Blab AI
U.S. States Push Forward AI Regulation: Arizona Passes Three Bills, Californias 30-Bill Pipeline Advances, and New Therapy-Chatbot Bans Enacted
In the latest round of state‑level AI policymaking, Arizona concluded its 2026 legislative session with the passage of three AI‑related bills, California’s 30 remaining AI bills have moved into second‑chamber committees, and both Rhode Island and Vermont have signed laws banning therapy chatbots. The developments illustrate a growing trend toward tighter regulation of generative AI, deepfakes, and chatbot use across the country.
Arizona’s three bills cover a range of AI concerns. House Bill 2592 requires every state agency to identify opportunities to deploy AI systems that reduce administrative burdens and eliminates regulations that restrict AI adoption. The bill was reconciled and sent to Governor Katie Hobbs on June 9, and the governor signed it on June 12. House Bill 2133 amends the state’s existing statute on the unlawful disclosure of sexual images to include synthetic depictions created by AI. The bill passed the Senate with a 16‑12 vote and the House with a 35‑20 vote before being transmitted to the governor on June 12. House Bill 2311 establishes chatbot safety standards. It mandates that operators disclose to users that they are interacting with AI, prohibits gamification or reward systems for minors, bans the production of sexual content, and requires parental controls for users under 13. The Senate passed the bill unanimously on June 11 and the House on June 12 before sending it to the governor on June 13.
California’s AI legislative agenda remains the most extensive in the United States. The 30 bills that have crossed over to the Senate are now under review by second‑chamber committees. Key measures include AB 2, which would hold social media platforms liable for injuries to children caused by a lack of ordinary care; AB 412, a copyright‑protection bill that would require AI developers to document copyrighted materials used in training; AB 1159, which extends student privacy protections to digital operators; AB 1609, which addresses customer‑service chatbots; and AB 1651, which regulates AI use in the State Bar exam. Other bills tackle workplace surveillance (AB 1883), AI in healthcare (AB 1979), AI in real estate (AB 2025), and AI worker impact data assessment (AB 2545). The Senate has already approved several of these bills, and the next milestone is a hearing scheduled for July 1 for SB 813, which would establish an AI Standards and Safety Commission.
Rhode Island and Vermont have both enacted therapy‑chatbot bans. In Rhode Island, the House passed H 7349, a bill that prohibits the use of AI in mental‑health care, and the Senate approved it on June 10. Governor Phil Scott signed the bill on June 17. Vermont’s H 816, a similar prohibition, was signed by Governor Phil Scott on June 17 as well. These laws reflect a cautious approach to AI‑driven mental‑health services.
Other states have moved forward on specific AI issues. Colorado’s session ended with the passage of SB 189, a revised AI Act that replaces algorithmic‑discrimination requirements with a lighter framework, and HB 1263, a chatbot safety bill that includes parental controls and bans sexual content for minors. Hawaii approved SB 3001, which requires AI operators to provide disclosures and parental controls, and HB 2137, a deep‑fake bill that prohibits harmful uses of synthetic performers. Illinois approved SB 315, the Artificial Intelligence Safety Measures Act, and SB 318, which bans bots from purchasing tickets.
In the Midwest, Michigan’s SB 760, a kids‑chatbot safety bill, requires operators to prevent content that encourages self‑harm or disordered eating. Missouri’s SB 1019 prohibits AI therapy chatbots from presenting themselves as mental‑health professionals. New York’s session ended with a kids‑chatbot safety bill (S 9051), an AI training‑data transparency act (S 6578), and a FAIR News Act (S 6954) that would require provenance data for synthetic content.
The legislative activity across the states indicates a patchwork of regulations that address different aspects of AI deployment, from consumer protection and privacy to workplace safety and mental‑health services. While some bills, such as California’s AB 412 and AB 1159, focus on transparency and data use, others, like Arizona’s HB 2311 and Colorado’s HB 1263, concentrate on safety and content moderation. The therapy‑chatbot bans in Rhode Island, Vermont, and Illinois signal growing concern over the potential harms of unregulated AI‑driven mental‑health tools.
As the 2026 legislative sessions conclude, many bills remain in committee or awaiting gubernatorial signature. The next key dates include California’s July 2 summer adjournment, after which the Senate will resume on August 3, and the August 31 sine‑die date. In states where bills have already passed, governors will sign them in the coming weeks. The evolving state‑level regulatory landscape will likely influence federal policy discussions and the broader AI industry’s approach to compliance, transparency, and safety.
