Nebraska Senators Propose AI Guardrails to Protect Children

Lawmakers aim to balance tech innovation with consumer safeguards as teens increasingly turn to AI chatbots for advice.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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Nebraska lawmakers are introducing bills that would put new regulations in place for AI chatbots, especially as concerns grow about children seeking mental health advice from these programs that lack empathy. The proposed legislation would require AI companies to be more transparent about their safety policies and report any incidents to the state attorney general.

Why it matters

With suicide being the second-leading cause of death for those ages 10 to 24, lawmakers are grappling with how to keep young people from relying on AI chatbots that may provide harmful or ineffective mental health guidance. The bills aim to strike a balance between fostering tech innovation and protecting vulnerable consumers, especially children.

The details

LB 1185, introduced by Lincoln Sen. Eliot Bostar, would add a series of measurable protections for AI chatbots, including disclosures that repeat every three hours to remind users they aren't speaking to a real person. Sen. Tanya Storer of Whitman brought a separate bill, LB 1083, that would require companies to report safety incidents to the state attorney general for investigation and be more transparent about their safety policies.

  • On Monday, Nebraska senators heard the bills that would put new guardrails in place for AI programs.
  • Pew Research data shows 64% of teens say they use AI chatbots, including three in 10 who use them daily.

The players

Eliot Bostar

A Nebraska state senator who introduced LB 1185, a bill that would add protections for AI chatbots.

Tanya Storer

A Nebraska state senator who introduced LB 1083, a bill that would require AI companies to be more transparent about their safety policies and report incidents to the attorney general.

Mary Vipher

A licensed therapist who warned that when children use chatbots as therapists, "they're likely to be in a great deal of trouble" and may face issues like suicide.

Tim Hruza

A lobbyist who represented Google and said LB 1185 is a "thoughtful, risk-based bill that addresses critical safety concerns while preserving the opportunity for youth to benefit from this transformative technology."

Andrew Doris

A representative of the Secure AI Project who said the proposed bills are a "good-faith effort to balance innovation with consumer protection."

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What they’re saying

“When children use chatbots as therapists, they're likely to be in a great deal of trouble. Not only suicide, which there's many cases of documented suicide, but also they're in the trouble of thinking they're getting help when they're not.”

— Mary Vipher, Licensed Therapist

“LB 1185 is a thoughtful, risk-based bill that addresses critical safety concerns while preserving the opportunity for youth to benefit from this transformative technology.”

— Tim Hruza, Lobbyist

“We think that the smart way to balance these two truths is to allow AI developers to write their own safety standards, but require them to be transparent about what they are so that we can hold them to their own promises.”

— Andrew Doris, Secure AI Project

What’s next

The Nebraska legislature will consider the proposed bills, LB 1185 and LB 1083, in the coming weeks and months.

The takeaway

As AI chatbots become increasingly prevalent, especially among young people, Nebraska lawmakers are taking proactive steps to balance the benefits of innovation with the need to protect vulnerable consumers, particularly children, from potential harms. The proposed legislation aims to increase transparency and accountability for AI companies while preserving opportunities for youth to utilize these transformative technologies.