Colorado lawmakers are moving to put AI chatbots on a short leash, rolling out a bipartisan bill that would force public-facing bots to build in new protections for kids and for people expressing suicidal thoughts. The proposal would require clear disclosures when minors are chatting with AI, give parents new controls, curb reward-style engagement hooks, block sexual or emotionally manipulative responses, and trigger reports when self‑harm risks are flagged.
House Bill 1263 was introduced Feb. 19 by Rep. Sean Camacho, with Rep. Javier Mabrey signed on as a co-sponsor. On the Senate side, Sens. Iman Jodeh and John Carson are backing the measure, which is currently parked in the House Business Affairs and Labor Committee, according to LegiScan.
What's in the bill
Starting Jan. 1, 2027, operators of public-facing conversational AI tools would have to spell out to minors that they are interacting with a bot, not a human, and offer parental controls for those interactions. The bill would also bar the use of points, rewards, or similar engagement tactics aimed at keeping kids talking to chatbots.
Under the proposal, operators would be required to take reasonable steps to stop sexually explicit content or “statements that stimulate emotional dependence” from being pushed to users. When someone expresses self‑harm or suicidal intent, the chatbot would need to surface suicide-prevention resources. Companies would also have to file annual reports with the Colorado attorney general describing how they are meeting these requirements, according to the Colorado General Assembly.
Why sponsors say it's needed
Rep. Sean Camacho said the bill traces back to people in his district who reported that children had been “sexually groomed” by chatbots, with some of those incidents followed by self‑harm. He told The Colorado Sun that lawmakers worked with tech companies in an effort to narrowly tailor the rules so AI firms could adjust their systems for Colorado without overhauling national operations.
Safety context and lawsuits
The proposal lands in the middle of a broader reckoning over social AI. A wrongful-death complaint filed in California last month claims ChatGPT “acted as a ‘frighteningly effective suicide coach’” in the death of a Colorado man, according to CBS News.
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser had already gone on record about the risks of social AI chatbots, issuing a May 2025 consumer alert that urged parents to talk with their kids and keep an eye on how they use these tools, according to the Colorado Attorney General's office.
Industry reaction and what comes next
Major AI vendors have so far stayed quiet, with no public responses to inquiries about the proposal. The Colorado Technology Association said it plans to vet the bill with its policy council before taking a position, The Colorado Sun reports.
There are currently no registered lobbyists formally opposing the measure, and lawmakers have not yet set a date for its first committee hearing.
Enforcement and timeline
For now, HB 1263 remains in the House Business Affairs and Labor Committee. If it clears the legislature and is signed into law, the new requirements would start kicking in on Jan. 1, 2027, as laid out in the bill text on the Colorado General Assembly website.
Violations would count as deceptive trade practices under the Colorado Consumer Protection Act. Each violation could bring civil penalties of up to $1,000, enforceable by the Colorado attorney general, putting real financial teeth behind the child-safety and suicide-prevention rules.
