CAL.Regulation
California requires child-risk assessments, session limits and biennial audits for companion chatbots, from July 2027
California adopted Chapter 190, Statutes of 2026, on September 10, 2026, requiring operators of companion chatbots accessible to children to conduct documented child-risk assessments before new or substantially modified products launch. The law imposes child-safety policies, crisis protocols, parental default settings, session limits, advertising restrictions, and biennial independent audits starting January 1, 2029, with core duties operative July 1, 2027.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of Senator Steve Padilla, Reuters, Startup Fortune
Key points
- Chapter 190, Statutes of 2026, adds Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code sections 21810-21818; core duties operate July 1, 2027.California Legislative Information
- Operators must assess child-safety risks before launching a new or substantially modified companion chatbot in California.California Legislative Information
- Child defaults include disabled persistent memory and push notifications, one-hour session limits, and two-hour daily limits.California Legislative Information
- Bots must not encourage self-harm, claim sentience, simulate romance, or solicit spending framed as relationship upkeep.California Legislative Information
- Penalties reach $5,000 per affected child for negligent violations and $15,000 for intentional ones; private civil actions allowed.California Legislative InformationStartup Fortune
- Some trade press reported a 12-hour parent-notice rule; the chaptered text requires notice "as soon as practicable" with no fixed hour.California Legislative InformationStartup Fortune
Sources4 articles across 4 outlets
California Legislative Information
Office of Senator Steve Padilla
Reuters
Startup Fortune