An Act to Regulate
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 2162
Committee Amendment CA_B_H1003 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "^ " to H.P. 1451, L.D. 2162, "An Act to Regulate
and Prevent Children's Access to Artificial Intelligence Chatbots with Human-like Features
and Social Artificial Intelligence Companions"
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following:
'An Act to Regulate Artificial Intelligence Companion IVIodels'
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enactmg clause and inserting the
following:
'See. 1. 10 MRSA c. 247 is enacted to read:
CHAPTER 247
REGULATION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE COMPANION MODELS
S1500-PP. Definitions
As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the followine terms
have the followine meanings,
1. Artificial intellieence; artificial intellieence technoloev; AI. "Artificial
intellieence." "artificial mtellieence technology" or "AI" means a machme-based SYstem
that can. for a given set of human-defmed objectives :
A. Make predictions, recommendations or decisions influencmg real or virtual
environments;
B. Use machine-based and human-based inputs to perceive real and virtual
environments and abstract such perceptions mto models throueh analysis in an
automated manner; and
C, Use model influence to formulate options for informatiQn or action.
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "V^ " to H.P. 1451, L.D. 2162
2. AI companion. "AI companion" means a system using artificial intelligence.
generative artificial intellieence or emotional recoenition aleorithms designed to simulate
a sustained human or human-like relationship, includine. but not limited to. intimate.
rQmantic or platomc interactions or comoanionship. with a user by:
A. Retainine information on prior interactions or user sessions and user preferences to
personalize the interaction and facilitate ongoine engagement with the AI companion;
B. Askine unorompted or unsolicited emotion-based questions that eo beyond a direct
response to a user Drompt and
C^Sustainme an oneoine dialogue conceming matters personal to the user.
"AI comoamon" does not include a system used by a business entity solely for customer
service or to strictly provide users with information about available commercial services or
products offered for sale by that business entity, with customer account mformation pr
other information strictly related to its customer service: a_svstem_tha,t is m'imarilv desiened
and marketed for providine efficiency imorovements or research or technical assistance: or
a system used by a business entity solely for internal purposes or emolovee oroductivitv.
3, AI model. AI model" means a component of an information system that
implements artificial intellieence technoloe^ and uses computational. statistical or
machine- leamine techniques to produce outputs from a given set of iimyts.
4. Emotional recoenition aleorithms. "Emotional recognition algorithms" means
artificial intellieence that detects and interprets human emotional signals in texLusing
natural language processine and sentiment analysis, in audio using voice emotiQn_analvsis,
in video^ usmg facial_jnovementanalYsis,ga^^^ phYsiological analvsis, or a
combination of text. audio and video.
5. Generative artificial mteUigence. "Generative artificial intelliRence" means a
class ofAI models that emulate the structure and characteristics of mout data to generate
derived synthetic content including. but not limited to. imaees. video, audio, text or other
dieital content.
6. Operator. "Operator" means any person, oartnership. association, firm or business
entity, or any member. affiliate, subsidiary or beneficial owner of any partnershm,
association, firm or business entity, who operates or provides an AI companion to a user.
7. Person. "Person" means a natural person,
8. Self-harm. "Self-hann" means intentional self-miur/ with or without the intent to
cause death.
