Pennsylvania HB 2637: An Act providing for a temporary prohibition on artificial intelligence chatbots in children's toys and for Joint State Government Commission study; establishing an advisory committee; and imposing penalties.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 3607
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 2637
Session of
2026
INTRODUCED BY CIRESI, WAXMAN, McNEILL, PIELLI, PROBST, SANCHEZ,
NEILSON, O'MARA, D. WILLIAMS AND PARKER, JUNE 15, 2026
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY,
JUNE 15, 2026
AN ACT
Providing for a temporary prohibition on artificial intelligence
chatbots in children's toys; and imposing penalties.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Artificial
Intelligence Chatbots in Children's Toys Temporary Prohibition
Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Artificial intelligence." Any of the following:
(1) A machine-based system that can, for a given set of
human-defined objectives, make predictions, recommendations
or decisions influencing real or virtual environments,
including the ability to:
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(i) perceive real and virtual environments;
(ii) abstract perceptions into models through
analysis in an automated manner; and
(iii) use model inference to formulate options for
information or action based on the outcomes under
subparagraphs (i) and (ii).
(2) The term includes generative artificial
intelligence.
"Artificial intelligence chatbot" or "AI chatbot."
Artificial intelligence technology that uses generative
artificial intelligence to simulate or engage in an interactive
conversation with a user. The term does not include artificial
intelligence technology that provides only scripted, prewritten
or predetermined output.
"Children's toy." A product designed, manufactured, marketed
or intended for use as a plaything by a child under 14 years of
age.
"Generative artificial intelligence." A class of models that
emulate the structure and characteristics of input data in order
to generate derived synthetic content, including an image,
video, audio clip or text, that is significantly modified or
generated by algorithms, including by artificial intelligence.
"Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law." The
act of December 17, 1968 (P.L.1224, No.387), known as the Unfair
Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law.
Section 3. Temporary prohibition.
(a) Prohibition.--A person may not manufacture, distribute,
sell, lease, offer for sale or offer for lease in this
Commonwealth a children's toy that incorporates an AI chatbot.
(b) Applicability.--This section shall not apply three years
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after the effective date of this subsection.
(c) Notice.--The Attorney General shall transmit notice to
the Legislative Reference Bureau for publication in the next
available issue of the Pennsylvania Bulletin of the date on
which this section no longer applies under subsection (b).
(d) Prior violations.--Subsection (b) shall not affect the
authority of the Attorney General to enforce a violation of
subsection (a) that occurs before the date on which this section
no longer applies.
Section 4. Enforcement.
(a) Unlawful act or practice.--A violation of section 3
shall be deemed an unfair method of competition and an unfair or
deceptive act or practice in the conduct of trade or commerce
under section 3 of the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer
Protection Law.
(b) Enforcement.--The Attorney General may bring an action
in the name of the Commonwealth under section 4 of the Unfair
Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law to restrain a
violation of section 3 by temporary or permanent injunction.
(c) Restitution and costs.--In an action under subsection
(b), the Attorney General may seek payment of costs and
restitution under section 4.1 of the Unfair Trade Practices and
Consumer Protection Law.
(d) Civil penalties.--In an action under subsection (b), the
Attorney General may recover a civil penalty under section 8 of
the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law.
(e) Construction.--The remedies under this section are
cumulative and shall not be construed to limit any other remedy
available under law.
Section 5. Effective date.
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This act shall take effect immediately.
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