An Act to Amend Title 24 of the Delaware Code Relating to Medical Professionals, Titles, and Nonhuman Entities
Delaware · Del. H.B. 191, 153rd Gen. Assemb. (2025-2026) (amending 24 Del. C.)
This law makes clear that artificial intelligence and other nonhuman entities cannot be licensed or certified to practice medicine or nursing in Delaware. It bars AI agents from being licensed as a physician, physician assistant, professional nurse, advanced practice nurse, or practical nurse, and from using the professional titles or abbreviations tied to those roles, such as 'Dr.,' 'MD,' 'RN,' 'APRN,' or 'PA.' The intent is to prevent AI tools from misrepresenting themselves as licensed human clinicians, while still allowing AI to be used as a support tool by licensed professionals.
Technical detail
House Bill 191 (153rd General Assembly) amends Title 24 of the Delaware Code to provide that a nonhuman entity, including an AI-powered agent, may not be licensed or certified to practice medicine or any form of nursing and may not use the associated professional titles or abbreviations.
Who is protected: Delaware patients and the public, protected from AI systems posing as licensed human medical or nursing professionals.
Who must comply: Developers and operators of AI or other nonhuman systems that might otherwise claim licensure or use protected medical/nursing titles in Delaware.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Delaware |
|---|---|
| Level | State |
| Status | In effect |
| Protection strength | Limited protection |
| Effective date | 2026-04-23 |
| Enacted | 2026-04-23 |
| Citation | Del. H.B. 191, 153rd Gen. Assemb. (2025-2026) (amending 24 Del. C.) |
| Enforced by | Delaware Division of Professional Regulation and the relevant licensing boards (Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline; Board of Nursing) under Title 24 |
| Private right of action | No — agency enforcement only |
| Penalties | Existing Title 24 enforcement for unlicensed practice and improper use of protected professional titles and credentials applies; no new penalty schedule established by the bill. |
| Topics | healthcare AI · consumer protection |
| Last verified | 2026-06-16 |
| Official source | Delaware General Assembly — House Bill 191 (153rd GA) ↗ |
More AI rules in Delaware
- Delaware HB 191 (AI clinician licensure ban) · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- Delaware Privacy Law (DPDPA) · In effect
- Delaware Election Deepfake Law · In effect
- Delaware AI Commission Act (government AI inventory) · In effect
- Delaware Deepfake Intimate-Images Act · In effect
- AG Jennings Completes Review of OpenAI Recapitalization (Sta · In effect
Related healthcare AI rules elsewhere
- Missouri AI Therapy Chatbot Ban (SB 1019) · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- PA v. Character.AI (Fake Psychiatrist Chatbot) · Blocked / in litigation
- RI Therapy Chatbot Ban (2026) · In effect
- RI AI Companion Self-Harm Safety (2026) · In effect
- Georgia SB 544 (health insurer AI) · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- Indiana HB 1271 (AI claims downcoding) · In effect
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