9. User. ^'User" means a person who uses an AI companion for personal use within
5 the State and who is not an operator. or an agent or affiliate of an operator,
§1500-00. Requirements for operator ofAIcomDanion
An operator may not operate or provide anAI companion to a user unless the AI
comoanion contains a protocol to take reasonable efforts for detecting or addressmg
suicidal ideation or expressions ofself-harm expressed by a user to the AI companion that
includes, but is not limited to. detection of user expressions of suicidal ideation or self-
harm. and a notification to the user that refers the user to crisis service providers such as
the 9-8-8 suicide orevention and behavioral health cnsjsJiQtlme^a CT^ text line or other
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "\J" to H.P. 1451, L.D. 2162
aporouriate crisis services upon detection of the user's expressions of suicidal ideation or
self-harm,
S1500-RR. Notification
An operator shall provide a clear and conspicuous notice to a user at the begummg of
any AI companion interaction that the user isjiQtcQmmunicating with a human beine. The
notice may be provided to the user verbally or in writine andmustbeBrQYided at least once
per day for a single. AI cQmpanion interactionand^t least every 3 hours for contmuing AI
companion interactions,
S1500-SS. Enforcement
1. Civil action broueht by Attorney General. Whenever the Attorney General
believes from evidence satisfactory to the Attorney General that an operator has engaged
in or is about to engage in any of the^cts^tjiractices m violation of this chapter, the
Attorney General may bring a civil action against a person that violates this chapter,
Penalties may include:
A^Anprderto enjoin a violation of this chapter;
B. A civil penalty of up to $ 15,000_£er day for a violation of this chapter; or
C, Such other remedies as the court may deem aopropria.te,
2. Disposition of fees. fines and penalties. All fees. fmes and penalties collected
under this chapter must be deposited into the Suicide Prevention Fund established in section
1500-TT,
81500-TT. Suicide Prevention Fund
1. Fund established. The Suicide PreYention^Fund, referred to in this section as "the
fund. is established as^. dedicated. nonlaBsing fund administered by the Attomev General
for the purposes of funding initiatives suoportmg suicide prevention, education and
awareness programs. The fund must receive money from any fees. fmes and penalties
collected under this chapter and may receiye^nonev from any gift, erant. contribution.
leeislative aDDropriation. allocation or transfer. The money in the fund may be used only
for the purposes described in this subsection and oavine fund admNstration costs.
2. Report. Beeirutimg January 15.2028 and annually thereafter.the Attorney General
shall report annually to the joint standing committee of the Legislature havine jurisdiction
over the regulation of artificial intelligence matters on Ae money in the fund and any
disbursement of funding for the uurposes descnbed m this subsection during the previous
calendar year.
Sec. 2. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and
allocations are made.
6 ATTORNEY GENERAL, DEPARTMENT OF THE
7 Suicide Prevention Fund N490
Initiative: Establishes the Suicide Prevention Fund with a base Other Special Revenue
Funds allocation,
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 2025-26 2026-27
AHOther $0 $500
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT " D " to H,P. 1451, L.D.:
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT " D " to H,P. 1451, L.D. 2162
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL $0 $500
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section
number to read consecutively.
SUMMARY
This amendment replaces the bill and changes the title. The amendment requires
operators of artificial intelligence companions to implement protocols for detecting and
addressing user expressions of suicidal ideation or self-harm. The amendment requires
operators to provide clear and conspicuous notice to users that the user is not
communicatmg with a human. The amendment authorizes the Attorney General to bring a
civil action against an operator that violates the provisions of this legislation and to seek
penalties of up to $15,000 per day for a violation. Any penalties collected based on
violations must be deposited into the newly established Suicide Prevention Fund and,
beginning January 15, 2027, the Attorney General is required to submit annual reports on
the use of the fund.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Approved: 04/01/26 t-KL
LD 2162 LR 2723(04)
An Act to Regulate and Prevent Children's Access to Artificial Intelligence Chatbots with Human-like
Features and Social Artificial Intelligence Companions
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "g'^.^^o':
Committee: Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services"
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
Projections Projections
FY 2025-26 FY 2026-27 FY 2027-28 FY 2028-29
Net Cost (Savings)
General Fund $0 $0 $732,336 $747,199
jppropriations/Allocations
General Fund $0 $0 $732,336 $747,199
Other Special Revenue Funds $0 $500 $500 $500
Correctional and Judicial Impact Statements
This bill may increase the number of civil suits filed in the court system, The additional workload associated with the
minimal number of new cases filed in the court system does not require additional funding at this time. The collection
of additional filing fees will increase General Fund revenue by minor amounts.
Fiscal Detail and Notes
The Office of the Attorney General will require a General Fund appropriation of $$732,336 in fiscal year 2027-28 for
one Assistant Attorney General position with expertise in AI, one Research Assistant position and related All Other
costs to provide resources for enforcement, reporting to the legislature and establishing and managing a new Fund,
The Research Assistant is needed to collect penalties and manage disbursements of the Fund.
The bill also establishes the Suicide Prevention Fund with an Other Special Revenue Funds allocation of$500
beginning in fiscal year 2026-27 to the Office of the Attorney General to make disbursements from the Fund,
LR2723(04) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1