AI LAW RADAR · Daily Last verified 22 Aug 2026

Topic dossier

AI in therapy & mental-health services

Where AI is barred from practising psychotherapy, presenting itself as a licensed clinician, or being advertised as mental-health care — and where a licensed human has to stay in the loop. 14 obligations across 1 jurisdiction — 6 in force. Next dated deadline: 1 Jan 2027.

A distinct legislative line separates general chatbot safety from the practice of mental-health care. These instruments treat AI-delivered therapy as either unlicensed practice or deceptive representation. Tennessee's SB 1580 prohibits an AI system from claiming to function as a qualified mental-health professional; Rhode Island's H 7349 restricts therapy to licensed professionals, which reaches AI-only therapy services; Missouri's SB 1019 targets the advertising claim itself; and Colorado's HB 26-1195 conditions AI-delivered psychotherapy on a licensed professional's real-time involvement plus disclosure and written consent. The obligations below are the instruments AI Law Radar tracks under this theme, each linked to its primary source and dated to its last check.

The Register

14 obligations · 1 jurisdiction

United States 14

US · TN Binding

Tennessee AI regulation study mandate (SB 1700 / PC 1082, "CHAT Act")

Binds Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR) — study mandate only; imposes no compliance duties on AI operators. As enacted, SB 1700 does not impose chatbot safety requirements on operators. Senate amendments stripped the original companion-chatbot restrictions and replaced them with a directive for TACIR to study potential AI/chatbot regulation (federal law, other states' approaches, constitutional issues, minor/mental-health safeguards, economic impact); no report deadline is specified.

Effective 2026-05-22, the date carried in the "Effective date(s)" field of the Tennessee General Assembly bill-status record; Section 4 of Public Chapter 1082 reads "This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it" (publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/114/pub/pc1082.pdf), so there is no deferred application. The same record lists the governor's signature action on 2026-05-27; the enrolled chapter's approval stamp is a handwritten scan and is not machine-readable, so the 05/22 effective date is taken from the legislature's own field rather than reconstructed from the signature. Bill was substantially amended (Senate amendments adopted 2026-04-14) before passage, removing the original chatbot-safety restrictions.

Stated maximum penalty — None — study mandate only; no compliance obligation imposed on AI operators

In force · 22 May 2026 checked 13 Aug 2026 SB 1700 / PC 1082 ↗ high confidence
US · RI Binding

Rhode Island Oversight of AI in Mental Health Care Act (H 7349 Sub A)

Binds Any individual, corporation or entity offering therapy/psychotherapy services in Rhode Island, and RI-licensed mental health professionals using AI. R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 40.1-5.5. No individual, corporation or entity may provide, advertise or offer therapy/psychotherapy services to the public in RI — including via Internet-based AI — unless conducted by a licensed professional (§ 40.1-5.5-3(b)). Licensed professionals may use emotional-attachment/companion AI in recorded or transcribed sessions only with prior written informed consent (§ 40.1-5.5-3(a)), and may not let AI make independent therapeutic decisions, conduct therapeutic communication without an established relationship, or set treatment plans (§ 40.1-5.5-3(c)). Carve-outs: religious counseling, peer support, public self-help materials, and FDA-cleared AI tools.

Enacted as Substitute A (LC004589/SUB A/2); signed by Governor McKee June 22, 2026; effective upon passage. Verified against the enacted Sub A text 2026-08-10.

Stated maximum penalty — Confidentiality violations: penalties under R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-37.3-9; EOHHS investigative authority; RI licensing enforcement

In force · 22 Jun 2026 checked 13 Aug 2026 H 7349 ↗ high confidence
US · IA Binding

Iowa Conversational AI Safety Act (SF 2417)

Binds Operators of conversational AI services serving Iowa consumers. Disclosure and safeguard obligations for conversational AI operators serving Iowa users; compliance applicable 2027-07-01.

