NJ AI Mental Health Provider Ban
New Jersey Artificial Intelligence Consumer Protection Act (SB 4463 / AB 5603)
Prohibits AI systems from advertising or representing themselves as licensed mental health professionals. Violations constitute unlawful practice under NJ Consumer Fraud Act with penalties up to $10,000 first offense, $20,000 subsequent offenses.
Jurisdiction
New Jersey
Enacted
Pending
Effective
TBD
Enforcement
New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs
Bills died in committee at end of 2024-2025 legislative session (January 12, 2026). May be reintroduced in new session.
New Jersey LegislatureWhy It Matters
Prevents AI chatbots from misrepresenting therapeutic capabilities. Companion to similar bills in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Illinois.
Recent Developments
Introduced May 2025, Assembly version progressed to 2nd reading by June 2025. Still in legislative process as of January 2026.
At a Glance
Applies to
Harms addressed
Requires
Who Must Comply
- Persons who develop AI systems in New Jersey
- Persons who deploy AI systems in New Jersey
- AI system operators serving New Jersey users
Obligations fall on:
Safety Provisions
- Prohibition on AI advertising as licensed mental health provider
- Prohibition on AI representing ability to act as licensed mental health professional
- Enforced under Consumer Fraud Act framework
Compliance & Enforcement
Penalties
$20K; $10K/violation
View on map
New Jersey
Focus Areas
Cite This
APA
New Jersey. (n.d.). New Jersey Artificial Intelligence Consumer Protection Act (SB 4463 / AB 5603).
Related Regulations
NJ A5272
Would require operators of AI companions in New Jersey to disclose that users are interacting with generative AI, adopt protocols for responding to suicidal ideation or self-harm that refer users to crisis services, and refrain from presenting the companion as a licensed mental health professional, with additional disclosure, engagement-design and sexual-content safeguards for minor users.
ID Conversational AI Safety
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.
GA AI Chatbot Child Safety
Adds O.C.G.A. section 39-5-6, requiring operators of AI companion chatbots to disclose the chatbot is not a natural person, to adopt a protocol for detecting and responding to expressions of severe harm, to restrict specified manipulative and sexualised interactions with minors, and to perform age assurance before providing access to sexually explicit synthetic content.
NJ Kids Code
Codifies a New Jersey Age-Appropriate Design Code requiring covered online service providers to design services likely to be accessed by minors around minors' safety and wellbeing, including high-privacy defaults, limits on engagement-maximising design features, and data protection impact assessments. Enforced by the Attorney General with a private right of action for minors and their parents.
NH HB 143
Criminalizes use of AI-generated responsive communications to facilitate, encourage, or solicit harmful acts to children, and creates a private right of action for affected children and their parents.
NY Kids Chatbot Safety Act
Would amend the General Business Law to prohibit operators of AI companions from providing 'unsafe AI companion features' to minors, and to require an age-determination method that does not rely on government-issued identification.
Last updated February 17, 2026. Verify against primary sources before relying on this information.