{"slug":"us-california-sb-243-companion-chatbots","id":"AIPT-POL-0210","permanent_url":"https://aipolicytracker.org/id/AIPT-POL-0210","title":"California SB 243: Companion chatbots (Chapter 677, Statutes of 2025)","short_title":"California companion chatbot law (SB 243)","jurisdiction":"us-california","instrument_type":"act","status":"adopted","is_binding":true,"ai_specific":true,"issuing_body":"California State Legislature","summary_plain":"Operators of companion chatbots must disclose that the chatbot is AI and maintain a protocol for responding to suicidal ideation and self-harm that refers users to crisis services. Users known to be minors get break reminders and protection from sexual content. Annual reports to the Office of Suicide Prevention begin 1 July 2027, and a person injured by a violation can bring a civil action.","adopted_on":"2025-10-13","in_force_on":null,"applies_from":null,"official_source_url":"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB243","last_verified_at":null,"reviewed_by":null,"content_version":1,"review_status":"pending_review","confidence_level":"medium","updated_at":"2026-10-15T06:46:25+00:00","url":"https://aipolicytracker.org/policies/us-california-sb-243-companion-chatbots","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.","scope_summary":"Companion chatbot platforms offered to users in California.","who_it_applies_to":"Operators of companion chatbot platforms.","key_dates_summary":"Chaptered 13 October 2025; annual reports from 1 July 2027.","penalties_summary":null,"what_organizations_must_do":null,"published_on":null,"date_notes":"The general effective date and the statutory damages figure were not confirmed.","taxonomy":{"actor":["provider","deployer"],"ai_system_type":["conversational_agent"],"sector":["healthcare","consumer_retail"],"risk_category":["transparency_risk"],"use_case":["health","customer_service"]},"sections":[],"obligations":[],"applicability_rules":[],"deadlines":[],"versions":[],"enforcement_events":[],"procurement_rules":[],"sources":[{"title":"California Legislative Information: SB 243 (2025-2026) status","publisher":"California Legislative Information","url":"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB243","document_date":"2025-10-13","document_type":"legislation","tier":1,"tier_label":"Official primary source (government, legislature, regulator, court, standards body, intergovernmental)"}],"related_policies":["us-california-sb-1119-companion-chatbots-child-safety","us-new-york-ai-companion-safeguards","us-washington-eshb-2225-ai-companion-chatbots"],"related_frameworks":[],"faq":[],"source":{"official_source_url":"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB243","source_title":"California Legislative Information: SB 243 (2025-2026) status","source_publisher":"California Legislative Information","source_document_date":"2025-10-13","source_reference":null,"source_tier":1,"last_checked_at":"2026-10-15","last_verified_at":null,"review_status":"pending_review","confidence_level":"medium","content_version":1,"change_summary":"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.","reviewed_by":null},"second_review":null}