Oregon SB 1546: The First Chatbot Law With Real Teeth

If your company uses an AI-powered tool that remembers customer interactions, asks follow-up questions, and sustains personal conversations — even if you licensed it from a third-party vendor — Oregon's new chatbot safety law may apply to you. SB 1546, which cleared both chambers on March 5 with near-unanimous support, creates a private right of action with $1,000-per-violation statutory damages.¹ If Governor Kotek signs the bill, it takes effect January 1, 2027.

The bill's definition of "operator" covers anyone who "controls or makes available" a covered AI system in Oregon — broad enough to reach the healthcare system that deployed a patient engagement chatbot, the university running an AI tutoring companion, or the retailer whose support portal follows up on recent purchases. Oregon is part of a broader wave of state chatbot legislation we have been tracking, but its private right of action makes it the first with real enforcement teeth.