Illinois General Assembly urged to advance legislation to create public safety plans and transparency, whistleblower protections, independent audits, and enforcement mechanisms for large artificial intelligence developers and chatbot providers as safeguards for children in face of growing use of artificial intelligence technologies

• Record number: R2026-0025251
• Type: Resolution; category: Illinois, State Of
• Status: In Committee
• Sponsor: Gilbert Villegas (36th Ward)
• Committee: Committee on Economic, Capital and Technology Development
• Submitted Date: May 13, 2026
• Introduction Date: May 20, 2026
• Official record: Office of the City Clerk

Impact report

Written by AI from the official document. AI can make mistakes; the official document always wins.

This resolution would have the Chicago City Council formally urge the Illinois General Assembly to keep moving forward with state bills that set child safety rules for large artificial intelligence (AI) developers and chatbot providers.

Who it affects

• Children and teens who use AI chatbots: The resolution supports state rules meant to protect young people's safety and mental well-being when they use AI chatbots and similar tools.
• Parents and families: The resolution supports state rules that would require AI companies to publish child protection and public safety plans so families can see them.
• Large AI developers and chatbot providers: The state bills the resolution supports would require these companies to create and publish safety plans, report incidents through the Illinois Attorney General, get third-party safety audits, and face civil penalties if they do not comply.
• Workers at AI companies who report problems: The state bills the resolution supports would include protections for whistleblowers.

What changes

• The City Council would officially state its support for child protection rules for large AI developers and chatbot providers.
• The City Council would urge the Illinois General Assembly to keep advancing state bills SB3261 and HB4705 and similar legislation.
• The resolution itself does not create any new city rules, fees, or penalties.
• If the state bills pass, AI companies would have to publish child safety plans, report incidents to the Illinois Attorney General, and get outside safety audits.

Money

• $6,000,000 in damages awarded by a California jury in a case where Meta and Google were found negligent toward a young person who used social media as a child (mentioned as background, not a Chicago cost)
• The state bills would allow civil penalties for AI companies that do not comply; no dollar amount is stated

Where: City of Chicago; 36th Ward; Illinois; California