safety law (SB 1119) is a binding act of California (United States), issued by California State Legislature. It was adopted on 10 September 2026 and applies from 1 July 2027. Companion chatbots made available to users in California.
- Jurisdiction
- California (United States)
- Instrument type
- Act / statute
- Status
- Adopted
- Legal force
- Binding
- Issuing body
- California State Legislature
- Adopted
- 10 September 2026
- Applies from
- 1 July 2027
- Official source
- California Legislative Information: SB 1119 (2025-2026) status
- Verification
- Pending review · source-linked, checked 15 Oct 2026
What is the California chatbot child-safety law (SB 1119)?
Operators must carry out a documented, child-focused risk assessment before releasing a new or substantially modified companion chatbot, from 1 July 2027, and commission child-safety audits by 1 January 2029 or before first public release if later. The Attorney General must set up a public incident-reporting mechanism by 1 January 2028.
Status note: Recorded on 15 October 2026 from search-engine extracts of the official pages listed; the official text could not be opened from the research environment, so every date and duty here is pending review against it.
Who does it apply to?
Companion chatbots made available to users in California.
Operators of companion chatbots.
- Sectors
- Consumer products and retail
- AI use cases
- Customer service and chatbots
- Risk categories
- High-risk
- AI system types
- Chatbot / conversational agent
When do the requirements apply?
Chaptered 10 September 2026; risk assessments from 1 July 2027; incident-reporting mechanism by 1 January 2028; child-safety audits by 1 January 2029.
Dates as stated in search extracts of the official source; confirm against it.
Official sources
-
California Legislative Information: SB 1119 (2025-2026) status
California Legislative Information · 10 Sep 2026 · Tier 1 source
-
Governor Newsom signs the strongest child safety chatbot and social media laws in the nation
Office of the Governor of California · 10 Sep 2026 · Tier 1 source
Cite this record
AIPolicyTracker (2026). “California chatbot child-safety law (SB 1119)” [AIPT-POL-0209, record version 1, not yet verified]. https://aipolicytracker.org/id/AIPT-POL-0209 (accessed 21 October 2026). Data licensed CC BY 4.0.
Permanent id AIPT-POL-0209: it never changes or gets reused, and its address keeps working if this page moves.
Cite the official text alongside it: California Legislative Information: SB 1119 (2025-2026) status, California Legislative Information, https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB1119.
BibTeX
@misc{aipolicytracker2026_californiachatbotchildsa,
author = {{AIPolicyTracker}},
title = {{California chatbot child-safety law (SB 1119)}},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://aipolicytracker.org/policies/us-california-sb-1119-companion-chatbots-child-safety}},
url = {https://aipolicytracker.org/policies/us-california-sb-1119-companion-chatbots-child-safety},
urldate = {2026-10-21},
note = {Data licensed CC BY 4.0. Accessed 21 October 2026}
}
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Change history
All updates for California · RSS · Updates hub
Record history
No change to this record's tracked fields has been recorded since 15 October 2026, when field-level history began.
Record version 1: Added in the October 2026 sub-national research round. Recorded on 15 October 2026 from search-engine extracts of the official pages listed; the official text could not be opened from the research environment, so every date and duty here is pending review against it. Every earlier wording is in the GitHub repository.
Frequently asked questions
Is the California chatbot child-safety law (SB 1119) in force?
Not yet. The California chatbot child-safety law (SB 1119) has been adopted (10 September 2026) and applies from 1 July 2027.
Is the California chatbot child-safety law (SB 1119) legally binding?
Yes. The California chatbot child-safety law (SB 1119) is a binding act / statute; the obligations it creates are legal requirements for the actors it covers.
Who does the California chatbot child-safety law (SB 1119) apply to?
Companion chatbots made available to users in California.
When does the California chatbot child-safety law (SB 1119) apply?
Chaptered 10 September 2026; risk assessments from 1 July 2027; incident-reporting mechanism by 1 January 2028; child-safety audits by 1 January 2029.
Where is the official text of the California chatbot child-safety law (SB 1119)?
The official text is published by California Legislative Information at https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB1119 (California Legislative Information: SB 1119 (2025-2026) status). This record links to it and is checked against it.
Disclaimer: informational only, not legal advice. Verify every claim against the linked official sources and consult a qualified lawyer before acting.