HB 26-1263, signed May 29, 2026 and effective January 1, 2027, requires operators of publicly accessible conversational AI services to disclose that users are interacting with AI, maintain protocols for users expressing suicidal ideation, estimate user age and apply safeguards for minors, refrain from presenting AI output as coming from a licensed professional, and report annually to the Colorado Attorney General. The AG's August 11, 2026 proposed rules implement it alongside the ADMT Act.
| Document | HB 26-1263 — Conversational Artificial Intelligence Service Operator Requirements (Chatbot Safety Act) |
| Issued by | Colorado Artificial Intelligence Act (SB 24-205), repealed and reenacted as the Automated Decision-Making Technology Act (SB 26-189) — enforced by the Colorado Attorney General |
| Type | Statute |
| Status | Final · applies from Jan 1, 2027 |
| Published | May 29, 2026 |
| Effective | Jan 1, 2027 |
| Applies to | Operators of conversational AI services accessible to the public in Colorado, including bank customer-service chatbots |
| Official source | leg.colorado.gov ↗ |
| Use cases | Customer-facing chatbots · Generative & agentic AI · AI governance (general) |
What are the key points of HB 26-1263?
- Signed May 29, 2026; effective January 1, 2027; implemented through the same AG rulemaking as SB 26-189
- All operators must clearly disclose that the service uses artificial intelligence
- Operators must implement protocols for detecting and responding to expressions of suicidal ideation or self-harm
- Age estimation required; for minors, engagement-maximizing rewards and sexually explicit content are prohibited and privacy-management tools must be provided
- Prohibits misrepresenting AI outputs as advice from a licensed professional
- Annual reporting to the Colorado Attorney General
What did HB 26-1263 change for banks?
It adds a second Colorado AI statute that reaches banks through their customer-facing chatbots and virtual assistants rather than through credit decisions. Disclosure that a customer is talking to AI, crisis-response protocols, and the bar on implying licensed-professional advice all bear directly on retail-banking assistants deployed to Colorado customers.
Does Colorado's Chatbot Safety Act apply to a bank's customer-service chatbot?
If the chatbot is a conversational AI service accessible to the public in Colorado, yes: the operator must disclose that it is AI, maintain crisis-response protocols, and meet the age-related and reporting duties from January 1, 2027.
| Date | Document | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 11, 2026 | Colorado AG proposed ADMT rules — Proposed Automated Decision-Making Technology and Conversational AI Service Rules (Notice of Rulemaking Hearing) | Comment period open |
| May 14, 2026 | SB 26-189 — Automated Decision-Making Technology Act (repeal and reenactment of the Colorado AI Act) | Final |
| Aug 28, 2025 | SB 25B-004 — Artificial Intelligence Consumer Protections — delay of effective date to June 30, 2026 | Superseded |
| May 17, 2024 | SB 24-205 — Consumer Protections for Artificial Intelligence (Colorado Artificial Intelligence Act) | Superseded |
| Jul 24, 2026 | Regulation (EU) 2026/1744 (Digital Omnibus on AI) — Regulation (EU) 2026/1744 amending Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 as regards the simplification of the implementation of harmonised rules on artificial intelligence (Digital Omnibus on AI) | In force |
| Mar 26, 2026 | FDIC House testimony on AI and innovation (Mar 2026) — Innovation at the Speed of Markets: How Regulators Keep Pace with Technology | Final |
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