manslaughter; online advice; encouragement

Plain English Breakdown

The official text confirms the short title is 'Cade's Law: If You See Something Say Something', but does not specify if this nickname was used before enactment.

Cade's Law: Online Advice and Encouragement for Suicide

This law makes it a crime called manslaughter when an adult intentionally gives advice or encouragement through directed communication that leads to a minor dying by suicide.

What This Bill Does

• Adds a new way to commit the crime of manslaughter involving online communication with minors.
• Requires the person giving advice to be at least 18 years old and know the minor intends to die by suicide.
• Defines 'directed communication' as messages specifically sent to or tagged for the specific minor who dies, including social media posts and text messaging.
• Excludes general public comments, art, or discussions about mental health that are not aimed at a specific person.
• Classifies this new offense as a class 2 felony.

Who It Names or Affects

• People who are 18 years old or older
• Minors who receive advice or encouragement to die by suicide

Terms To Know

Manslaughter

A serious crime involving causing the death of another person, classified here as a class 2 felony.

Directed communication

Any verbal, written, or electronic message specifically sent to or clearly meant for one specific minor who dies by suicide.

Limits and Unknowns

• The law does not apply to general public comments or artistic expression about suicide that are not directed at a specific person.
• The official text states the crime is a class 2 felony but does not list the exact prison sentence length in this document.

Official Summary Text

HB2665 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet

Assigned to
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ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session

FACT SHEET FOR
H.B. 2665

manslaughter;
online advice; encouragement

Purpose

Specifies that the
manslaughter
criminal classification applies to
a person who is at least 18 years old and who intentionally provides advice or
encouragement, through a directed communication, that a minor uses to die by
suicide with the knowledge that the minor intends to die by suicide.

Background

A person commits
manslaughter
by: 1) recklessly causing the death
of another person;

2) committing second degree murder during a sudden quarrel or heat of passion
resulting from adequate provocation by the victim; 3) intentionally providing
the physical means another person uses to die by suicide with knowledge of the
person's intent; 4) committing second degree murder while being coerced by the
use or threatened use of unlawful deadly force; and 5) knowingly or recklessly
causing the death of an unborn child through physical injury to the mother (
A.R.S.

� 13-1103
).

Manslaughter
is classified as a class 2 felony and carries a
presumptive term of imprisonment of 5 years and a maximum fine of $150,000 for
a first-time felony offender (A.R.S. ��
13-702

and
13-801
).

There is no
anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.

Provisions

1.

Specifies
that the
manslaughter
criminal classification applies to a person who is
at least 18 years old and who intentionally provides advice or encouragement
through directed communication that a minor uses to die by suicide with the
knowledge that the minor intends to die by suicide.

2.

Defines

directed communication
as any verbal, written or electronic
communication, including through social media posts, text messaging or other
online platforms, that is specifically addressed to, or reasonably understood
to be, directed at the minor who dies by suicide and:

a)

includes an online post, message, or other content that identifies, tags
or is otherwise specifically directed at the minor who dies by suicide; and

b)

does not include general public commentary, artistic expression or
discussion of suicide or mental health that is not specifically directed at the
minor who dies by suicide.

3.

Becomes
effective on the general effective date.

House Action

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Prepared by Senate Research

March 16, 2026

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Current Bill Text

Chapter 0060 - 572R - H Ver of HB2665

House Engrossed

manslaughter; online
advice; encouragement

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

CHAPTER 60

HOUSE BILL 2665

AN
ACT

amending section 13-1103, Arizona Revised
Statutes; relating to homicide.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section
1.
1. Section
13-1103, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE
13-1103.

Manslaughter; classification; definition

A. A person commits manslaughter by doing any of the
following:

1. Recklessly causing the death of another person.

2. Committing second degree murder as prescribed in
section 13-1104, subsection A on a sudden quarrel or heat of passion
resulting from adequate provocation by the victim.

3. Intentionally providing the physical means that
another person uses to die by suicide, with the knowledge that the person
intends to die by suicide.

4. Committing second degree murder as prescribed in
section 13-1104, subsection A, paragraph 3, while being coerced to do so
by the use or threatened immediate use of unlawful deadly physical force on the
person or a third person that a reasonable person in his situation would have
been unable to resist.

5. Knowingly or recklessly causing the death of an
unborn child by any physical injury to the mother.

B. A person who is at least eighteen years of age
commits manslaughter by intentionally providing advice or encouragement
, including by a directed communication
,

that a minor uses to die by suicide with the knowledge that the minor intends
to die by suicide.

C. An offense under subsection A, paragraph 5 of
this section applies to an unborn child in the womb at any stage of its
development.� A person shall not be prosecuted under subsection A, paragraph 5
of this section if any of the following applies:

1. The person was performing an abortion for which
the consent of the pregnant woman, or a person authorized by law to act on the
pregnant woman's behalf, has been obtained or for which the consent was implied
or authorized by law.

2. The person was performing medical treatment on
the pregnant woman or the pregnant woman's unborn child.

3. The person was the unborn child's mother.

D. Manslaughter is a class 2 felony.

E. For the purposes of this section,
"directed communication":

1. Means any verbal, written or
electronic communication, including through social media posts, text messaging
or other online platforms, that is specifically addressed to or reasonably
understood to be directed at the minor who dies by suicide.

2. Includes
an online post, message or other content that identifies, tags or is otherwise
specifically directed at the minor who dies by suicide.

3. Does not
include general public commentary, artistic expression or discussion of suicide
or mental health that is not specifically directed at the minor who dies by
suicide.

END_STATUTE

Sec.
2.
2.
Short title

This act may be cited as "Cade's
Law: If You See Something Say Something".

APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR APRIL 13, 2026.

FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE APRIL 13, 2026.