CA SB 300

California SB 300 (Companion Chatbots)

Imposes disclosure obligations on companion chatbots, including periodic disclosure to minor users, complementing existing California SB 243 obligations.

Jurisdiction

California

Enacted

Pending

Effective

TBD

Enforcement

California Attorney General

Introduced by Sen. Padilla in the 2025-2026 regular session. Passed Senate; pending Assembly referral as of April 2026.

California Legislative Information — SB 300

Why It Matters

Builds on California SB 243's foundational framework with additional disclosure obligations, part of California's layered 2025-2026 companion-chatbot regulatory package.

Recent Developments

Passed Senate and pending Assembly referral in the 2025-2026 session.

At a Glance

Applies to

AI CompanionCharacter Chatbot

Requires

Transparency

Who Must Comply

Operators of companion chatbots available to California users

Obligations fall on:

Safety Provisions

Non-human disclosure for companion chatbot interactions
Periodic disclosure for minor users

Compliance & Enforcement

Penalties

Penalties pending regulatory determination

Primary Source

California Legislative Information — SB 300

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB300

View on map

California

Focus Areas

Mental health & crisis

Child safety

Active safeguards required

Cite This

APA

California. (n.d.). California SB 300 (Companion Chatbots).

Related Regulations

Enacted US-CA

CA SB 942

Requires large GenAI providers (1M+ monthly users) to provide free AI detection tools, embed latent disclosures (watermarks/metadata) in AI-generated content, and offer optional manifest (visible) disclosures to users.

In Effect US-CA

CA SB 53

First US frontier AI transparency law. Requires large AI developers (>$500M revenue) to publish governance frameworks, submit quarterly risk reports, and report critical safety incidents. Applies to models trained with >10^26 FLOP.

Enacted US-NY

NY RAISE Act

Requires large AI developers of frontier models operating in New York to create safety protocols, report critical incidents within 72 hours, conduct annual reviews, and undergo independent audits. Creates dedicated DFS office funded by developer fees.

Enacted US-VT

VT AADC

Vermont design code structured to be more litigation-resistant: focuses on data processing harms rather than content-based restrictions. AG rulemaking authority begins July 2025.

Pending US-FL

FL Companion AI Age Verification

Standalone bill requiring age verification for ALL users (adults and minors) before accessing companion AI chatbots. Requires user account creation, confidential age verification, notifications that user is interacting with AI, and specific actions when user is determined to be a minor including potential access blocking.

In Effect US-NE

NE AADC

Nebraska design code blending privacy-by-design with engagement constraints (feeds, notifications, time limits) aimed at reducing compulsive use.

All regulations Check if this applies to you

Last updated April 16, 2026. Verify against primary sources before relying on this information.