TLDR: California Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed Assembly Bill 1064, which aimed to prohibit AI chatbot companions for minors if they posed foreseeable harms. This veto came shortly after he signed Senate Bill 243 into law, a separate piece of legislation focused on AI chatbot safety for children, requiring prevention of exposure to sexual content, reminders that chatbots are not human, and protocols for handling discussions of self-harm.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has taken a nuanced approach to regulating artificial intelligence, vetoing one bill aimed at restricting children’s access to AI chatbots while simultaneously signing other significant AI safety legislation.
On October 13, 2025, Governor Newsom vetoed Assembly Bill 1064 (AB 1064), a measure championed by Common Sense Media. This legislation would have prohibited AI chatbot companions for minors when these systems were deemed capable of causing certain foreseeable harms, among other safety provisions.
The veto of AB 1064 occurred just hours after the Governor signed Senate Bill 243 (SB 243) into law. SB 243, also focused on child safety in the realm of AI chatbots, mandates that operators prevent minors from being exposed to sexual content. It further requires these platforms to consistently remind young users that they are interacting with a chatbot, not a human being. Additionally, companies subject to SB 243 must implement clear protocols for addressing situations where a user discusses suicidal ideation, suicide, or self-harm.
Senator Steve Padilla, the author of SB 243, emphasized the importance of these measures, stating that the law ensures ‘a companion chatbot will not be able to speak to a child or vulnerable individual about suicide, nor will a chatbot be able to help a person to plan his or her own suicide.’
SB 243 also includes a requirement for companion chatbot platforms to produce an annual report detailing the connection between their product’s use and suicidal ideation.
The legislative actions reflect a broader effort in California to address the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence and its impact on youth. While AB 1064 sought more stringent prohibitions, Governor Newsom’s decision to veto it, while enacting SB 243, suggests a preference for a regulatory framework that focuses on specific safeguards and reporting mechanisms rather than outright bans on certain types of AI interactions for minors.
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This move comes amidst sustained outcry from child safety advocates, families, and politicians regarding the potential dangers of AI chatbots for young people.
