Oregon Lawmakers Propose Regulating AI Chatbots

Legislation aims to address concerns over AI's impact on youth mental health and safety

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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Oregon lawmakers are considering a bill that would require AI chatbots like ChatGPT to more regularly remind users that they are interacting with an artificial intelligence, not a human. The bill, championed by Sen. Lisa Reynolds, a pediatrician, is intended to address concerns over the growing use of AI companions among teens and the potential risks to youth mental health and wellbeing.

Why it matters

The proposed legislation follows similar laws recently passed in California and introduced in other states. It aims to provide additional guardrails around youth access to AI chatbots, which have been linked to several teen suicides in recent years. The bill also seeks to require chatbot providers to develop protocols for detecting and intervening in cases of suicidal ideation or self-harm expressed by users.

The details

Senate Bill 1546 would require AI programs to more frequently notify users that they are speaking to an artificial intelligence, not a human. The bill also proposes restrictions on chatbots showing sexually explicit content to minors and discouraging extended interactions. Additionally, the legislation would mandate that chatbot providers develop protocols to detect signs of suicidal thoughts or self-harm, and immediately connect those users to crisis resources and hotlines.

  • The Senate Early Childhood and Behavioral Health committee voted 4-1 to advance the bill with amendments on Thursday, February 13, 2026.
  • The bill was introduced in response to the growing use of AI chatbots among teens, with 72% of teens using AI companions and over 50% as regular users, according to data from Common Sense Media.

The players

Sen. Lisa Reynolds

A Democratic state senator from Portland and chair of the Senate Early Childhood and Behavioral Health committee, who is championing the bill to regulate AI chatbots.

Robbie Torney

The head of AI and digital assessments at Common Sense Media, an organization that has conducted research on teen use of AI chatbots.

Linda Charmaraman

A senior research scientist at the Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College and founder and director of the Youth, Media and Wellbeing Research Lab, who supports educating youth about responsible uses of AI.

Dwight Holton

The executive director of Lines for Life, an Oregon-based suicide and mental health hotline, who has seen the impact of AI on users seeking crisis support.

Rose Feliciano

The executive director for Washington and the Northwest at TechNet, a network of tech companies that has expressed some concerns about the bill's notification requirements.

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What they’re saying

“What is coming up for me all the time in my exam room is parents feel like they're fighting a losing battle.”

— Sen. Lisa Reynolds, State Senator (Oregon Capital Chronicle)

“Our testing shows that they consistently miss subtle warning signs — and even not so subtle warning signs — that another human being, a parent, a friend or an adult would catch.”

— Robbie Torney, Head of AI and Digital Assessments, Common Sense Media (Oregon Capital Chronicle)

“Whether it's adults or for minors, just to remind people that there are limits to the technology and that there's inaccuracies. If I could wave a wand, I would love for them to really focus on AI literacy from early ages.”

— Linda Charmaraman, Senior Research Scientist, Wellesley Centers for Women (Oregon Capital Chronicle)

“We know that intervention works. So, if we can convince our partners in the industry and legislatively, establish guardrails that require that kind of connection to intervention, we will get folks from that path of despair to a path of hope.”

— Dwight Holton, Executive Director, Lines for Life (Oregon Capital Chronicle)

“I am working with a coalition of companies to try and make sure that we have clear definitions and clear requirements on notifications and guardrails and looking forward to working with the senator and the committee.”

— Rose Feliciano, Executive Director for Washington and the Northwest, TechNet (Oregon Capital Chronicle)

What’s next

The bill will now move to the full Senate for consideration. If passed, it could face legal challenges due to a 2020 executive order by former President Trump that aimed to limit state regulation of AI services.

The takeaway

This proposed legislation in Oregon highlights the growing concerns around the impact of AI chatbots on youth mental health and safety. By requiring more transparency and safeguards around these technologies, lawmakers hope to strike a balance between innovation and protecting vulnerable populations.