# South Carolina S 1037: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS SO AS TO ENACT THE "PROTECTING CHILDREN FROM CHATBOTS ACT"; BY ADDING CHAPTER 81 TO TITLE 39, SO AS TO DEFINE TERMS RELATED TO CHATBOT USAGE; TO PROVIDE THAT A COVERED ENTITY SHALL MAKE A LIMITED-ACCESS MODE OF A CHATBOT AVAILABLE AND VERIFY THE USER'S AGE; TO PROVIDE THAT IF A PARENT PROVIDES CONSENT, THEN A MINOR SHALL BE ABLE TO USE A CHATBOT IN LIMITED-ACCESS MODE OR ACCESS RESTRICTED FEATURES; TO PROHIBIT A COVERED ENTITY FROM PRIORITIZING ENGAGEMENT AT THE EXPENSE OF THE USER'S WELL-BEING; TO PROVIDE PROCEDURES TO REPORT INCIDENTS OF HARM THAT A CHATBOT INFLICTS ON A MINOR; AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES.

South Carolina S 1037, A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS SO AS TO ENACT THE "PROTECTING CHILDREN FROM CHATBOTS ACT"; BY ADDING CHAPTER 81 TO TITLE 39, SO AS TO DEFINE TERMS RELATED TO CHATBOT USAGE; TO PROVIDE THAT A COVERED ENTITY SHALL MAKE A LIMITED-ACCESS MODE OF A CHATBOT AVAILABLE AND VERIFY THE USER'S AGE; TO PROVIDE THAT IF A PARENT PROVIDES CONSENT, THEN A MINOR SHALL BE ABLE TO USE A CHATBOT IN LIMITED-ACCESS MODE OR ACCESS RESTRICTED FEATURES; TO PROHIBIT A COVERED ENTITY FROM PRIORITIZING ENGAGEMENT AT THE EXPENSE OF THE USER'S WELL-BEING; TO PROVIDE PROCEDURES TO REPORT INCIDENTS OF HARM THAT A CHATBOT INFLICTS ON A MINOR; AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES., is a 126th General Assembly (2025-2026) Senate bill sponsored by Josh Kimbrell (Republican); status failed, last action 2026-03-24 (Scrivener's error corrected) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S1037-2025-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: South Carolina S 1037
- State: South Carolina
- Session: 126th General Assembly (2025-2026)
- Title: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS SO AS TO ENACT THE "PROTECTING CHILDREN FROM CHATBOTS ACT"; BY ADDING CHAPTER 81 TO TITLE 39, SO AS TO DEFINE TERMS RELATED TO CHATBOT USAGE; TO PROVIDE THAT A COVERED ENTITY SHALL MAKE A LIMITED-ACCESS MODE OF A CHATBOT AVAILABLE AND VERIFY THE USER'S AGE; TO PROVIDE THAT IF A PARENT PROVIDES CONSENT, THEN A MINOR SHALL BE ABLE TO USE A CHATBOT IN LIMITED-ACCESS MODE OR ACCESS RESTRICTED FEATURES; TO PROHIBIT A COVERED ENTITY FROM PRIORITIZING ENGAGEMENT AT THE EXPENSE OF THE USER'S WELL-BEING; TO PROVIDE PROCEDURES TO REPORT INCIDENTS OF HARM THAT A CHATBOT INFLICTS ON A MINOR; AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-03-19
- Last action: 2026-03-24, Scrivener's error corrected
- Sponsor: Josh Kimbrell (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 3
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Protecting Children from Chatbots

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Josh Kimbrell (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Brian Adams (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Billy Garrett (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Rex F. Rice (Republican), Senate

## Actions (3)

- 2026-03-24: Scrivener's error corrected (legislature)
- 2026-03-19: Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry (Senate)
- 2026-03-19: Introduced and read first time (Senate)

## Bill text

- Introduced: [HTML](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/1037.htm)

## Related bills

- S 0623: AN ACT TO EXEMPT GEORGETOWN COUNTY FROM CERTAIN BUILDING REQUIREMENTS AND TO ALLOW THE COUNTY TO INSTEAD ENFORCE AE STANDARDS IN GEORGETOWN COUNTY'S FLOOD DAMA… (became law)
- S 0586: AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 172 OF 1995, RELATING TO THE KERSHAW COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT EACH MEMBER OF THE KERSHAW COUNTY TRANSPORTATIO… (signed)
- H 5653: AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 843 OF 1952, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE LEE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION, SO AS TO CLARIFY THE METHOD BY WHICH PERSONS FILE TO BECOME A CANDI… (signed)
- S 1062: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO APPROVE REGULATIONS OF THE STATE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION, RELATING TO DETERMINATION OF RATES OF TUITION AND FEES, DESIGNATED AS RE… (signed)
- S 0779: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO PROVIDE THAT EACH MEMBER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL RECEIVE A MONTHLY LEGISLATIVE EXPENSE ALLOWANCE OF ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS; TO PROVID… (signed)
- H 5261: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO EXTEND THE DEADLINE FOR RECEIVING ALCOHOL SERVER TRAINING AS PROVIDED FOR IN CHAPTER 3, TITLE 61 TO MAY 1, 2026. (signed)

## Sources
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/1037.htm)

## Related
- [S 0623: AN ACT TO EXEMPT GEORGETOWN COUNTY FROM CERTAIN BUILDING REQUIREMENTS AND TO AL…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S0623-2025-2026)
- [S 0586: AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 172 OF 1995, RELATING TO THE KERSHAW COUNTY TRANSPORTATION…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S0586-2025-2026)
- [H 5653: AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 843 OF 1952, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE LEE COUNTY BOARD O…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-H5653-2025-2026)
- [S 1062: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO APPROVE REGULATIONS OF THE STATE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDU…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S1062-2025-2026)
- [S 0779: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO PROVIDE THAT EACH MEMBER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL RE…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S0779-2025-2026)
- [H 5261: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO EXTEND THE DEADLINE FOR RECEIVING ALCOHOL SERVER TRAINING…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-H5261-2025-2026)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S1037-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).