Law in force 2026-07-01; compliance obligations applicable from July 1, 2027.

Stated maximum penalty — Civil enforcement by Iowa AG (amount TBD)

In force · 1 Jul 2026 checked 13 Aug 2026 SF 2417 ↗ high confidence
US · HI Binding

Hawaii AI Disclosure and Safety Act (SB 3001 / Act 248)

Binds Operators of conversational AI services accessible in Hawaii. AI-identity disclosure, minor safeguards, and suicide-prevention protocols for conversational AI operators.

Annual crisis-intervention referral reports to Behavioral Health Administration beginning 2028-01-01.

Stated maximum penalty — $1,000/violation up to $1,000,000/operator

In force · 14 Jul 2026 checked 13 Aug 2026 SB 3001 / Act 248 ↗ high confidence
US · CO Binding

Colorado Psychotherapy AI Restrictions (HB 26-1195)

Binds Regulated psychotherapy professionals in Colorado using AI; any entity misrepresenting AI as professional-equivalent. AI cannot deliver psychotherapy without licensed professional's real-time involvement; disclosure and written consent required.

Signed 3 Jun 2026 by Gov. Polis; enacted without a safety clause, so the general post-session effective date applies. IN FORCE since 12 Aug 2026 — the Colorado General Assembly bill record (leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb26-1195) lists the session law as Chapter 358 with Effective Date 08/12/2026, re-confirmed on the day of entry into force. No amendments or delays. Unaffected by the federal court injunction pausing CO SB 26-189 (the broader Colorado AI Act). AG holds exclusive enforcement; $20,000 per violation; 60-day cure period.

Stated maximum penalty — Unfair trade practice (CO Consumer Protection Act; AG enforcement); $20,000 per violation

In force · 12 Aug 2026 checked 13 Aug 2026 HB 26-1195 ↗ high confidence
US · CT Binding

Connecticut PA 26-15 (SB 5) tranche 2 — AI companion safeguards

Binds Operators who provide or operate an artificial intelligence companion for users in Connecticut, with heightened duties where the user is under 18. Operators of AI companions have until 1 Jan 2027 before disclosure, crisis-referral and minor-protection duties bite.

Public Act No. 26-15 ss 4-6, each expressly '(Effective January 1, 2027)'. s 5 sets baseline operator duties; s 6 adds under-18 duties, including a clear and conspicuous statement at the start of each interaction that the companion is not a licensed mental health professional, bars on romantic/erotic interaction with minors, bars on discouraging a minor from seeking mental health services or adult help, and bars on manipulative engagement-extension techniques. Violations of ss 5 and 6 are unfair or deceptive trade practices enforced solely by the Attorney General.

Stated maximum penalty — CT Attorney General — unfair or deceptive trade practice under Conn. Gen. Stat. s 42-110b(a)

Applies 1 Jan 2027 checked 22 Aug 2026 CT PA 26-15 (SB 5) ss 4-6 ↗ high confidence
US · WA Binding

Washington AI Companion Chatbot Safety Act (HB 2225 / Ch.168)

Binds AI companion chatbot operators serving Washington users. Non-human disclosure, minor safeguards, and self-harm protocols for AI companion chatbot operators.

Disclosures every 3 hours (all users) or 1 hour (minor users).

Stated maximum penalty — Actual damages + injunctive relief + attorney fees; WA AG (Consumer Protection Act)

Applies 1 Jan 2027 checked 22 Aug 2026 HB 2225 / Ch.168 ↗ high confidence
US · OR Binding

Oregon AI Companion Act (SB 1546 / Ch.85)

Binds AI companion and chatbot platform operators serving Oregon users. AI disclosure, self-harm protocols, and minor protections; first chatbot law with private right of action and per-violation statutory damages.

