March 24, 2026 — On a landmark day for AI safety and transparency, Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson this morning signed two AI-related bills into law before a gathering of parents, advocates, and lawmakers in Olympia. The measures adopted were:

HB 2225, an AI chatbot safety measure sponsored by Rep. Lisa Callan (D-Issaquah) and Sen. Lisa Wellman (D-Mercer Island). The new law includes both specific safeguards for minors and protocols for all users regarding suicidal ideation and self-harm.

HB 1170, an AI disclosure law sponsored by Rep. Clyde Shavers (D-Whidbey Island). The new law will require AI operators to inform users when content is developed or modified through the use of artificial intelligence.

Both bills were high-priority measures for the Transparency Coalition (TCAI), which provided policy and technical expertise as the measures made their way through the House and Senate.

HB 2225: Washington State’s AI chatbot safety bill

The AI chatbot safety bill had been requested late last year by Gov. Ferguson, who worked with Rep. Callan and Sen. Wellman to move it through this year’s short legislative session.

“I speak partly as a governor,” Ferguson said at today’s signing ceremony, “but also as a father of teenage twins, who grapples with this as a lot of parents do every single day. We’ve all read news stories about the harm AI chatbots can do to our kids when these safeguards are not in place. There have been stories of teens turning to these chatbots in times of distress before, quite tragically, ultimately ending their lives. That’s why I requested House Bill 2225.”

TCAI’s full guide to HB 2225 and its requirements is available here.

The bill requires chatbot operators to clearly disclose that the bot is artificial and not human. If an operator knows the user is a minor, the operator must implement measures to prevent the chatbot from generating explicit sexual content or using manipulative engagement techniques.

HB 2225 also includes suicidal and self-harm protocols for users of all ages.

“I’m grateful to everybody who was involved in this legislation, especially families,” said Gov. Ferguson. “We know there are families here who are directly impacted by this issue. And as every legislator would agree, the most persuasive testimony at any hearing is someone directly impacted by whatever the issue is before the legislature or before the governor. So we really appreciate individuals being willing to do that, which is not easy.”