Washington HB 2225 — AI Companion Chatbot Safety Act
Washington · Washington HB 2225 (2026), effective January 1, 2027
Washington's AI Companion Chatbot Safety Act (HB 2225), signed March 24, 2026, requires operators of AI companion chatbots to clearly disclose to all users that they are interacting with AI, not a human. The disclosure must be repeated every three hours for adult users and every one hour for minor users. Operators must implement suicide and self-harm crisis protocols for all users, protect minors from manipulative engagement mechanics, and restrict access to adult content. The law includes a private right of action, allowing affected individuals to sue operators. It takes effect January 1, 2027.
Technical detail
Washington HB 2225 (2026 session). Signed by Governor Ferguson March 24, 2026; effective January 1, 2027. Scope: AI-powered companion chatbot applications. Requirements: (1) clear AI disclosure at start of interaction; (2) recurring disclosure every 3 hours for adults, every 1 hour for minors; (3) mandatory crisis protocol for suicidal ideation/self-harm messages (referral to crisis services); (4) prohibition on features that use variable-ratio reinforcement or unpredictable rewards for minor users; (5) restrictions on adult content for minors. Enforcement: private right of action included. Governor Ferguson signed both HB 2225 (chatbot) and HB 1170 (AI content provenance) on the same date.
Who is protected: Washington residents interacting with AI companion chatbots, particularly minors
Who must comply: Operators of AI companion chatbot applications with users in Washington State
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Washington |
|---|---|
| Level | State |
| Status | Enacted (not yet in effect) |
| Protection strength | Moderate protection |
| Effective date | 2027-01-01 |
| Enacted | 2026-03-24 |
| Citation | Washington HB 2225 (2026), effective January 1, 2027 |
| Enforced by | Washington State Attorney General; private right of action |
| Private right of action | Yes — individuals can sue |
| Penalties | Private right of action (specific damages amounts not confirmed in secondary sources) |
| Topics | consumer protection · children's online safety · automated decision-making |
| Last verified | 2026-07-10 |
| Official source | Washington State Enacts Law Regulating AI Companion Chatbots with Private Right of Action (Hunton Andrews Kurth) ↗ |
More AI rules in Washington
- WA SB 5982 (Data Center / Clean Energy) · In effect
- Washington HB 1170 (AI content watermarking & provenance metadata) · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- Washington SHB 1672 (employee monitoring notice, ADS restrictions, emotion AI ban) · In effect
- Washington HB 1999 (criminalizes AI/fabricated CSAM and nonconsensual fake intimate images) · In effect
- Washington SB 5395 (limits AI in health-insurance prior-auth denials) · In effect
- My Health My Data Act · In effect
Related consumer protection rules elsewhere
- Missouri AI Therapy Chatbot Ban (SB 1019) · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- Vermont Data Broker Law (H.211) · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- Arkansas Frank Broyles Act AI amendment — voice and likeness protection (2025) · In effect
- PA v. Character.AI (Fake Psychiatrist Chatbot) · Blocked / in litigation
- NAACP v. xAI (Colossus 2 Air Pollution) · Blocked / in litigation
- RI Therapy Chatbot Ban (2026) · In effect
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