IA, US · AI law tracker
SF 2415 — IA, US
SF 2415 is an AI governance legislation from IA, currently introduced. SF 2415 prohibits AI chatbots accessible in Iowa from offering mental health advice and mandates crisis referrals for detected distress [1]. AIGI tracks 1 primary-source update on this bill; the most recent was published on 2026-02-19.
Status & timeline
- Regulatory stage
- introduced
- Bill status
- introduced
- Authority / governing body
- Iowa Legislature
- Chamber
- senate
- Document type
- legislation
Next deadline: No fixed deadline explicitly stated; obligations would apply upon enactment.
Subscriber only
Full obligation matrix
| Actor | Obligation | Deadline | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| provider | Shall not design or operate an artificial intelligence chatbot in a manner that allows the artificial intelligence chatbot to offer or simulate professional mental health advice. | — | — |
| provider | Ensure an artificial intelligence chatbot does not represent itself as a licensed professional or offer services that would require licensure under chapter 154B or 154D. | — | — |
| provider | Implement reasonable protocols to have the provider’s artificial intelligence chatbot detect expressions of self-harm, suicidal ideation, or emotional distress by users. | — | — |
| provider | Upon detection of self-harm, suicidal ideation, or emotional distress, ensure the artificial intelligence chatbot refers the user to appropriate crisis services. | — | — |
| provider | Ensure each artificial intelligence chatbot accessible to a user in this state explicitly discloses in clear, conspicuous, and easily understood language that it is artificial intelligence, is not a human, and is not a substitute for professional mental health care. | — | — |
| provider | Ensure the required disclosure appears at the beginning of the artificial intelligence chatbot’s interaction with a user prior to providing a response to user input. | — | — |
| provider | Ensure the required disclosure appears at regular intervals during a user’s continuous interaction with the artificial intelligence chatbot. | — | — |
| provider | Ensure the required disclosure appears when the artificial intelligence chatbot generates a response related to emotional well-being, mental health, or self-harm. | — | — |
Subscriber only
Enforcement risk score
25
/ 100
Announced regulation; enforcement footprint still forming.
Subscriber only
Role-based compliance checklist
- cto Review AI chatbot designs to ensure they cannot offer or simulate professional mental health advice.
- product_manager Review AI chatbot designs to ensure they cannot offer or simulate professional mental health advice.
- data_scientist Review AI chatbot designs to ensure they cannot offer or simulate professional mental health advice.
- cto Implement technical protocols to detect user expressions of self-harm, suicidal ideation, or emotional distress.
- product_manager Implement technical protocols to detect user expressions of self-harm, suicidal ideation, or emotional distress.
- data_scientist Implement technical protocols to detect user expressions of self-harm, suicidal ideation, or emotional distress.
- cto Integrate mechanisms to refer users to appropriate crisis services upon detection of mental health distress.
- product_manager Integrate mechanisms to refer users to appropriate crisis services upon detection of mental health distress.
- data_scientist Integrate mechanisms to refer users to appropriate crisis services upon detection of mental health distress.
- cto Develop and deploy clear, conspicuous, and easily understood disclosures stating the chatbot is AI, not human, and not a substitute for professional mental health care.
- product_manager Develop and deploy clear, conspicuous, and easily understood disclosures stating the chatbot is AI, not human, and not a substitute for professional mental health care.
- compliance_officer Develop and deploy clear, conspicuous, and easily understood disclosures stating the chatbot is AI, not human, and not a substitute for professional mental health care.
- product_manager Ensure disclosures appear at the start of interactions, at regular intervals, and when responding to mental health-related queries.
- compliance_officer Ensure disclosures appear at the start of interactions, at regular intervals, and when responding to mental health-related queries.
- general_counsel Monitor the bill's progress through the Iowa Legislature.
- compliance_officer Monitor the bill's progress through the Iowa Legislature.
- general_counsel Prepare for rulemaking by the Department of Health and Human Services concerning detection protocols and disclosure formats.
- compliance_officer Prepare for rulemaking by the Department of Health and Human Services concerning detection protocols and disclosure formats.
Subscriber only
Vendor impact assessment
- Vendor risk class
- high
- Procurement categories
- customer_service_ai, healthcare_ai
Vendors providing AI chatbot solutions for use in Iowa must ensure their offerings are compliant with prohibitions on providing mental health advice and include robust detection, referral, and disclosure mechanisms. Buyers should scrutinize vendor capabilities in these areas.
Sample vendor questions
- Does your AI chatbot provide or simulate mental health advice, or represent itself as a licensed professional?
- What protocols are in place to detect expressions of self-harm, suicidal ideation, or emotional distress in users?
- How does your chatbot refer users to crisis services upon detection of mental health distress?
- What disclosures are provided to users regarding the chatbot's AI nature, its non-human status, and its limitations as a substitute for professional mental health care?
- At what points in the user interaction are these disclosures presented?
Intelligence briefs (1)
legislation introduced 2/19/2026
Iowa SF 2415 Prohibits AI Chatbots from Giving Mental Health Advice
SF 2415 prohibits AI chatbots accessible in Iowa from offering mental health advice and mandates crisis referrals for detected distress [1].
This establishes a specific AI use case prohibition and new deployer obligations for health-related AI in Iowa.
Deadline: No fixed deadline explicitly stated; obligations would apply upon enactment.
Primary source →Frequently asked questions
- What is SF 2415?
- Iowa's SF 2415 introduces requirements for providers of AI chatbots accessible in the state [1]. It prohibits chatbots from offering or simulating professional mental health advice, or representing themselves as licensed professionals [1]. The bill further mandates that providers implement reasonable protocols to detect user expressions of self-harm, suicidal ideation, or emotional distress, requiring referrals to appropriate crisis services upon detection [1]. Explicit disclosures are also required, stating the chatbot is AI, not human, and not a substitute for professional mental health care [2]. Primary source →
- Why does SF 2415 matter?
- This establishes a specific AI use case prohibition and new deployer obligations for health-related AI in Iowa. Primary source →
- Who does SF 2415 affect?
- Providers that design, deploy, or operate artificial intelligence chatbots accessible to users in Iowa are within scope. This includes software programs or applications that use natural language processing or similar machine-learning techniques to simulate human conversation or generate human-like responses to user input [1]. The legislation primarily affects AI use cases involving mental health or emotional well-being interactions, particularly those that might offer advice or represent themselves as licensed professionals. Educational institutions and libraries providing access to general-use software or the internet are specifically excluded from liability solely for that access [3]. Primary source →
- What are the key dates for SF 2415?
- No fixed deadline explicitly stated; obligations would apply upon enactment. Primary source →
- What is the current status of SF 2415?
- As of the last published update, SF 2415 is at the "introduced" stage, with bill status "introduced". Primary source →
- Where can I find the primary source for SF 2415?
- The primary source for the most recent update is at https://www.legis.iowa.gov/publications/search/document?fq=id:1601427&q=artificial+intelligence. AIGI publishes the full citation chain plus every approved brief on this bill. Primary source →
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