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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7218 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7218
To require artificial intelligence chatbots to implement age
verification measures and establish certain protections for minor
users, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 22, 2026
Mr. Lawler introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require artificial intelligence chatbots to implement age
verification measures and establish certain protections for minor
users, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Children Harmed by AI Technology
Act'' or the ``CHAT Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Federal
Trade Commission.
(2) Companion ai chatbot.--The term ``companion AI
chatbot''--
(A) means any software-based artificial
intelligence system or program that exists for the
primary purpose of simulating emotional interaction,
friendship, companionship, or therapeutic communication
with a user; and
(B) does not include the following:
(i) A bot that is used only for customer
service, a business operational purpose,
productivity and analysis related to source
information, internal research, or technical
assistance.
(ii) A bot that is a feature of a video
game and is limited to replies related to the
video game that cannot discuss topics related
to mental health, self-harm, sexually explicit
conduct, or maintain a dialogue on other topics
unrelated to the video game.
(iii) A stand-alone consumer electronic
device that functions as a speaker and voice
command interface, acts as a voice-activated
virtual assistant, and does not sustain a
relationship across multiple interactions or
generate outputs that are likely to elicit
emotional responses in the user.
(3) Covered entity.--The term ``covered entity'' means any
person that owns, operates, or otherwise makes available a
companion AI chatbot to individuals in the United States.
(4) Minor.--The term ``minor'' means any individual that
has not attained 18 years of age.
(5) Popup.--The term ``popup'' means a visible notification
on the screen of a user that can be resolved if interacted with
by the user.
(6) Sexually explicit communication.--The term ``sexually
explicit communication'' includes any content, conversation, or
material that describes, depicts, or encourages sexually
explicit conduct, as defined in paragraph (2)(B) of section
2256 of title 18, United States Code.
(7) Suicidal ideation.--The term ``suicidal ideation''
means, with respect to an interaction between a minor and a
companion AI chatbot, any dialogue in which such minor
expresses thoughts of self-harm or suicide.
SEC. 3. COVERED ENTITY OBLIGATIONS.
(a) Creation of User Accounts.--A covered entity shall require each
individual accessing a companion AI chatbot to make a user account in
order to use or otherwise interact with such chatbot.
(b) Age Verification.--
(1) Age verification of existing accounts.--With respect to
each user account of a companion AI chatbot that exists as of
the date described in section 7, a covered entity shall--
(A) on such date, freeze any such account;
(B) in order to restore the functionality of such
account, require that the user provide age information
that is verifiable using a commercially available
method or process that is reasonably designed to ensure
accuracy; and
(C) using such age information, classify each user
as a minor or an adult.
(2) Age verification of new accounts.--At the time an
individual creates a new user account to use or interact with a
companion AI chatbot, a covered entity shall--
(A) request age information from the individual;
and
(B) verify the individual's age using a
commercially available method or process that is
reasonably designed to ensure accuracy.
(c) Minor Account Protections.--If the age verification process
described in subsection (b) determines that a user is a minor, a
covered entity shall--
(1) require the account of such user to be affiliated with
a parental account, which such covered entity has verified
using a commercially available method or process that is
reasonably designed to ensure accuracy;
(2) obtain verifiable parental consent from the holder of
the account before allowing a minor to access and use the
companion AI chatbot;
(3) immediately inform the holder of the parental account
of any interaction involving suicidal ideation; and
(4) block the minor's access to any companion AI chatbot
that engages in sexually explicit communication.
(d) Confidentiality of Age Verification Data.--A covered entity
shall protect the confidentiality of age information provided by a user
for age verification by limiting the collection, processing, use, and
storage of such information to what is strictly necessary to verify a
user's age, obtain verifiable parental consent, or maintain compliance
records.
(e) Monitoring for Suicidal Ideation.--A covered entity shall
monitor companion AI chatbot interactions for suicidal ideation and, in
response to any such interaction, provide to the user and the parental
account affiliated with such user appropriate resources by presenting
contact information for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
(f) Notification of Artificial Chatbot.--At the beginning of any
interaction between a user and a companion AI chatbot, and not less
frequently than every 60 minutes during such interaction thereafter, a
covered entity shall display to such user a clear popup that notifies
the user that they are not engaging in dialogue with a human
counterpart.
SEC. 4. COMPLIANCE.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Commission shall issue guidance to assist
covered entities in complying with the requirements of this Act.
