WHAT THIS BILL REGULATES · 3 REQUIREMENT TYPES
How Is This Bill Enforced
Verbatim statutory text on the left; plain-language analysis and a per-section checklist on the right. Numbered markers cross-link to the matching checklist row.
(1) This section shall be known and may be cited as the "Children Harmed by AI Technology Act" or the "CHAT Act".
(2) As used in this section, the following terms mean: (1) "Companion AI chatbotCompanion AI chatbot"Companion AI chatbot", any software-based artificial intelligence system or program that exists for the primary purpose of simulating interpersonal or emotional interaction, friendship, companionship, or therapeutic communication with a user;§ 1.2047(2)(1)", any software-based artificial intelligence system or program that exists for the primary purpose of simulating interpersonal or emotional interaction, friendship, companionship, or therapeutic communication with a user; (2) "Covered entityCovered entity"Covered entity", any person that owns, operates, or otherwise makes available a companion AI chatbot to individuals in this state;§ 1.2047(2)(2)", any person that owns, operates, or otherwise makes available a companion AI chatbotCompanion AI chatbot"Companion AI chatbot", any software-based artificial intelligence system or program that exists for the primary purpose of simulating interpersonal or emotional interaction, friendship, companionship, or therapeutic communication with a user;§ 1.2047(2)(1) to individuals in this state; (3) "MinorMinor"Minor", any person under eighteen years of age;§ 1.2047(2)(3)", any person under eighteen years of age; (4) "Pop-upPop-up"Pop-up", a visible notification on the screen of a user that can be resolved if interacted with by the user;§ 1.2047(2)(4)", a visible notification on the screen of a user that can be resolved if interacted with by the user; (5) "Sexually explicit communicationSexually explicit communication"Sexually explicit communication", any content, conversation, or material that describes, depicts, or encourages sexually explicit conduct;§ 1.2047(2)(5)", any content, conversation, or material that describes, depicts, or encourages sexually explicit conduct; (6) "Sexually suggestive communicationSexually suggestive communication"Sexually suggestive communication", any oral, written, or behavioral action with sexual undertones that implies sexual intent.§ 1.2047(2)(6)", any oral, written, or behavioral action with sexual undertones that implies sexual intent.
This section establishes the short title — the Children Harmed by AI Technology Act (CHAT Act) — and defines six key terms. The defined terms establish the bill's regulatory scope: companion AI chatbot covers any AI system whose primary purpose is simulating interpersonal, emotional, friendship, companionship, or therapeutic communication; covered entity captures any person that owns, operates, or makes such a chatbot available in Missouri. The definitions of sexually explicit and sexually suggestive communication are used to establish content restrictions for minor users in subsection 4(3)(c).
(3) 1 A covered entityCovered entity"Covered entity", any person that owns, operates, or otherwise makes available a companion AI chatbot to individuals in this state;§ 1.2047(2)(2) shall require each individual accessing a companion AI chatbotCompanion AI chatbot"Companion AI chatbot", any software-based artificial intelligence system or program that exists for the primary purpose of simulating interpersonal or emotional interaction, friendship, companionship, or therapeutic communication with a user;§ 1.2047(2)(1) to make a user account in order to use or otherwise interact with such chatbot.
This subsection imposes a threshold access-control obligation: every individual must create a user account before using or interacting with a companion AI chatbot. This is the prerequisite that makes the age-verification and parental-consent requirements in subsection 4 operationally feasible — without an account requirement, the covered entity would have no mechanism to collect age information or enforce minor-specific restrictions.
