Customer service chatbots.

Legislative status

1. Introduced
2. In Committee
3. Reported by Committee
4. Floor Vote Scheduled
5. Passed One Chamber
6. Passed Both Chambers
7. Sent to Executive
8. Enacted

Summary

AB 1609 adds new rules for big companies that use AI‑powered customer service chatbots. It bans them from pretending the bot is a person, forces a clear disclosure that the interaction is with AI, and obligates them to make a good‑faith effort to connect callers to a human within about five to fifteen minutes after a request. The law also sets standards for phone and online support, complaint handling, and penalties for non‑compliance.

AI-generated summary — may be incomplete or inaccurate. Verify against the official bill text.

Vote

Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 58. Noes 18. Page 6964.). · Aug 31, 2026

Hearings

• Appropriations Committee Hearing
  Appropriations · Aug 13, 2026
• Appropriations Committee Hearing
  Appropriations · Aug 3, 2026
• Judiciary Committee Hearing
  Judiciary · Jun 30, 2026
• Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection Committee Hearing
  Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection · Jun 22, 2026
• Appropriations Committee Hearing
  Appropriations · May 14, 2026

History

1. May 28, 2026In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2. May 27, 2026Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 56. Noes 16.)
3. May 18, 2026Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
4. May 14, 2026From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 4.) (May 14).
5. May 6, 2026In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
6. Apr 22, 2026From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 3.) (April 21). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
7. Apr 16, 2026From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 9. Noes 4.) (April 16). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
8. Apr 15, 2026Re-referred to Com. on P. & C.P.
9. Apr 14, 2026From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on P. & C.P. Read second time and amended.
10. Mar 31, 2026In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
11. Mar 23, 2026Re-referred to Com. on P. & C.P.
12. Mar 19, 2026Referred to Coms. on P. & C.P. and JUD.

The 12 most recent of 15 recorded actions.

Sponsors

• Rick Zbur (D) · sponsor
• Zbur

Bill text

Opens the legislature’s own copy.

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