SB 1546 — Relating to artificial intelligence companions.

83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2026 Regular Session A-EngrossedEnrolled Senate Bill 1546 Ordered by the Senate February 16 Including Senate Amendments dated February 16 Printed pursuant to Senate Interim Rule 213.28 by order of the President of the Senate in conformanceconform- ance with pre-presession session filing rules, indicating neither advocacy nor opposition on the part of the President (at the request of Senate Interim Committee on Early Childhood and Behavioral Health) SUMMARYCHAPTER The................................................. following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to consideration by the Legislative Assembly.

ItAN isACT anRelating editor’sto briefartificial statementintelligence ofcompanions. the essential features of the measure.

The statement includes a measure digest written in compliance with applicable readability standards.

Digest:

Tells those who make AI software to tell users that the users are talking to software, not a human.

Tells them they must try to prevent users from getting output that causes suicidal feelings or thoughts.

(Flesch Readability Score:

71.0).

Requires operators of artificial intelligence companions and artificial intelligence companion platforms to provide notice to users that the users are interacting with artificial output if a rea- sonable person that interacts with the artificial intelligence companion or artificial intelli- gence companion platform would believe that the person was interacting with a natural person.

Requires the operators to have in place a protocol for detecting suicidal ideation or intent or self-harm ideation or intent and to prevent output that could cause such ideation or intent in users.

Specifies minimum contents of the protocol.

Requires an operator to make certain statements and disclosures if the operator has reason to believe that a user that interacts with the operator’s artificial intelligence companion or artificial intelligence platform is a minor [and prohibits].

Re- quires the operator [from causing] to take reasonable steps to prevent the artificial intelligence companion from generating statements that would lead a reasonable person to believe that the person was interacting with a natural person and to require the artificial intelligence companion to [perform certain actions] make certain other statements.

Requires an operator to post a report each year [to the Oregon Health Authority] on a publicly accessible website that discloses [concerning] incidents in which the operator referred a user to resources to prevent sui- cidal ideation, suicide or self-harm.

Allows a user that suffers ascertainable harm to bring an action for damages and injunctive relief.

A BILL FOR AN ACT Relating to artificial intelligence companions.

(i) Software that operates solely for the purpose of customer service or support, assisting NOTE:or supporting patient or resident care services in a facility, education, financial services or education, business operations, productivity, information analysis, internal research or technical assistance, regardless of the software’s capability to use natural language inputs and generate natural language outputs;

Matter in boldfaced type in an amended section is new;

matter [italic and bracketed] is existing law to be omitted.

New sections are in boldfaced type.

LC 282 A-Eng.

SB 1546 or supporting patient or resident care services in a facility, education, financial services or education, business operations, productivity, information analysis, internal research or technical assistance, regardless of the software’s capability to use natural language inputs and generate natural language outputs;

Enrolled Senate Bill 1546 (SB 1546-B) Page 1 (d) “Operator” means a person that controls or makes an artificial intelligence compan- ion or artificial intelligence companion platform available to users in this state.

(b) The protocol described in paragraph (a) of this subsection at a minimum mustmust: require an artificial intelligence companion:

(A) ToRequire an artificial intelligence companion to provide a user that expresses suicidal ideation or intent or self-harm ideation or intent with a referral to and contact information and hyperlink for the national 9-8-8 suicide and crisis lifeline and, if the operator identifies the user as a person who is under 25 years of age, allow the artificial intelligence companion mayto alternatively provide a referral to and con-contact tact information and hyperlink for a youthline;

and (B) IfUse clinical best practices and expertise to establish how the artificial intelligence companion provides additional intervention for a user who continues to express suicidal ideation or intent or self-harm ideation or intent,intent toeven continueafter tothe respondartificial withintelligence com- panion provides referrals to and contact information and hyperlink for the nationalresources 9-8-8identified suicide and crisis lifeline or youthline as provided in subparagraphsubpar- agraph (A) of this paragraphparagraph. until the user no longer expresses suicidal ideation or intent or self-harm ideation or intent.

If(c) theAn useroperator isshall underpublish 25on yearsthe ofoperator’s agewebsite andthe nodetails longerof expresses suicidal ideation or intent or self-harm ideation or intent, the artificialoperator’s intelligencepro- companion’stocol. fur- [2] A-Eng.

SB 1546 ther interactions with the user must comply with the requirements of subsection (4) of this section.

(c) The protocol described in paragraph (a) of this subsection must be informed by best clinical practice and expertise and must provide for additional intervention if a user contin- ues to express suicidal ideation or intent or self-harm ideation or intent.

(d) An operator shall publish on the operator’s website the details of the operator’s pro- tocol.

Enrolled Senate Bill 1546 (SB 1546-B) Page 2 (A) Delivering to a user, either on a variable schedule or otherwise, a system of rewards or affirmations with the purpose of reinforcing behavior or maximizing the time during which the user engages with the artificial intelligence companion;

(B) Generating in response to a user’s indication of a desire to end a conversation, reducere- duce engagement time or delete the user’s account unsolicited messages of simulated emotionalemo- tional distress, loneliness or abandonment or otherwise attempt to arouse guilt or sympathy in the user;

[3](b) A-Eng.An operator may not include in the report described in paragraph (a) of this sub- section any personal information that identifies an individual.

SB 1546 (b) An operator may not include in the report described in paragraph (a) of this sub- section any personal information that identifies an individual.

[4]Passed by Senate February 19, 2026 Received by Governor:

........................M.,........................................................., 2026 Repassed by Senate March 5, 2026 Approved:

.......................................................................M.,........................................................., 2026 Obadiah Rutledge, Secretary of Senate ..................................................................................

..................................................................................

Rob Wagner, President of Senate Tina Kotek, Governor Filed in Office of Secretary of State:

Passed by House March 4, 2026 ........................M.,........................................................., 2026 ..................................................................................