HB 1951

This bill creates a Class D felony offense of coercive suicide for a person who (i) intentionally, in any manner, advises or encourages another person to commit or attempt to commit suicide for the purpose of inciting, persuading, or aiding the other per son to commit or attempt to commit suicide within an imminent period of time, and (ii) knows that the other person has communicated an intent to commit suicide. This bill also creates a Class D felony offense of coercive suicide for a person or entity if such person or entity owns an artificial intelligence system and the artificial intelligence system meets all of the following criteria:  Advises or encourages a person to commit or attempt to commit suicide by inciting, persuading, or aiding the person to commit or attempt to commit suicide within an imminent period of time.  Such person has communicated an intent to commit suicide to the artificial intelligence system.  The person or entity who owns such artificial intelligence system knew or reasonably should have known that the artificial intelligence system could take the action as described above and negligently permitted the artificial intelligence system to be accessible to the person who committed or attempted to commit suicide. This bill applies to offenses committed on or after July 1, 2026. ON MARCH 9, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1815, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #1 removes the Class D felony offense of coercive suicide, as established in the bill, for a person or entity who owns an artificial intelligence system and such system meets all of the following criteria:  Advises or encourages a person to commit or attempt to commit suicide by inciting, persuading, or aiding the person to commit or attempt to commit suicide within an imminent period of time.  Such person has communicated an intent to commit suicide to the artificial intelligence system.  The person or entity who owns such artificial intelligence system knew or reasonably should have known that the artificial intelligence system could take the action as described above and negligently permitted the artificial intelligence system to be accessible to the person who committed or attempted to commit suicide. ON APRIL 21, 2026, THE HOUSE SUBSTITUTED SENATE BILL 1815 FOR HOUSE BILL 1951, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #2, AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1815, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #2 adds the short title the "Grace Anne Sparks Coercive Suicide Prevention Law of 2026."" ON APRIL 22, 2026, THE SENATE CONCURRED IN HOUSE AMENDMENT #2."