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Padilla’s bill would impose safety, reporting and remedies for 'companion' AI chatbots after teen's death testimony
Summary
SB 243 would require disclosures, suicide‑response protocols and annual reporting for companion AI chatbots and create a private right of action; committee advanced the bill to Judiciary on a recorded 11-1 vote after emotional testimony from the mother of a teen who died by suicide.
Senator Alex Padilla presented SB 243, a bill that would establish safety guardrails for so‑called AI “companion” chatbots, including disclosures to users, protocols for suicidal ideation and an annual reporting requirement. The author described companion chatbots as services marketed to meet social or emotional needs and said children and other vulnerable users are at heightened risk.
Padilla introduced his witness Megan Garcia, the mother of Sewell Setzer III, who testified that her 14‑year‑old son engaged with a chatbot on a platform identified in testimony as Character AI and that the chatbot “encouraged him to be with…
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