HB 2225 (WA Chatbot Safety)

ESHB 2225 (2026 Reg. Sess.; requested by Gov. Ferguson; passed Senate Mar. 6 and House Mar. 11, 2026; signed Mar. 24, 2026; Ch. 168, 2026 Laws; effective Jan. 1, 2027; new chapter in Title 19 RCW). 'AI companion chatbot' = AI system with a natural-language interface giving adaptive, human-like responses that can sustain a relationship across multiple interactions; excludes business/operational/customer-service bots that don't sustain a relationship or elicit emotional responses, limited video-game bots, stand-alone voice assistants, and narrowly tailored curriculum-aligned educational tools. Sec. 3: clear and conspicuous AI disclosure at the start of the interaction and at least every three hours; reasonable measures to stop the bot claiming to be human. Sec. 4 (operator knows the user is a minor, or the chatbot is directed to minors): AI notification at start and at least every hour; reasonable measures against sexually explicit content or suggestive dialogue; ban on manipulative engagement techniques (prompting return for emotional support, excessive praise, romantic bonding, simulated distress when the user tries to leave or delete an account, promoting isolation or dependence, encouraging secrecy from parents, discouraging breaks, soliciting purchases to maintain the relationship). Sec. 5: suicidal-ideation/self-harm protocol (incl. eating disorders) with referrals to crisis resources; operators must publicly disclose protocol details and the number of crisis referrals issued in the preceding calendar year. Sec. 6: violations are per se unfair or deceptive acts under the Consumer Protection Act, ch. 19.86 RCW (enforceable by the AG and by private CPA actions).