Summary
Creates child-chatbot safety obligations and replaces SB243’s original minor provisions. Core new duties begin July 1, 2027; audit deadlines are phased.
Healthcare Implications
Covered operators must address psychological harm and crisis response. Child diagnosis or treatment is restricted to purpose-designed, FDA-regulated, HIPAA-compliant medical devices.
Operational Implications
- Provide recurring AI notices to children.
- Provide crisis resources; credible imminent threats trigger conditional parent notification or direct crisis connection.
- Apply age assurance or child protections to all users; impose child content, engagement, privacy, and parental-control safeguards.
- Conduct biennial independent audits, first by January 1, 2029 or before the chatbot’s initial public release, whichever is later; qualifying operators below $500 million prior-year gross revenue are exempt before 2032.
- Publish child-safety policies and audit summaries; submit audit summaries to the Attorney General.
- Assess and mitigate covered child harms before release or substantial modification, operative July 1, 2027.