Addictive Design Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9948 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9948

   To direct the President to establish an interagency task force to
review, and provide recommendations on, the impact of addictive design
features on youth mental health, to direct the Secretary of Health and
Human Services to establish grant programs to support the activities of
                the task force, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 27, 2026

   Ms. Balint (for herself, Mr. Deluzio, Mr. Suozzi, and Mrs. Watson
   Coleman) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
 Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on
Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

   To direct the President to establish an interagency task force to
review, and provide recommendations on, the impact of addictive design
features on youth mental health, to direct the Secretary of Health and
Human Services to establish grant programs to support the activities of
                the task force, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Addictive Design Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) According to Common Sense Media, in 2025, 12 percent of
        teenagers said they used an AI chatbot for mental health
        support.
            (2) AI chatbots are often trained for a general purpose and
        on a wide swath of data, therefore AI chatbots are not
        specifically designed to support a youth dealing with a mental
        health crisis.
            (3) In fact, many AI chatbots are intentionally designed
        with addictive design features that aim to develop an emotional
        relationship with the user and keep users on the application.
            (4) Multiple families have filed wrongful death lawsuits
        alleging that conversations with an AI chatbot played a role in
        their child's suicide.
            (5) According to Public Citizen, in 2025 and 2026, 11
        States enacted laws seeking to address the effects of AI
        chatbots on youth mental health and well-being.
            (6) The evidence presented to Congress indicates that AI
        chatbots pose a considerable risk to the mental health and
        emotional well-being of youth.
            (7) Commercial freedoms of speech embodied in the First
        Amendment and legitimate public safety interests must be
        balanced in a way that mitigates harm while protecting
        legitimate speech.
            (8) Restricting access by youth to addictive design
        features is the only effective means of addressing, with
        respect to youth, the mental well-being and public safety risks
        stemming from AI chatbots.
            (9) Protecting youth from the mental health and public
        safety risks associated with addictive design features in AI
        chatbots is a compelling government interest.