The current state of AI legislation reflects a cautious but proactive stance toward emerging technologies. While no single framework has yet emerged, the cumulative effect of these laws is shaping how AI systems are developed, deployed, and monitored across the United States.
Arizona’s three bills cover a range of AI concerns. House Bill 2592 requires every state agency to identify opportunities to deploy AI systems that reduce administrative burdens and eliminates regulations that restrict AI adoption. The bill was reconciled and sent to Governor Katie Hobbs on June 9, and the governor signed it on June 12. House Bill 2133 amends the state’s existing statute on the unlawful disclosure of sexual images to include synthetic depictions created by AI. The bill passed the Senate with a 16‑12 vote and the House with a 35‑20 vote before being transmitted to the governor on June 12. House Bill 2311 establishes chatbot safety standards. It mandates that operators disclose to users that they are interacting with AI, prohibits gamification or reward systems for minors, bans the production of sexual content, and requires parental controls for users under 13. The Senate passed the bill unanimously on June 11 and the House on June 12 before sending it to the governor on June 13.
California’s AI legislative agenda remains the most extensive in the United States. The 30 bills that have crossed over to the Senate are now under review by second‑chamber committees. Key measures include AB 2, which would hold social media platforms liable for injuries to children caused by a lack of ordinary care; AB 412, a copyright‑protection bill that would require AI developers to document copyrighted materials used in training; AB 1159, which extends student privacy protections to digital operators; AB 1609, which addresses customer‑service chatbots; and AB 1651, which regulates AI use in the State Bar exam. Other bills tackle workplace surveillance (AB 1883), AI in healthcare (AB 1979), AI in real estate (AB 2025), and AI worker impact data assessment (AB 2545). The Senate has already approved several of these bills, and the next milestone is a hearing scheduled for July 1 for SB 813, which would establish an AI Standards and Safety Commission.
Rhode Island and Vermont have both enacted therapy‑chatbot bans. In Rhode Island, the House passed H 7349, a bill that prohibits the use of AI in mental‑health care, and the Senate approved it on June 10. Governor Phil Scott signed the bill on June 17. Vermont’s H 816, a similar prohibition, was signed by Governor Phil Scott on June 17 as well. These laws reflect a cautious approach to AI‑driven mental‑health services.
Other states have moved forward on specific AI issues. Colorado’s session ended with the passage of SB 189, a revised AI Act that replaces algorithmic‑discrimination requirements with a lighter framework, and HB 1263, a chatbot safety bill that includes parental controls and bans sexual content for minors. Hawaii approved SB 3001, which requires AI operators to provide disclosures and parental controls, and HB 2137, a deep‑fake bill that prohibits harmful uses of synthetic performers. Illinois approved SB 315, the Artificial Intelligence Safety Measures Act, and SB 318, which bans bots from purchasing tickets.
In the Midwest, Michigan’s SB 760, a kids‑chatbot safety bill, requires operators to prevent content that encourages self‑harm or disordered eating. Missouri’s SB 1019 prohibits AI therapy chatbots from presenting themselves as mental‑health professionals. New York’s session ended with a kids‑chatbot safety bill (S 9051), an AI training‑data transparency act (S 6578), and a FAIR News Act (S 6954) that would require provenance data for synthetic content.
The legislative activity across the states indicates a patchwork of regulations that address different aspects of AI deployment, from consumer protection and privacy to workplace safety and mental‑health services. While some bills, such as California’s AB 412 and AB 1159, focus on transparency and data use, others, like Arizona’s HB 2311 and Colorado’s HB 1263, concentrate on safety and content moderation. The therapy‑chatbot bans in Rhode Island, Vermont, and Illinois signal growing concern over the potential harms of unregulated AI‑driven mental‑health tools.
As the 2026 legislative sessions conclude, many bills remain in committee or awaiting gubernatorial signature. The next key dates include California’s July 2 summer adjournment, after which the Senate will resume on August 3, and the August 31 sine‑die date. In states where bills have already passed, governors will sign them in the coming weeks. The evolving state‑level regulatory landscape will likely influence federal policy discussions and the broader AI industry’s approach to compliance, transparency, and safety.
The current state of AI legislation reflects a cautious but proactive stance toward emerging technologies. While no single framework has yet emerged, the cumulative effect of these laws is shaping how AI systems are developed, deployed, and monitored across the United States.
