STATE BILLVA SB 796ENGROSSED

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

Commonwealth of Virginia

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.

Status
Engrossed
Passed its first chamber
Status date
Feb 16, 2026
269 days ago
Current chamber
House of Delegates
Session
2027 Regular Session
VA SB 796 · EngrossedFeb 16

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Bill details

Last action
Continued from last session · Jul 21, 2026
Pending committee
Communications, Technology and Innovation

Sponsors

TDTara DurantSenator · Republican · SD-027Primary sponsor
AEAdam EbbinSenator · Democrat · SD-039
CHChris HeadSenator · Republican · SD-003
SVSchuyler VanValkenburgSenator · Democrat · SD-016

Bill history

Newest first.

Jul 21, 2026Continued from last sessionHouse
Mar 2, 2026Continued to next session in Communications, Technology and Innovation (Voice Vote)House
Mar 2, 2026House committee offeredHouse
Feb 24, 2026Referred to Committee on Communications, Technology and InnovationHouse
Feb 24, 2026Read first timeHouse
Feb 24, 2026Placed on CalendarHouse
Feb 17, 2026Read third time and passed Senate (39-Y 1-N 0-A)Senate
Feb 17, 2026Constitutional reading dispensed (on 3rd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)Senate
Show 21 earlier actions
Feb 17, 2026Rules suspendedSenate
Feb 17, 2026Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute as amendedSenate
Feb 17, 2026Senator Durant Amendment agreed toSenate
Feb 17, 2026Reading of amendment waived (Voice Vote)Senate
Feb 17, 2026Floor offered Senator Durant AmendmentSenate
Feb 17, 2026Engrossment reconsidered by Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A)Senate
Feb 16, 2026Engrossed by Senate - floor substitute (Voice Vote)Senate
Feb 16, 2026Senator Durant Substitute agreed to (Voice Vote)Senate
Feb 16, 2026Reading of substitute waived (Voice Vote)Senate
Feb 16, 2026Floor offered Senator Durant SubstituteSenate
Feb 16, 2026Committee substitute rejected (Voice Vote)Senate
Feb 16, 2026Read second timeSenate
Feb 13, 2026Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)Senate
Feb 13, 2026Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (36-Y 0-N 0-A)Senate
Feb 13, 2026Rules suspendedSenate
Feb 12, 2026Committee substitute printed 26107851D-S1Senate
Feb 11, 2026Reported from General Laws and Technology with substitute (14-Y 0-N 1-A)Senate
Feb 11, 2026Senate committee offeredSenate
Feb 11, 2026Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB796)Senate
Jan 23, 2026Referred to Committee on General Laws and TechnologySenate
Jan 23, 2026Presented and ordered printed 26105447DSenate

Read the bill at the source

This page follows the bill as the legislature records it. For the bill's full text and the official record, use the legislature's own site.

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