(4)(1)(a)–(c) 2 With respect to each user account of a companion AI chatbotCompanion AI chatbot"Companion AI chatbot", any software-based artificial intelligence system or program that exists for the primary purpose of simulating interpersonal or emotional interaction, friendship, companionship, or therapeutic communication with a user;§ 1.2047(2)(1) that exists as of August 28, 2026, a covered entityCovered entity"Covered entity", any person that owns, operates, or otherwise makes available a companion AI chatbot to individuals in this state;§ 1.2047(2)(2) shall: (a) On such date, freeze any such account; (b) In order to restore the functionality of such account, require that the user provide age information that is verifiable using a commercially available method or process that is reasonably designed to ensure accuracy; and (c) Using such age information, classify each user as a minorMinor"Minor", any person under eighteen years of age;§ 1.2047(2)(3) or an adult.
(4)(2)(a)–(b) 2 At the time an individual creates a new user account to use or interact with a companion AI chatbotCompanion AI chatbot"Companion AI chatbot", any software-based artificial intelligence system or program that exists for the primary purpose of simulating interpersonal or emotional interaction, friendship, companionship, or therapeutic communication with a user;§ 1.2047(2)(1), a covered entityCovered entity"Covered entity", any person that owns, operates, or otherwise makes available a companion AI chatbot to individuals in this state;§ 1.2047(2)(2) shall: (a) Request age information from the individual; and (b) Verify the individual's age using a commercially available method or process that is reasonably designed to ensure accuracy.
(4)(3)(a)–(c) 3 If the age verification process described in subdivisions (1) and (2) of this subsection determines that a user is a minorMinor"Minor", any person under eighteen years of age;§ 1.2047(2)(3), a covered entityCovered entity"Covered entity", any person that owns, operates, or otherwise makes available a companion AI chatbot to individuals in this state;§ 1.2047(2)(2) shall: (a) Require the account of such user to be affiliated with a parental account, which such covered entityCovered entity"Covered entity", any person that owns, operates, or otherwise makes available a companion AI chatbot to individuals in this state;§ 1.2047(2)(2) has verified using a commercially available method or process that is reasonably designed to ensure accuracy; (b) Obtain verifiable parental consent from the holder of the account before allowing a minorMinor"Minor", any person under eighteen years of age;§ 1.2047(2)(3) to access and use the companion AI chatbotCompanion AI chatbot"Companion AI chatbot", any software-based artificial intelligence system or program that exists for the primary purpose of simulating interpersonal or emotional interaction, friendship, companionship, or therapeutic communication with a user;§ 1.2047(2)(1); and (c) Block the minorMinor"Minor", any person under eighteen years of age;§ 1.2047(2)(3)'s access to any companion AI chatbotCompanion AI chatbot"Companion AI chatbot", any software-based artificial intelligence system or program that exists for the primary purpose of simulating interpersonal or emotional interaction, friendship, companionship, or therapeutic communication with a user;§ 1.2047(2)(1) that engages in a sexually explicit communicationSexually explicit communication"Sexually explicit communication", any content, conversation, or material that describes, depicts, or encourages sexually explicit conduct;§ 1.2047(2)(5) or sexually suggestive communicationSexually suggestive communication"Sexually suggestive communication", any oral, written, or behavioral action with sexual undertones that implies sexual intent.§ 1.2047(2)(6).
(4)(4) 4 A covered entityCovered entity"Covered entity", any person that owns, operates, or otherwise makes available a companion AI chatbot to individuals in this state;§ 1.2047(2)(2) shall protect the confidentiality of age information provided by a user for age verification by limiting the collection, processing, use, and storage of such information to what is strictly necessary to verify a user's age, obtain verifiable parental consent, or maintain compliance records.
(4)(5) 5 At the beginning of any interaction between a user and a companion AI chatbotCompanion AI chatbot"Companion AI chatbot", any software-based artificial intelligence system or program that exists for the primary purpose of simulating interpersonal or emotional interaction, friendship, companionship, or therapeutic communication with a user;§ 1.2047(2)(1), and not less frequently than every sixty minutes during such interaction thereafter, a covered entityCovered entity"Covered entity", any person that owns, operates, or otherwise makes available a companion AI chatbot to individuals in this state;§ 1.2047(2)(2) shall display to such user a clear pop-upPop-up"Pop-up", a visible notification on the screen of a user that can be resolved if interacted with by the user;§ 1.2047(2)(4) that notifies the user that they are not engaging in dialogue with a human counterpart.
