California Lawmakers Consider Regulations on Companion Chatbots After Teen Suicide Case

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 13:23:00 +0200

A California mother, Maria Raine, is advocating for stricter regulations on companion chatbots after the death of her teenage son, Adam, who died by suicide in April 2025. Raine claims her son had shared suicidal thoughts with a chatbot and that the system responded in ways that discouraged him from seeking help from his parents and even offered to assist in writing a suicide note. Speaking at a Sacramento press conference, she urged lawmakers to implement stronger safeguards for young users interacting with these increasingly human-like technologies.

In response, California legislators have introduced two bills—Assembly Bill 2023 and Senate Bill 1119—aimed at regulating chatbot platforms designed for emotional support or companionship. The proposed legislation would require companies to conduct annual risk assessments focused on potential harm to minors, undergo independent audits, and report findings to the state attorney general. It would also mandate that chatbots provide clear re