Oregon AI Chatbot Safety Law (SB 1546)
Oregon · Or. SB 1546 (2026), sponsored by Sen. Lisa Reynolds
Oregon's chatbot safety law — the first major chatbot measure passed in 2026 — requires AI chatbot operators to tell users they're talking to AI, prevent outputs that could cause suicidal thoughts, and refer users expressing suicidal ideation to mental-health resources. Kids get extra protections: hourly AI reminders and break reminders, no sexual content, no addictive reward loops, and no emotional manipulation when a child tries to log off. Users harmed by violations can sue. Effective January 1, 2027.
Technical detail
SB 1546 (2026 Reg. Sess.; passed Senate 26-1, House 52-0; signed Mar. 31, 2026; operative Jan. 1, 2027) requires chatbot operators to disclose AI status, implement suicide/self-harm prevention and referral protocols for all users, apply minor-specific protocols on a 'reason to believe the user is a minor' standard (hourly AI-status and break reminders, no sexually explicit content, no engagement-maximizing reward systems, no emotional-distress messaging on account deletion), and report annually to the Oregon Health Authority; harmed users may sue for damages and injunctive relief.
Who is protected: Oregon chatbot users, with heightened protections for minors
Who must comply: Operators of AI chatbots available to Oregon users
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Oregon |
|---|---|
| Level | State |
| Status | Enacted (not yet in effect) |
| Protection strength | Limited protection |
| Effective date | 2027-01-01 |
| Enacted | 2026-03-31 |
| Citation | Or. SB 1546 (2026), sponsored by Sen. Lisa Reynolds |
| Enforced by | Oregon courts (private actions); Oregon Health Authority (incident reporting) |
| Private right of action | Yes — individuals can sue |
| Penalties | Damages and injunctive relief in private actions |
| Topics | children's online safety · consumer protection · AI disclosure and transparency · healthcare AI |
| Last verified | 2026-06-12 |
| Official source | Oregon Gov. Kotek signs chatbot bill into law — Transparency Coalition (Apr. 1, 2026 update) ↗ |
More AI rules in Oregon
- Oregon SB 1546 (AI companion chatbot disclosure + private right of action) · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- Oregon HB 4084 Data Center Tax Moratorium · In effect
- Oregon POWER Act · In effect
- OR weaponized-drone ban · In effect
- Oregon SB 1571 (campaign ads must disclose AI/synthetic media) · In effect
- Oregon SB 619 (opt out of profiling; child-data & assessment rules) · In effect
Related children's online safety rules elsewhere
- PA v. Character.AI (Fake Psychiatrist Chatbot) · Blocked / in litigation
- RI AI Companion Self-Harm Safety (2026) · In effect
- Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act (KIDS Act) (H.R. 7757) · Proposed / pending
- Washington HB 2225 (AI chatbot disclosure, minor protections, crisis protocols) · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- xAI v. Harwood (Grok NCII Counter-Suit 2026) · Blocked / in litigation
- Blanchester OH schools AI policy EDEC (Jun. 29, 2026) · In effect
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