Health Law Advisor

On March 23, 2026, the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Oversight and Government Reform sent a letter to California Governor Gavin Newsom requesting “documents and communications” surrounding the state’s oversight of its federally funded hospice programs.

Imagine going online to chat with someone and finding an account with a profile photo, a description of where the person lives, and a job title . . .  indicating she is a therapist. You begin chatting and discuss the highs and lows of your day among other intimate details about your life because the conversation flows easily.  Only the “person” with whom you are chatting is not a person at all; it is a “companion AI.”

Recent statistics indicate a dramatic rise in adoption of these companion AI chatbots, with 88% year-over-year growth, over $120 million in annual revenue, and 337 active apps (including 128 launched in 2025 alone).  Further statistics about pervasive adoption among youth indicate three of every four teens have used companion AI at least once, and two out of four use companion AI routinely.  In response to these trends and the potential negative impacts on mental health in particular, state legislatures are quickly stepping in to require transparency, safety and accountability to manage risks associated with this new technology, particularly as it pertains to children. 

Our colleagues Adam C. Abrahms and Juan Larios of Epstein Becker Green recently published an Act Now Advisory that will be of interest to our readers: "California’s New COVID-19 Vaccine (Non)Mandate and Testing Requirements."

The following is an excerpt:

On July 26, 2021, the California Department of Public Health (“CDPH”) issued a State Public Health Officer Order (“Order”) seeking to address the increase California is experiencing in positive COVID-19 cases. With infections of the COVID-19 Delta variant rising, Governor Gavin Newsom and State Public Health ...