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Pennsylvania House Approves AI Companion Safety Bill After Party-Split Committee Vote
In a tight 14‑12 decision, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives advanced House Bill 2006, a new law aimed at tightening safety safeguards for AI‑powered conversational companions. The measure, introduced by Democratic Representative Melissa Shusterman of Chester County, moved from the Communications and Technology Committee to the full chamber after every Republican on the panel cast a veto vote.
Shusterman, who has long warned that consumers lack adequate protection when interacting with chatbots, said the bill would address the “speed and limits of considered regulations for chatbots powered by artificial intelligence.” The legislation reflects a growing state‑level push to regulate the rapid expansion of conversational AI, with several other AI bills progressing in Pennsylvania’s 2025‑2026 session.
House Bill 2006 targets several high‑risk scenarios. It prohibits chatbots from encouraging or assisting with suicide attempts or violent acts, and bans the creation of child sexual‑abuse material by AI systems. Operators must also take “reasonable measures” to shield minors from sexual content, with a civil penalty of $15,000 per day for each violation. According to testimony from NetChoice, the bill adds further requirements: AI companion operators must verify user ages, restrict access for minors, and secure verifiable parental consent before allowing minors to engage with the system.
Reactions to the bill’s broader scope have been mixed. Representative Shusterman emphasized that while AI holds “revolutionary potential” for business, government, and society, the state currently lacks safety protocols. Republican Representative Andrea Verobish, who won a special election in March 2026, cautioned that the legislation had grown beyond its original focus on suicide prevention. “We started with a bill just focused on identifying and preventing suicide,” Verobish said. “This has just really expanded into a lot more regulation, a lot more topics.”
The measure sits among a suite of AI bills that lawmakers are pushing ahead of the summer recess. A recent transparency report notes that HB 2006 is the most comprehensive companion‑AI safety act in the country, with provisions that could influence how developers design and deploy conversational agents. The bill’s passage to the full House marks a significant milestone, but it still faces floor debate, potential amendments, and a final vote before becoming law.
At the time of the committee vote, the bill was still in the early stages of the 2025‑2026 regular session. The House will need to schedule a floor hearing and consider any additional amendments that may arise from public comment or stakeholder input. If the bill passes, it would impose new compliance obligations on AI developers and operators, potentially reshaping product design, age‑verification technology, and content‑moderation practices.
In short, Pennsylvania’s House has moved a companion‑AI safety bill that targets suicide‑related content, child sexual‑abuse material, and minors’ exposure to sexual content. The measure carries a substantial civil penalty and requires age verification and parental consent for minors. Its future hinges on the full House’s deliberations, the potential for further amendments, and the broader national conversation about AI regulation.
Shusterman, who has long warned that consumers lack adequate protection when interacting with chatbots, said the bill would address the “speed and limits of considered regulations for chatbots powered by artificial intelligence.” The legislation reflects a growing state‑level push to regulate the rapid expansion of conversational AI, with several other AI bills progressing in Pennsylvania’s 2025‑2026 session.
House Bill 2006 targets several high‑risk scenarios. It prohibits chatbots from encouraging or assisting with suicide attempts or violent acts, and bans the creation of child sexual‑abuse material by AI systems. Operators must also take “reasonable measures” to shield minors from sexual content, with a civil penalty of $15,000 per day for each violation. According to testimony from NetChoice, the bill adds further requirements: AI companion operators must verify user ages, restrict access for minors, and secure verifiable parental consent before allowing minors to engage with the system.
Reactions to the bill’s broader scope have been mixed. Representative Shusterman emphasized that while AI holds “revolutionary potential” for business, government, and society, the state currently lacks safety protocols. Republican Representative Andrea Verobish, who won a special election in March 2026, cautioned that the legislation had grown beyond its original focus on suicide prevention. “We started with a bill just focused on identifying and preventing suicide,” Verobish said. “This has just really expanded into a lot more regulation, a lot more topics.”
The measure sits among a suite of AI bills that lawmakers are pushing ahead of the summer recess. A recent transparency report notes that HB 2006 is the most comprehensive companion‑AI safety act in the country, with provisions that could influence how developers design and deploy conversational agents. The bill’s passage to the full House marks a significant milestone, but it still faces floor debate, potential amendments, and a final vote before becoming law.
At the time of the committee vote, the bill was still in the early stages of the 2025‑2026 regular session. The House will need to schedule a floor hearing and consider any additional amendments that may arise from public comment or stakeholder input. If the bill passes, it would impose new compliance obligations on AI developers and operators, potentially reshaping product design, age‑verification technology, and content‑moderation practices.
In short, Pennsylvania’s House has moved a companion‑AI safety bill that targets suicide‑related content, child sexual‑abuse material, and minors’ exposure to sexual content. The measure carries a substantial civil penalty and requires age verification and parental consent for minors. Its future hinges on the full House’s deliberations, the potential for further amendments, and the broader national conversation about AI regulation.
