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TX TRAIGA

Texas Responsible Artificial Intelligence Governance Act (TRAIGA)

Comprehensive AI governance with prohibited uses approach. Bans AI that incites self-harm/suicide, exploits children, or intentionally discriminates. Government entities have additional disclosure requirements. First-in-nation AI regulatory sandbox program.

Jurisdiction

Texas

Enacted

Jun 22, 2025

Effective

Jan 1, 2026

Enforcement

Texas Attorney General (exclusive authority)

Signed June 22, 2025; effective January 1, 2026

Texas Legislature

Why It Matters

Prohibits AI inciting self-harm/suicide - directly relevant to companion chatbots. 60-day cure period before AG enforcement. No private right of action. Separate from TDPSA/SCOPE (data privacy) - this is AI governance.

Recent Developments

Signed June 2025. Creates first-in-nation AI regulatory sandbox (36-month testing with enforcement protection). Establishes Texas AI Council as advisory body. Safe harbors for NIST AI RMF compliance and red-team testing.

At a Glance

Applies to

AI CompanionGeneral Chatbot

Who Must Comply

  • Any person conducting business in Texas
  • Any person producing products/services used by Texas residents
  • Texas governmental entities (stricter requirements)

Safety Provisions

  • Prohibition on AI inciting physical self-harm including suicide
  • Prohibition on AI inciting harm to others or criminal activity
  • Prohibition on AI-generated child exploitation content
  • Prohibition on AI impersonating minors for sexual content
  • Government entity disclosure requirements before AI interactions
  • Social scoring prohibition (government entities)
  • Biometric identification restrictions without consent (government entities)

Exemptions

Hospital Districts

Hospital districts created under Health and Safety Code exempt

  • • Hospital district under HSC

Higher Education Institutions

Institutions of higher education exempt

  • • Institution of higher education

Federal Financial Institutions

Federally insured financial institutions compliant with federal/state banking law

  • • Federally insured
  • • Compliant with banking laws

Compliance & Enforcement

Key Dates

Jan 1, 2026

Full TRAIGA effective date - all provisions take effect

Sep 1, 2026

AG must post online complaint mechanism

Penalties

$200K/violation; $40K/day; license revocation

License revocation

View on map

Texas

Focus Areas

Mental health & crisis
Child safety

Cite This

APA

Texas. (2025). Texas Responsible Artificial Intelligence Governance Act (TRAIGA).

Related Regulations

In Effect US-TX

TX AI Catfishing Law

Establishes civil liability for online impersonation using AI. Person liable if they knowingly and with intent to harm, defraud, intimidate, or threaten use AI to impersonate another's name, voice, signature, photograph, or likeness. Civil remedies include injunctive relief, actual damages, exemplary damages ($500+ minimum), costs, and attorney's fees. Satire and parody exempted.

In Effect US-TX

TX Healthcare AI Law

Requires healthcare practitioners using AI for diagnosis to review all AI-generated records and disclose AI use to patients. Mandates EHR data localization (Texas patient data must be physically stored in US). Applies to covered entities and third-party vendors.

In Effect US-IL

IL WOPR Act

Illinois law prohibiting licensed professionals from using AI systems to make independent therapeutic decisions, directly interact with clients in therapeutic communication, or detect emotions/mental states. AI limited to administrative and supplementary support with licensed professional oversight.

Pending US-HI

HI SB 3001

Establishes disclosure, safety, and reporting requirements for conversational AI services broadly (not limited to companion chatbots), with a focus on minor protections and suicide-related harms.

Proposed US-CA

CA AI Child Safety Ballot

Comprehensive child AI safety ballot initiative by Common Sense Media. Expands companion chatbot definitions, raises age threshold for data sale consent, prohibits certain AI products for children, establishes new state regulatory structure. Allows state and private lawsuits, requires AI literacy in curriculum, mandates school device bans during instruction, creates children's AI safety fund.

Enacted US-NH

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.

Last updated January 27, 2026. Verify against primary sources before relying on this information.