Federal RuleAug 21
62
DOL Rewrites Disability Rules for 'Merit-Based Opportunity' Push
RuleLabor DepartmentFederal Contract Compliance Programs OfficeSignificant Wallet
119-s-3062119th CongressWALLET
GUARD Act
Sponsored By: Senator Hawley, Josh [R-MO]
In Committee
Summary
Age verification for AI chatbots and AI companions would force companies to confirm adult users and bar minors from emotional or conversational bots while banning designs that solicit sexual content or push violence or self‑harm.
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- Minors and families: Minors would be prohibited from using AI companions. Platforms must freeze or restrict accounts identified as minors and run periodic re‑verification.
- Platforms and developers: Covered entities would need mandatory user accounts, a "reasonable" age verification process that does not rely only on self‑reported birth dates, limits on collecting and retaining verification data, encryption for that data, and clear disclosure that the system is non‑human.
- Enforcement and penalties: The bill would add a new federal criminal chapter for harmful AI conduct and allow civil enforcement by the Attorney General and States, with draft statutory penalties referenced up to $250,000 per violation and criminal fines also specified in the text.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 4 mixed.
Criminal bans for harmful AI chatbots
If enacted, it would be a federal crime to knowingly or recklessly make AI chatbots that give minors sexual content or that coerce minors to self‑harm or commit violence. Operators could face criminal charges and fines up to $250,000 per offense. These criminal rules would apply nationwide and begin 180 days after enactment.
Attorney General civil enforcement powers
If enacted, the Attorney General would be able to sue to stop violations, get injunctions, and seek civil penalties for breaches of the Act. Civil penalties would be capped at $250,000 for each violation, and each violation could be counted separately. States could also sue on behalf of residents, and state laws that are as protective would remain in place.
New age verification for AI companions
If enacted, companies would require you to create an account and verify your age to use AI companion services. Existing accounts would be frozen until users verify they are adults. Companies would have to limit and encrypt age‑verification data, keep it only as needed, and they could not sell it. Systems would have to identify themselves as AI and block users classified as minors.
Delayed start: 180-day effective date
If enacted, the Act and its requirements would begin 180 days after enactment. That delay would give companies more time to comply but would also postpone the law's protections for minors until that date.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Hawley, Josh [R-MO]
MO • R
Cosponsors
Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
CT • D
Sponsored 10/28/2025
Sen. Britt, Katie Boyd [R-AL]
AL • R
Sponsored 10/28/2025
Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA]
VA • D
Sponsored 10/28/2025
Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]
CT • D
Sponsored 10/28/2025
Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ]
AZ • D
Sponsored 10/28/2025
Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ]
AZ • D
Sponsored 10/29/2025
Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT]
UT • R
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK]
OK • R
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR]
AR • R
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT]
VT • D
Sponsored 12/1/2025
Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH]
NH • D
Sponsored 12/2/2025
Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]
NV • D
Sponsored 1/12/2026
Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA]
VA • D
Sponsored 1/29/2026
Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
NY • D
Sponsored 3/5/2026
Sen. Ricketts, Pete [R-NE]
NE • R
Sponsored 3/5/2026
Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]
TN • R
Sponsored 3/11/2026
Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]
RI • D
Sponsored 3/17/2026
Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
IL • D
Sponsored 4/17/2026
Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]
DE • D
Sponsored 5/11/2026
Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
NJ • D
Sponsored 6/1/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov