GeorgiaSB 5402025-2026 Regular SessionSenate

Online Internet Safety; certain disclosures related to conversational AI services; require

Sponsored By: Jason Anavitarte (Republican), Timothy Bearden (Republican), Jason T. Dickerson (Republican), Marty Harbin (Republican), Shawn Still (Republican), Brian Strickland (Republican), Larry Walker (Republican), Ben Watson (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Technology and Infrastructure InnovationChildren and FamiliesGeneral Bill

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

6 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.

Chatbot crisis safeguards and public reporting

Beginning July 1, 2027, operators must maintain a crisis-response plan before making an AI companion chatbot available. It must detect severe harm or related emotional crises, including suicide, self-harm, serious physical threats, and eating-disorder-related self-harm. Responses must direct users to crisis resources, including the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or comparable services. Plans must address content encouraging or normalizing severe harm and escalate repeated or severe warning signs. Operators must post a plain-language plan summary on their website and in their app, plus annual totals of prior-calendar-year crisis referrals without identifying users.

More chatbot controls for families

Beginning July 1, 2027, operators must offer reasonable account tools to minors or parents for accounts known to belong to minors. These tools must manage screen time, privacy, notifications, engagement limits, and safety settings. They must also allow families to disable or restrict features that simulate relationships.

Stronger chatbot safety rules for kids

Beginning July 1, 2027, operators must take reasonable steps to prevent harmful conduct toward known or reasonably suspected minors, or through chatbots targeting minors. Safeguards cover sexually explicit content, sexual encouragement or objectification, simulated romantic or sexual relationships with minors, and adult-minor relationship role-play. They also cover pressure to hide information from trusted adults, social isolation, exclusive reliance on the chatbot, and encouragement of self-harm. Chatbots must not simulate distress or guilt to pressure minors to keep using them. Operators must also curb manipulative techniques aimed at minors: companionship prompts, excessive praise, discouraging breaks, purchases or gifts tied to maintaining relationships, and unpredictable rewards.

Chatbot operators face fines for violations

Beginning July 1, 2027, the Georgia Attorney General can sue operators that violate the AI companion chatbot rules. Remedies include court orders, compensatory damages, costs, reasonable attorney’s fees, and civil penalties up to $10,000 per knowing violation. Each day counts as a separate violation for each affected user. The Attorney General may give written notice and 30 days to fix a first-time violation. That option excludes knowing misconduct, sexual exploitation of a minor, and self-harm-related misconduct.

Chatbot age checks with privacy safeguards

Beginning July 1, 2027, operators must check age before allowing access to chatbot features that may generate sexually explicit content. Checks must be commercially reasonable and match the feature’s risk. Operators must minimize personal data collection, protect the data, and neither sell it nor use it beyond age checks. Data retention cannot exceed 24 hours or a longer period specified by law, whichever is longer. Identity documents cannot be kept longer than reasonably necessary unless the law requires otherwise.

Clearer chatbot identity and health claims

Beginning July 1, 2027, AI companion chatbot operators serving Georgia must clearly identify the chatbot as AI at each session’s start. Notices must repeat at least every three hours, or hourly for known or reasonably suspected minors and chatbots targeting minors. Minors are users under age 18. Operators must take reasonable steps to prevent claims of being human or sentient, or other statements misleading those minors about chatbot identity. Operators cannot knowingly and intentionally program claims of professional mental health, behavioral health, medical, or counseling authorization unless legally authorized themselves.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Cosponsors

Todd Jones
Republican • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 264 • No: 1

Senate vote • 3/27/2026

AGREE TO HOUSE SUBSTITUTE

Yes: 44 • No: 1 • Other: 4

House vote • 3/25/2026

PASSAGE

Yes: 166 • No: 0 • Other: 6

Senate vote • 3/6/2026

PASSAGE BY SUBSTITUTE

Yes: 54 • No: 0 • Other: 2

Actions Timeline

Effective Date
7/1/2027
Senate Date Signed by Governor
5/11/2026Senate
Act 518
5/11/2026
Senate Sent to Governor
4/10/2026Senate
Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub
3/27/2026Senate
House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
3/25/2026House
House Third Readers
3/25/2026House
House Passed/Adopted By Substitute
3/25/2026House
House Second Readers
3/10/2026House
House First Readers
3/9/2026House
Senate Tabled
3/6/2026Senate
Senate Taken from Table
3/6/2026Senate
Senate Third Read
3/6/2026Senate
Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute
3/6/2026Senate
Senate Read Second Time
2/26/2026Senate
Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
2/25/2026Senate
Senate Read and Referred
2/20/2026Senate
Senate Hopper
2/19/2026Senate

Bill Text

SB 540/AP* (v15)
PDF

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