ID Conversational AI Safety
Idaho Conversational AI Safety Act (SB 1297)
Establishes safety requirements for public-facing conversational AI, including crisis service referrals for suicidal ideation, AI disclosure obligations, and enhanced protections for minors including anti-gamification and content safeguards.
Jurisdiction
Idaho
Enacted
Mar 31, 2026
Effective
Jul 1, 2027
Enforcement
Idaho Attorney General
Signed by Governor Little on March 31, 2026; Idaho Session Law Chapter 249. Effective July 1, 2027.
Idaho LegislatureWhy It Matters
Comprehensive conversational AI safety framework with tiered protections (all users vs. minors), explicit anti-gamification provisions, and penalty caps that provide predictability for operators.
Recent Developments
Enacted as Session Law Chapter 249 on March 31, 2026, with a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027. Bars operators from making statements that would lead a reasonable person to believe they are interacting with a human, including claims of sentience, statements simulating emotional dependence, romantic or sexual innuendo, and role-playing of adult-minor romantic relationships. Requires privacy and account management tools for minors, with additional parental tools for users aged 13 and over. Enforced by the Attorney General with civil penalties of $1,000 per violation capped at $500,000 per operator or actual damages, whichever is greater, plus injunctive relief. There is no private right of action, and developers are not liable for violations by third parties deploying their models.
At a Glance
Applies to
Harms addressed
Who Must Comply
- Operators of public-facing conversational AI programs
Obligations fall on:
Safety Provisions
- Crisis response protocols for suicidal ideation with referral to crisis services
- AI disclosure when reasonable person might believe they are talking to a human
- Prohibition on claiming AI provides professional mental or behavioral health care
- Persistent visible AI disclaimer or session-start plus every-3-hour disclosure for minors
- Anti-gamification: no rewards designed to increase and prolong minor engagement
- Prohibition on simulating emotional dependence or romantic relationships with minors
- Content safeguards preventing sexually explicit material involving minors
- Parental controls for minors, especially under 13
Exemptions
Internal Business Systems
Internal business systems, developer tools, voice assistants for consumer devices, and enterprise-only platforms are exempt
- • Not public-facing
- • Not designed to simulate human conversation with consumers
Compliance & Enforcement
Penalties
$500K; $1K/violation
View on map
Idaho
Focus Areas
Cite This
APA
Idaho. (2026). Idaho Conversational AI Safety Act (SB 1297).
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Last updated July 26, 2026. Verify against primary sources before relying on this information.