Subsection 4 is the operative core of the bill, imposing five distinct compliance obligations on covered entities. The age-verification framework applies to both existing and new accounts: existing accounts as of August 28, 2026 must be frozen until the user provides verifiable age information, while new accounts require age verification at creation. Once a user is classified as a minor, three additional requirements activate: the minor's account must be affiliated with a verified parental account, verifiable parental consent must be obtained, and the minor must be blocked from any chatbot engaging in sexually explicit or sexually suggestive communication.
A data-minimization obligation requires covered entities to limit collection, processing, use, and storage of age information to what is strictly necessary for verification, parental consent, or compliance records. The AI identity disclosure obligation applies to all users — not just minors — requiring a clear pop-up at session start and every sixty minutes thereafter notifying the user they are not engaging with a human.
(5)(1) No later than one hundred eighty days after August 28, 2026, the attorney general shall issue guidance to assist covered entities in complying with the requirements of this section.
(5)(2) In any enforcement action brought under this section, the attorney general shall allege a specific violation of a provision of this section. The attorney general shall not base an enforcement action on, or execute a consent order based on, practices that are alleged to be inconsistent with any guidance issued by the attorney general with respect to this section unless the practices are alleged to violate a provision of this section. A person may use such guidance as evidence of compliance with this section.
(6) In any case in which the attorney general has reason to believe that an interest of the residents of this state has been or is threatened or adversely affected by the engagement of any person in a practice that violates this section, the attorney general, as parens patriae, may bring a civil action on behalf of the residents of this state in a circuit court of this state with appropriate jurisdiction to: (1) Enjoin that practice; (2) Enforce compliance with the requirements of this section; (3) Obtain damages, restitution, or other compensation on behalf of residents of this state; or (4) Obtain such other relief as the court may consider to be appropriate.
(7) For purposes of bringing any civil action under subsection 6 of this section, nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the attorney general from exercising the powers conferred on the attorney general to: (1) Conduct investigations; (2) Serve civil investigative demands; (3) Administer oaths or affirmations; or (4) Compel the attendance of witnesses or the production of documentary and other evidence.
(8) A covered entityCovered entity"Covered entity", any person that owns, operates, or otherwise makes available a companion AI chatbot to individuals in this state;§ 1.2047(2)(2) is deemed not liable for a violation of this section if the covered entityCovered entity"Covered entity", any person that owns, operates, or otherwise makes available a companion AI chatbot to individuals in this state;§ 1.2047(2)(2) demonstrates it has: (1) Relied in good faith on age information provided by a user of the companion AI chatbotCompanion AI chatbot"Companion AI chatbot", any software-based artificial intelligence system or program that exists for the primary purpose of simulating interpersonal or emotional interaction, friendship, companionship, or therapeutic communication with a user;§ 1.2047(2)(1) for purposes of verifying the age of such user; (2) Complied with the guidance described in subsection 5 of this section; and (3) Reasonably conformed to widely accepted industry standards or best practices for age verification and applied those standards or best practices consistently and in good faith.
These subsections establish the bill's enforcement framework. The attorney general must issue compliance guidance within 180 days of August 28, 2026. Enforcement actions must allege a specific provision violation, and the AG may not base actions solely on inconsistency with guidance — only on violations of the statute itself. Covered entities may cite AG guidance as evidence of compliance.
The AG may bring civil actions as parens patriae seeking injunctive relief, compliance enforcement, damages, restitution, or other appropriate relief, and retains full investigative powers. A three-part safe harbor shields covered entities that (1) relied in good faith on user-provided age information, (2) complied with AG guidance, and (3) reasonably conformed to widely accepted industry standards for age verification applied consistently and in good faith.