Stated maximum penalty — Greater of actual damages or $1,000 per violation; private right of action; attorney fees

Applies 1 Jan 2027 checked 22 Aug 2026 SB 1546 / Ch.85 ↗ high confidence
US · CO Binding

Colorado Conversational AI Safety Act (HB 26-1263)

Binds Conversational AI operators serving Colorado users. Safety, disclosure, and minor protection obligations for conversational AI operators in Colorado.

Signed 2026-05-29; legal effective date 2026-08-12; compliance obligations from 2027-01-01.

Stated maximum penalty — CO AG enforcement

Applies 1 Jan 2027 checked 22 Aug 2026 HB 26-1263 ↗ high confidence
US · RI Binding

Rhode Island AI Chatbot Safety Act (S 2195)

Binds Chatbot and companion AI operators serving Rhode Island users. Chatbot/companion AI operators must include suicidal-ideation protocols and crisis referrals; annual reporting to AG from 2027-07-01.

Signed 2026-06-22 by Governor McKee; general effective date 2027-01-01. Annual reports to RI AG beginning July 1, 2027.

Stated maximum penalty — RI AG enforcement

Applies 1 Jan 2027 checked 22 Aug 2026 S 2195 ↗ high confidence
US · GA Binding

Georgia Conversational AI Safety Act (SB 540)

Binds Operators of conversational AI chatbot services accessible to the Georgia public. Age verification, parental controls, AI-identity disclosure, and crisis protocols for conversational AI chatbot operators.

Stated maximum penalty — Up to $10,000 per knowing violation (GA AG enforcement)

Applies 1 Jul 2027 checked 13 Aug 2026 SB 540 ↗ high confidence
US · ID Binding

Idaho Conversational AI Safety Act (SB 1297)

Binds Consumer-facing conversational AI service operators serving Idaho users (excludes B2B, internal, customer-service bots). AI identity disclosure, crisis referral protocols, and minor safeguards for consumer-facing conversational AI operators.

Modeled on Nebraska LB 525. Signed 2026-04-01.

Stated maximum penalty — Idaho AG enforcement (amount TBD)

Applies 1 Jul 2027 checked 13 Aug 2026 SB 1297 ↗ high confidence
US · NE Binding

Nebraska Conversational Artificial Intelligence Safety Act (LB 525)

Binds Conversational AI service operators serving Nebraska users. Operators of consumer-facing conversational AI services must disclose AI nature, apply enhanced safeguards for minors, avoid claiming to provide professional mental health care, and provide crisis intervention referrals.

Signed April 14, 2026; operative July 1, 2027 (sections 12–18).

Stated maximum penalty — $1,000 per violation; up to $500,000 per operator per enforcement action; Nebraska AG enforcement only

Applies 1 Jul 2027 checked 13 Aug 2026 LB 525 ↗ high confidence

Questions & answers

From the data

Is AI-delivered therapy legal?

It depends on the jurisdiction and on how the service is presented. Rhode Island restricts the provision of therapy and psychotherapy to licensed professionals, and Colorado conditions AI-delivered psychotherapy on a licensed professional's real-time involvement with disclosure and written consent. Neither is a blanket ban on mental-health software; both attach the practice of therapy to a licensed human.

Can an AI product be marketed as a therapist?

Missouri's SB 1019 prohibits advertising or representing that an AI system can act as a mental-health professional, provide therapy or psychotherapy, or make mental-health diagnoses. Tennessee's SB 1580 addresses the same conduct as impersonation of a qualified mental-health professional.

How does this differ from the companion-chatbot laws?

The chatbot statutes regulate disclosure and crisis handling for any consumer-facing conversational system. The instruments on this page regulate a specific claim or service — practising, diagnosing or advertising mental-health care. Several laws, including Nebraska's LB 525 and Tennessee's CHAT Act, do both, so they appear under each theme.

Which jurisdictions does AI Law Radar track for ai therapy & mental health?

We currently track ai therapy & mental health obligations across 1 jurisdiction: United States. Each is dated and linked to its primary source on this page.