SEC. 3. INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE ON IMPACT OF AI CHATBOTS ON YOUTH MENTAL
              HEALTH.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment
of this Act, the President shall establish an interagency task force,
to be known as the ``Task Force Addressing the Impact of Addictive
Design Features on Youth Mental Health'' (in this section referred to
as the ``Task Force''), to review research and make recommendations on
the impact of the use of AI chatbots on youth mental health for the
purpose of reducing the impact and use of addictive design features.
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) In general.--The Task Force shall be composed of--
                    (A) the Secretary of Health and Human Services (or
                a delegate of the Secretary);
                    (B) the Director of the National Institute of
                Standards and Technology (or a delegate of the
                Director);
                    (C) the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission
                (or a delegate of the Chairman);
                    (D) the Assistant Secretary for Health;
                    (E) the Director of the Center for Mental Health
                Services in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health
                Services Administration;
                    (F) the Chief Technology Officer of the Office of
                Technology in the Federal Trade Commission;
                    (G) 1 academic researcher with experience
                researching the impacts of AI chatbots on youth mental
                health;
                    (H) 1 academic researcher with experience
                researching the design of AI chatbots;
                    (I) 2 psychologists or clinical social workers;
                    (J) 1 psychiatrist;
                    (K) 1 mental health professional; and
                    (L) the head of any such other Executive agency (as
                defined in section 105 of title 5, United States Code),
                or a representative of an entity, as determined
                appropriate by the President.
            (2) Commissioner.--The Task Force shall be headed by a
        commissioner, who shall be elected through voice vote by the
        members of the Task Force.
            (3) Member requirements.--A member of the Task Force--
                    (A) with respect to a member that is an academic
                researcher, shall be employed by an institution of
                higher education;
                    (B) with respect to a member that is a
                psychologist, clinical social worker, or psychiatrist,
                shall--
                            (i) be licensed in a State; and
                            (ii) have at least 5 years of clinical
                        experience--
                                    (I) in child and adolescent
                                development; and
                                    (II) working with youth;
                    (C) with respect to a member that is a mental
                health professional, shall--
                            (i) be licensed in a State; and
                            (ii) specialize in treating addiction; and
                    (D) with respect to a member listed in
                subparagraphs (G) through (K) of paragraph (1), may not
                be a political appointee.
            (4) Terms.--Each member shall serve for the duration of the
        Task Force.
            (5) Vacancy.--In the case of a vacancy on the Task Force,
        such vacancy shall be filled not later than 30 days after
        arising and in the manner in which the original appointment was
        made.
            (6) Meetings.--The Task Force shall meet annually at the
        call of the chair.
    (c) Duties.--The Task Force shall--
            (1) review any research, including research under section
        4(a), that is conducted--
                    (A) prior to the date on which the Task Force
                begins making recommendations under paragraph (2); and
                    (B) on the impact of the use of AI chatbots on
                youth mental health; and
            (2) based on the findings of the review carried out under
        paragraph (1), make recommendations with respect to--
                    (A) developing and implementing a method to
                minimize any mental health risk, including unhealthy
                emotional attachment, associated with the use of an AI
                chatbot by youth;
                    (B) developing and implementing a method for
                covered entities to identify any warning sign of a
                mental health risk, including unhealthy emotional
                attachment and addiction to use of an AI chatbot, in
                youth who use an AI chatbot;
                    (C) identifying best practices for covered entities
                to provide information on mental health services
                provided by a licensed medical health professional,
                including a psychologist, pyschiastrst, therapist,
                social worker, counselor, or clinician, to such youth
                who exhibit such warning signs;
                    (D) identifying any mental health risk associated
                with the use of an AI chatbot, specifically an AI
                chatbot that includes an addictive design feature, by
                youth; and
                    (E) identifying best practices for a covered entity
                to identify and respond to any mental health outcome
                related to such use.
    (d) Publication of Certain Recommendations.--For purposes of
informing covered entities, the Task Force shall make available to the
public on the websites of the Department of Health and Human Services
and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration the
recommendations made under subsection (c)(2).
    (e) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date on which all
research projects conducted under section 4(a) are complete, the
Commissioner of the Task Force shall submit to each appropriate
congressional committee a report on the activities of the Task Force
carried out under this section.
    (f) Sunset Clause.--The Task Force shall terminate 60 days after
the Task Force submits the report under subsection (e).

SEC. 4. RESEARCH AND OUTREACH GRANTS.

    (a) Research Grant Program.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services
        (in this section referred to as the Secretary) shall make
        grants to institutions of higher education to conduct research
        projects on the impact of the use of AI chatbots on youth
        mental health, including to inform the recommendations
        described in section 3(c)(2).
            (2) Condition of receiving grant.--As a condition of
        receiving a grant under this subsection, an institution of
        higher education shall demonstrate an ability to safely store
        any data received when conducting research.
            (3) Request for data and information.--An institution of
        higher education that receives any funds through a grant under
        this subsection may request from a covered entity any data and
        information that is necessary and relevant to the research to
        be conducted using such funds.
    (b) Outreach Grant Program.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall make grants to
        eligible entities to provide outreach to parents, legal
        guardians, and covered teachers in the form of training or any
        such other activity determined appropriate by the Secretary.
            (2) Content of outreach.--An eligible entity that receives
        a grant under this subsection shall include in any outreach--
                    (A) a method for identifying, and responding to,
                any warning sign of a mental health risk, including
                unhealthy emotional attachment and addiction to use of
                an AI chatbot, in youth who use an AI chatbot;
                    (B) any mental health risk associated with the use
                of an AI chatbot, specifically an AI chatbot that
                includes an addictive design feature, by youth; and
                    (C) a method for discussing any such warning sign
                with youth.
            (3) Eligible entity defined.--The term ``eligible entity''
        means an entity that is--
                    (A) an organization described in section 501(c)(3)
                of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from
                tax under section 501(a) of such Code; or
                    (B) a community-based organization with experience
                working with parents and covered teachers.
    (c) Reports.--The Secretary shall submit to each appropriate
congressional committee a report containing--
            (1) information on any institution of higher education or
        eligible entity that receives a grant under subsection (a) or
        (b), respectively; and
            (2) the amount of each such grant.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated for fiscal years 2027 through 2032--
            (1) $3,000,000 to carry out subsection (a); and
            (2) $5,000,000 to carry out subsection (b).

