In effectSB 243 (2025); amended by SB 1119 and SB 867 (2026)
California SB 243 (Companion Chatbots): Penalties
Civil penalties, enforcement mechanisms, and the structure of liability under this law.
Penalties and enforcement
Maximum penalty
Not specified
private right of action statutory damages
Effective
January 1, 2026
Status: effective
Enforcement structure
California SB 243 (Companion Chatbots) is enforced by the California authority designated in the statute (typically the state Attorney General). Most U.S. state AI laws use civil enforcement with per-violation penalties; some include cure periods after notice.
For exposure scenario modeling across multiple applicable laws, use the Penalty Calculator.
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