(b) Limitation.--In any enforcement action brought pursuant to this
Act, the Commission shall allege a specific violation of a provision of
this Act. The Commission may not base an enforcement action on, or
execute a consent order based on, practices that are alleged to be
inconsistent with any guidance issued by the Commission with respect to
this Act, unless the practices are alleged to violate a provision of
this Act. A person may use such guidance as evidence of compliance with
this Act.
SEC. 5. ENFORCEMENT.
(a) Enforcement by the Commission.--
(1) Unfair or deceptive acts or practices.--A violation of
this Act or a regulation promulgated under this Act shall be
treated as a violation of a rule defining an unfair or
deceptive act or practice under section 18(a)(1)(B) of the
Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 57a(a)(1)(B)).
(2) Powers of the commission.--
(A) In general.--The Commission shall enforce this
Act in the same manner, by the same means, and with the
same jurisdiction, powers, and duties as though all
applicable terms and provisions of the Federal Trade
Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.) were incorporated
into and made a part of this Act.
(B) Privileges and immunities.--Any person who
violates this Act or a regulation promulgated under
this Act shall be subject to the penalties and entitled
to the privileges and immunities provided in the
Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.).
(C) Authority preserved.--Nothing in this section
shall be construed to limit the authority of the
Commission under any other provision of law.
(b) Enforcement by States.--
(1) In general.--
(A) Civil actions.--In any case in which the
attorney general of a State has reason to believe that
an interest of the residents of that State has been or
is threatened or adversely affected by the engagement
of any person in a practice that violates this Act, the
State, as parens patriae, may bring a civil action on
behalf of the residents of the State in a district
court of the United States of appropriate jurisdiction
to--
(i) enjoin that practice;
(ii) enforce compliance with the
requirements of this Act;
(iii) obtain damages, restitution, or other
compensation on behalf of residents of the
State; or
(iv) obtain such other relief as the court
may consider to be appropriate.
(B) Notice.--
(i) In general.--Before filing an action
under subparagraph (A), the attorney general of
the State involved shall provide to the
Commission--
(I) a written notice of that
action; and
(II) a copy of the complaint for
that action.
(ii) Exemption.--
(I) In general.--Clause (i) shall
not apply with respect to the filing of
an action by an attorney general of a
State under this subsection if the
attorney general determines that it is
not feasible to provide the notice
described in that clause before the
filing of the action.
(II) Notification.--In an action
described in subclause (I), the
attorney general of a State shall
provide notice and a copy of the
complaint to the Commission at the same
time as the attorney general files the
action.
(2) Intervention.--
(A) In general.--On receiving notice under
paragraph (1)(B), the Commission shall have the right
to intervene in the action that is the subject of the
notice.
(B) Effect of intervention.--If the Commission
intervenes in an action under paragraph (1), it shall
have the right--
(i) to remove the action to the appropriate
district court of the United States;
(ii) to be heard with respect to any matter
that arises in that action; and
(iii) to file a petition for appeal.
(3) Construction.--For purposes of bringing any civil
action under paragraph (1), nothing in this Act shall be
construed to prevent an attorney general of a State from
exercising the powers conferred on the attorney general by the
laws of that State to--
(A) conduct investigations;
(B) administer oaths or affirmations; or
(C) compel the attendance of witnesses or the
production of documentary and other evidence.
(4) Actions by the commission.--In any case in which an
action is instituted by or on behalf of the Commission for a
violation of this Act, no State may, during the pendency of
that action, institute an action under paragraph (1) against
any defendant named in the complaint in that action for such
violation.
(5) Venue; service of process.--
(A) Venue.--Any action brought under paragraph (1)
may be brought in--
(i) the district court of the United States
that meets applicable requirements relating to
venue under section 1391 of title 28, United
States Code; or
(ii) a State court of competent
jurisdiction.
(B) Service of process.--In an action brought under
paragraph (1), process may be served in any district in
which the defendant--
(i) is an inhabitant; or
(ii) may be found.
SEC. 6. SAFE HARBOR.
A covered entity is deemed not liable for a violation of this Act
if the covered entity demonstrates it has--
(1) relied in good faith on age information provided by a
user of the companion AI chatbot for purposes of verifying the
age of such user;
(2) complied with the guidance described in section 4; and
(3) reasonably conformed to widely accepted industry
standards or best practices, or to standards or best practices
identified by the Commission, for age verification and applied
those standards or best practices consistently and in good
faith.
SEC. 7. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This Act shall take effect on the date that is 1 year after the
date of enactment of this Act.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
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