SEC. 5. REQUIRED PROVISION OF ACCESS TO DATA.

    (a) Access to Data.--For purposes of an institute of higher
education conducting a research project under section 4(a), a covered
entity shall provide access to any data and information requested by
such institution under such section.
    (b) Privacy.--In providing access to data and information under
subsection (a), a covered entity shall remove any identifiable
information from such data and information.
    (c) Civil Penalty.--
            (1) In general.--The Attorney General shall assess a civil
        penalty against a covered entity in an amount of not more than
        $10,000,000 for each violation of subsection (a).
            (2) Activity constituting violation.--For purposes of
        paragraph (1), failure to comply under subsection (a) with any
        request with respect to a single research project shall be
        considered as one violation.
    (d) Injunctive Relief.--The Attorney General may bring an action in
an appropriate United States district court against a covered entity
that violates subsection (a) for such relief as may be appropriate,
including injunctive relief.

SEC. 6. PROHIBITION ON ADDICTIVE DESIGN FEATURES.

    (a) In General.--A covered entity may not make available to youth
an AI chatbot with addictive design features.
    (b) Requirements for Data Collected.--If a covered entity, for
purposes of ensuring compliance with paragraph (1), deploys appropriate
age verification technology to determine whether a user of an AI
chatbot made available by such entity is a youth, such entity shall--
            (1) limit any data collected through such deployment to
        only that data that is strictly necessary to determine the age
        of such user; and
            (2) delete any such data not later than 24 hours after
        reviewing such data.
    (c) Civil Penalty.--
            (1) In general.--The Attorney General shall assess a civil
        penalty against a covered entity in an amount of $5,000 for
        each violation of subsection (a) or (b).
            (2) Activity constituting violation.--For purposes of
        paragraph (1), failure to comply under subsection (a) or (b)
        with respect to the same event or transaction, or a related
        series of events or transactions, shall be considered as one
        violation.
    (d) Injunctive Relief.--The Attorney General may bring an action in
an appropriate United States district court against a covered entity
that violates subsection (a) or (b) for such relief as may be
appropriate, including injunctive relief.

SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Addictive design features.--The term ``addictive design
        feature'' means an element of an AI chatbot that is designed
        for the purpose of mimicking human behavior, building or
        engaging in an emotional relationship with the user, or
        ensuring the user continues to use the AI chatbot, including--
                    (A) showing typing bubbles;
                    (B) providing avatars;
                    (C) storing and using personal information from
                previous conversations;
                    (D) requiring additional engagement or pay to
                continue a conversation;
                    (E) maintaining a conversation for longer than 2
                hours; or
                    (F) impersonating a real person, living or dead.
            (2) AI chatbot.--The term ``AI chatbot'' means a generative
        artificial intelligence system that engages in an interactive
        conversation with a user that--
                    (A) is carried out through a text, audio, or visual
                medium; and
                    (B) is not predetermined or scripted.
            (3) Appropriate congressional committee.--The term
        ``appropriate congressional committee'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the
                House of Representatives;
                    (B) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of
                Representatives;
                    (C) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
                Transportation of the Senate; or
                    (D) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate.
            (4) Covered teacher.--The term ``covered teacher'' means a
        teacher employed by an elementary, middle, or high school.
            (5) Covered entity.--The term ``covered entity'' means a
        person who owns, operates, or otherwise makes available an AI
        chatbot to youth.
            (6) Institution of higher education.--The term
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given such
        term in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
        U.S.C. 1002).
            (7) State.--The term ``State'' means a State, the District
        of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American
        Samoa, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, the Virgin
        Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, or
        any other territory of the United States.
            (8) Youth.--The term ``youth'' means an individual who--
                    (A) is under the age of 18; and
                    (B) resides in the United States.
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