In one paragraph
Not law. Minnesota's HF 4452 would have added Minn. Stat. 604.115 barring chatbot proprietors from letting chatbots give substantive medical, mental health or legal advice that would require a license, with a private right of action a notice could not waive, and requiring clear notice that users are talking to an AI. Companion chatbot operators would have had to suspend use for at least 72 hours and show crisis contacts on self-harm, and would be liable if they knew of it and failed to act. Introduced March 18, 2026.
Plain-English summary, written with AI assistance. The official text controls.
What it means for business
None: the bill died, so it creates no obligations for chatbot operators in Minnesota.
Key provisions
- Would have added Minn. Stat. 604.115; proprietors that own, operate or deploy chatbots used by people in Minnesota (not third-party developers without direct control)
- No substantive responses or actions that would require a license under chapters 147 or 148E or section 481.02 if given by a person; civil action for general and special damages, with costs and fees for willful violations
- Clear, conspicuous, explicit notice that the user is interacting with an AI chatbot, in the chatbot's language
- Companion chatbots: prudent good-faith, industry-standard efforts to prevent self-harm promotion and detect self-harm thoughts
- On self-harm: prohibit continued use for at least 72 hours and prominently display a suicide crisis organization's contact information; liability if the proprietor knows and fails to act, which cannot be waived
- Good-faith effort to determine whether a user is a minor, with strict liability if a minor self-harms after non-compliance
- Companion SF 4997; effective August 1, 2026 if enacted
- Introduced March 18, 2026 and referred to Commerce Finance and Policy; Rehrauer added as author March 23, 2026; no committee action
Latest legislative action
Mar 23, 2026. Author added Rehrauer; no further action before the 2025-2026 Legislature adjourned
Sponsors (showing 5 of 39)
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Bernardy | Primary |
| Finke | Primary |
| Howe | Primary |
| Nash | Primary |
| Acomb | Cosponsor |
Topics and industries
Related topics
Affected industries
This page is general information, not legal advice. Summaries are AI-assisted and may contain errors; read the statute for the controlling text and talk to a lawyer about your situation. Full disclaimer · Report an error