5 State AI Bills Moving Fast This Spring
Five states just reshaped AI rules for small businesses
Two weeks ago, we covered 78 AI chatbot bills spreading across 27 states. Since then, the picture has sharpened. Five states have either passed major AI bills or are close to doing so — and several directly affect businesses that use chatbots, AI assistants, or automated customer tools.
Here is what moved, what it means, and what you should do about it.
The five bills to watch right now
Oregon SB 1546 — passed both chambers
Oregon’s chatbot safety bill cleared the House 52-0 and the Senate 26-1, making it the first major AI chatbot bill to reach a governor’s desk in 2026. The bill requires AI chatbot operators to disclose that users are talking to a machine, not a person. It also bans chatbots from generating age-inappropriate content for minors and requires crisis referrals when users express suicidal ideation.
The enforcement mechanism is what makes this one stand out. SB 1546 includes a private right of action with statutory damages of $1,000 per violation. That means individual customers can sue — not just the state attorney general. If signed by Governor Kotek, it takes effect January 1, 2027.
Washington HB 2225 — passed both chambers
Washington gave final passage to HB 2225 on March 12, the second chatbot safety bill to clear a state legislature this spring. The bill requires companion chatbot operators to disclose the bot is AI-generated at the start of every interaction and at least every three hours during continuous use. It explicitly bans chatbots from claiming to be human.
For businesses, the key detail is scope. HB 2225 covers not just chatbots marketed as companions but also general-purpose chatbots that can be used as a companion. If your customer-facing AI tool could be mistaken for a human conversation partner, this law likely applies. Enforcement ties into Washington’s Consumer Protection Act, opening the door to private lawsuits. Effective January 1, 2027.
Florida SB 482 — advancing through the Senate
Florida’s AI “Bill of Rights” passed the Senate Appropriations Committee 18-0 and is now on its second floor reading. The bill would give residents the right to know whether they’re communicating with AI, the right to know if AI companies collect their personal or biometric data, and parental rights to supervise minors’ AI use.
The concern for small businesses is the bill’s breadth. As written, nearly every company using AI-powered customer tools would qualify as an “AI technology company” under the definition. Industry groups have warned this could create compliance burdens without clear safety benefits. The House companion bill (HB 1395) has been assigned to four committees — often a signal of leadership resistance — so the final shape of this law remains uncertain.
New York RAISE Act — takes effect March 19
New York’s Responsible AI Safety and Education Act was signed by Governor Hochul in December 2025 and takes effect on March 19, 2026 — three days from now. The RAISE Act targets developers of “frontier” AI models trained with more than 10^26 computational operations, meaning it applies directly to companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and Meta.
Small businesses won’t face direct compliance obligations under this law. But the RAISE Act sets a precedent for transparency and safety standards that could trickle down. If you use tools built on frontier models — ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini — the providers behind them will now face civil penalties starting at $1 million for violations. That pressure will likely shape the features, disclosures, and terms of service you see in the AI tools you already use.
Missouri HB 2031/2032 — in committee
Missouri’s Children Harmed by AI Technology Act (CHAT Act) is a pair of companion bills focused on minors. HB 2031 requires age verification and parental consent for minors using AI chatbots. HB 2032 prohibits the design and sale of chatbots that encourage harmful actions toward minors.
Missouri is also considering separate bills to ban AI companion chatbots for minors entirely, create civil liability for AI-generated deepfakes, and declare that AI cannot own property or serve as a corporate officer. The state chamber of commerce has pushed back, arguing unclear definitions could deter investment.
Which bills affect small businesses directly
Not every bill on this list creates new obligations for a local shop or service company. Here is a quick breakdown.
| Bill | Direct small business impact | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon SB 1546 | Yes — no size exemption | Private right of action applies to any chatbot operator |
| Washington HB 2225 | Yes — broad scope | Covers general-purpose chatbots, not just companion apps |
| Florida SB 482 | Likely — broad definition | Nearly any AI-using company could be classified under it |
| New York RAISE Act | No — targets frontier developers | Only applies to companies spending $100M+ on model training |
| Missouri CHAT Act | Possibly — if you serve minors | Age verification requirements for chatbot operators |
If you use an AI chatbot for customer intake, scheduling, or support — tools like Hollr or similar platforms — Oregon and Washington are the bills to track most closely.
What you should do now
Check your chatbot disclosure settings. If your AI assistant doesn’t clearly identify itself as non-human at the start of every conversation, fix that now. This is the single most common requirement across every bill on this list.
Know which states your customers are in. If you serve customers in Oregon, Washington, or California (where SB 243 is already law), you need to comply with their chatbot disclosure rules regardless of where your business is located.
Watch the federal preemption fight. The Trump administration’s AI Litigation Task Force is reviewing state AI laws for potential federal preemption. If they act, some of these bills could face legal challenges. But 36 state attorneys general have already pushed back against preemption, so state-level enforcement is likely here to stay.
Stay current. Bookmark Troutman Pepper’s weekly state AI law tracker for bill-by-bill updates. Things are moving fast — Oregon and Washington both went from committee to final passage in under three weeks.
The pattern is clear
State AI regulation isn’t slowing down. It’s accelerating. The bills that passed this spring set the template for what comes next: disclosure requirements, youth protections, and increasingly, private rights of action that let individuals — not just regulators — enforce the rules.
For small businesses, the practical takeaway hasn’t changed: build transparency into your AI tools from the start. Disclose that your chatbot is AI. Don’t collect data you don’t need. And if you serve minors, add age-appropriate safeguards now rather than later.
If you need help making your AI customer tools compliant, get in touch. We build intake and chatbot solutions with disclosure and safety designed in from day one.