Laws & Policy
Idaho AI chatbot law
Idaho's Conversational AI Safety Act, Senate Bill 1297, signed in March 2026 and effective July 1, 2027, enforced by the attorney general.
As of September 26, 2026, Senate Bill 1297 was signed March 31, 2026, as Chapter 249, and takes effect July 1, 2027.
- Policymakers and staff
- Businesses
This is general information, not legal advice.
What parents should know
Idaho's Conversational AI Safety Act is Senate Bill 1297. The legislature says the governor signed it on March 31, 2026, as Chapter 249, effective July 1, 2027. It is in the same family as Nebraska's act. It is not Nebraska's bill, and it is not in force on this review date.
On this page
What is the Idaho AI chatbot law?
The enrolled bill adds Chapter 21 to Title 48 of the Idaho Code and names it the Conversational AI Safety Act. It sets operator requirements, extra requirements for minors, and penalties. The attorney general seeks the civil penalties. The text says the chapter does not create a private right of action, and it does not make a model developer liable only because a third-party operator violated the chapter. The penalty line in the enrolled PDF is the greater of actual damages or $1,000 per violation, capped at $500,000 per operator, plus an injunction.
The legislature's history says the act is effective July 1, 2027. A signature in March 2026 does not move that date. Anyone comparing Idaho with Nebraska should read both minor sections rather than stop at the shared short title.
Why the Idaho AI chatbot law matters
Shared titles hide different enforcement. Idaho's text, as enrolled, points at the attorney general and says there is no private lawsuit. A family or a vendor who heard otherwise should open the PDF. The 2027 date also means a product sold in Idaho today is not yet under this chapter's duties.
These state laws are not copies of each other. A duty in one state may be missing in the next, and a signature date is not always the day the duties bind. Whether Congress will override some of them is a live debate, described on the federal AI preemption page. Until a federal statute does that, read the state text that applies to you.
How it shows up in practice
- Counsel compares Idaho's minor section with Nebraska's instead of assuming they match.
- A private lawsuit is not the enforcement path the Idaho text describes.
- A product roadmap uses July 1, 2027, not the signature day.
- A parent still asks who can read the chat, which this statute does not install inside every app.
How HeyOtto helps
Idaho's chatbot law takes effect July 1, 2027. HeyOtto does not claim that act. Parents can read chats and set topic limits now. Distress brings an alert and crisis resources. HeyOtto does not auto-contact emergency services.
- Parents can read chats in the parent dashboard.
- Distress produces an alert and crisis resources, not an automatic call to emergency services.
- HeyOtto does not claim this statute is already satisfied.
For families
Try freeFAQs
When is Idaho's chatbot law effective?
The legislature says July 1, 2027. The governor signed the bill on March 31, 2026.
Who enforces it?
The enrolled text says the attorney general seeks penalties and that the chapter does not create a private right of action.
Does it copy Nebraska word for word?
It follows the same short title and a similar enforcement shape. It is a separate statute. Read SB 1297 next to LB 525 before you call them identical.
Sources
Last reviewed September 26, 2026. Law entries are reviewed every quarter.
This is general information, not legal advice.