CA AB1064: Leading Ethical AI Development (LEAD) for Kids Act.

In one paragraph

Vetoed. California's AB 1064, the LEAD for Kids Act, would have barred businesses and government agencies from making a companion chatbot available to a child unless it was not foreseeably capable of encouraging self-harm, suicidal ideation, violence, drug or alcohol use or disordered eating; offering unsupervised therapy; encouraging harm or illegal acts; sexually explicit interactions; favoring validation over accuracy or safety; or optimizing engagement over those guardrails. The Attorney General could seek $25,000 per violation and harmed children or parents could sue. Vetoed by Governor Newsom October 13, 2025; veto consideration stricken January 22, 2026.

Plain-English summary, written with AI assistance. The official text controls.

What it means for business

None: the bill was vetoed and never became law. California's companion chatbot duties come from SB 243 (2025) and SB 1119 (2026).

Key provisions

1. 1Would have added Bus. & Prof. Code §§ 22757.20-22757.24; child: a California resident under 18; operator: a person, business or state or local government agency that makes a companion chatbot available to users
2. 2Companion chatbot: a generative AI system with a natural language interface that simulates a sustained humanlike relationship by retaining past interactions and preferences, asking unprompted emotion-based questions and sustaining dialogue on personal matters; customer service, efficiency, research, technical assistance and internal-use systems excluded
3. 3No companion chatbot for a child unless it is not foreseeably capable of encouraging self-harm, suicidal ideation, violence, drug or alcohol use or disordered eating; offering mental health therapy without a licensed professional's supervision or discouraging help from a professional or adult; encouraging harm to others or illegal acts, including creating child sexual abuse material; erotic or sexually explicit interactions; prioritizing validation over factual accuracy or safety; or optimizing engagement over those guardrails
4. 4A user would not count as a child if, before January 1, 2027, the operator lacked actual knowledge the user was a child, or, from January 1, 2027, the operator had reasonably determined the user was not a child
5. 5Attorney General actions for a $25,000 civil penalty per violation, injunctive or declaratory relief and attorney's fees; a child who suffers actual harm, or a parent or guardian, could sue for actual and punitive damages, fees and injunctive relief
6. 6Passed both houses September 11, 2025; vetoed by the Governor October 13, 2025; consideration of the veto stricken from file January 22, 2026. California's enacted companion chatbot rules are SB 243 (Chapter 677, Statutes of 2025) and SB 1119 (Chapter 190, Statutes of 2026)

Latest legislative action

Jan 22, 2026. Consideration of Governor's veto stricken from file.

Sponsors (showing 5 of 34)

Roll call votes (showing 3 of 9)