# Virginia SB796: Artificial Intelligence Companion Chatbots and Minors Act; established, enforcement, civil penalty.

Virginia SB796, Artificial Intelligence Companion Chatbots and Minors Act; established, enforcement, civil penalty., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Tara A. Durant (Republican); status passed senate, last action 2026-03-02 (House committee offered) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB796-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia SB796
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Artificial Intelligence Companion Chatbots and Minors Act; established, enforcement, civil penalty.
- Status: passed senate
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-23
- Last action: 2026-03-02, House committee offered
- Sponsor: Tara A. Durant (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Communications, Technology and Innovation
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 11 (169 yes, 1 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Artificial Intelligence Chatbots and Minors Act established; enforcement; civil penalties; individual action. Creates the Artificial Intelligence Chatbots and Minors Act to require a covered entity, defined in the bill, to (i) implement certain reasonable systems and processes, (ii) make reasonable efforts to notify appropriate emergency services or law enforcement if it obtains knowledge that a user faces an imminent risk of death or serious physical injury, and (iii) submit a report to the Attorney General after obtaining knowledge of certain covered incidents, defined in the bill, connected to one or more of its chatbots. The bill also requires an operator, defined in the bill, to disclose the non-human nature of the chatbot to users at certain intervals. The bill authorizes the Attorney General to initiate an action to seek an injunction and civil penalties for violations and also provides an individual civil action for any person harmed by a violation or the parent or legal guardian of a minor harmed by a violation.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Tara A. Durant (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-02 | House | Continued to 2027 in Communications, Technology and Innovation (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-17 | Senate | Reading of amendment waived (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-17 | Senate | Engrossment reconsidered by Senate | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-17 | Senate | Senator Durant Amendment agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-17 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed (on 3rd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-17 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate | pass | 39 | 1 |   |
| 2026-02-16 | Senate | Committee substitute rejected (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-16 | Senate | Senator Durant Substitute agreed to (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-13 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-13 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 36 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-11 | Senate | Reported from General Laws and Technology with substitute | pass | 14 | 0 | 1 |

## Actions (28)

- 2026-03-02: House committee offered (House)
- 2026-03-02: Continued to 2027 in Communications, Technology and Innovation (Voice Vote) (House)
- 2026-02-24: Referred to Committee on Communications, Technology and Innovation (House)
- 2026-02-24: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-24: Placed on Calendar (House)
- 2026-02-17: Floor offered Senator Durant Amendment (Senate)
- 2026-02-17: Read third time and passed Senate (39-Y 1-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-17: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 3rd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-17: Senator Durant Amendment agreed to (Senate)
- 2026-02-17: Reading of amendment waived (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-17: Engrossment reconsidered by Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-17: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-17: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute as amended (Senate)
- 2026-02-16: Senator Durant Substitute agreed to (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-16: Committee substitute rejected (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-16: Floor Offered (Senate)
- 2026-02-16: Engrossed by Senate - floor substitute (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-16: Read second time (Senate)
- 2026-02-16: Reading of substitute waived (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (36-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Committee substitute printed 26107851D-S1 (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Senate committee offered (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB796) (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Reported from General Laws and Technology with substitute (14-Y 0-N 1-A) (Senate)
- 2026-01-23: Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology (Senate)
- 2026-01-23: Presented and ordered printed 26105447D (Senate)

## Bill text

- Substitute, 2026-03-02: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187540.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187539.PDF)
- Amendment, 2026-02-17: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1168825.HTML)
- Engrossed, 2026-02-17: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1168829.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1168828.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-16: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1150660.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1150659.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1143307.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1143306.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-11: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1142407.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1142406.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-23: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1096099.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1096098.PDF)

## Related bills

- HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement. (signed)
- HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. (signed)
- HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord. (signed)
- HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty. (signed)

## Sources
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187540.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187539.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1168825.HTML)
- [Engrossed (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1168829.HTML)
- [Engrossed (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1168828.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1150660.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1150659.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1143307.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1143306.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1142407.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1142406.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1096099.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1096098.PDF)

## Related
- [HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB5-2026)
- [SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB199-2026)
- [HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB95-2026)
- [HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1393-2026)
- [HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, terminat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB834-2026)
- [HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB675-2026)
- [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills)
- [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB796-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).