The Penalties for Polluters Act significantly increases the maximum civil penalties for violations of federal mineral leasing, oil and gas royalty management, and offshore lands laws to better account for inflation. These higher fines apply to companies and individuals who fail to comply with regulations regarding natural resource extraction and environmental protection. The bill also establishes a Penalty Revenue Reinvestment Fund that collects the additional revenue generated by these increased penalties. Half of this fund is distributed to states, Indian tribes, and local governments harmed by violations, while the other half supports federal agencies in enforcing compliance and safety standards.
The Launching with Healthcare Act extends the period during which young adults must be covered under their parents' health insurance plans from age 26 to age 31. This change directly affects individuals up to age 31 and the employers or insurers providing these family coverage plans. The bill amends the Public Health Service Act to implement this new age limit, with the provision taking effect for plan years that begin after December 31, 2026.
The Back-to-School Supplies Affordability Act would prevent new tariffs from being applied to specific school supplies and educational materials, effectively freezing their import duties at levels recorded on January 19, 2025. This measure directly affects students, families, teachers, schools, and local governments by aiming to keep the cost of items like notebooks, backpacks, pencils, and keyboards stable. The bill designates certain products for duty exemption based on specific trade classifications or through regulations issued by the Secretary of Commerce in coordination with the Secretary of Education. Additionally, it requires the Secretary of Commerce to report every 180 days to congressional committees on which items are exempt, while allowing Congress to disapprove specific item designations through a joint resolution.
The Kids Safety on Set Act of 2026 mandates that adults with supervisory roles or frequent private contact with minors on entertainment productions must pass a criminal background check within 90 days before starting work. This check, which costs no more than $100 and is paid by the production company, specifically screens for offenses involving sex, violence, stalking, or minors. If a production employs someone who fails to meet this requirement, the Attorney General can seek a civil penalty of up to twice the cost of that person's project involvement. Additionally, the law requires an immediate halt to all production activities involving the non-compliant employee until they are terminated and stripped of any ownership interest greater than 2 percent in the project.
The SERVICE for America Act creates a new W visa category that allows certain individuals, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients and those who entered the U.S. as dependent children of nonimmigrant workers, to live and work in the country if they are employed in public service jobs. These positions include roles in emergency management, law enforcement, public health, education, and social work, with visa status granted for three years and renewable once while employment continues. The bill also provides a pathway to permanent residency for these individuals after they have held W visa status for at least two years and maintained physical presence in the United States for seven years. Additionally, it expands eligibility for AmeriCorps service programs to include DACA recipients and other qualifying nonimmigrant dependents.
The 9-8-8 Community Infrastructure Act authorizes $1 billion in grants for capital projects at health centers and crisis response facilities. Eligible recipients include federally funded health centers, tribal organizations, and specialized non-hospital facilities that provide 24/7 mental health and substance use crisis services. Funds may be used for construction, renovation, expansion, or loan repayment to improve these infrastructure sites. The bill specifically defines eligible crisis facilities as those offering stabilization beds, sliding-scale payment options, and no-wrong-door admission without rejecting patients based on ability to pay or other factors.
The 9-8-8 and 9-1-1 Integration Act directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a multidisciplinary panel that will develop recommendations for training and protocols for emergency dispatchers. The primary goal is to ensure that individuals experiencing behavioral health or substance use crises are connected to appropriate care services rather than being met solely by law enforcement. The panel must consider integrating the 9-8-8 crisis line with the 9-1-1 system, utilizing standardized assessment tools to evaluate caller needs, and implementing training on cultural competency and implicit bias. Additionally, the legislation requires the creation of data collection standards to track response outcomes and disparities while protecting caller privacy, with reports submitted to Congress upon the release of recommendations and every five years thereafter.
The Equal Pay for Equal Work Act establishes a new National Equal Pay Enforcement Task Force composed of representatives from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Justice, the Department of Labor, and the Office of Personnel Management. The task force is charged with coordinating these agencies to close gaps in enforcement and improve public education regarding equal pay laws. Its specific duties include investigating challenges related to pay inequity, advancing recommendations to address those issues, and creating action plans to implement the proposed solutions.
The Protecting Our Widows and Widowers in Retirement Act would amend the Social Security Act to increase monthly benefits for surviving spouses of deceased workers who were part of two-income households. Under the new rules, a fully insured widow or widower could receive 75 percent of the combined total of their own retirement or disability benefit and the deceased spouse's primary insurance amount, rather than just the deceased spouse's benefit alone. The bill includes a cap on this increased payment based on a hypothetical high-earner's maximum benefit to limit costs. Additionally, the legislation ensures that these higher Social Security payments do not reduce eligibility for Supplemental Security Income by treating the income as if it were at pre-amendment levels. These changes would apply to benefits paid for months after December 2026.
The No Homeless Detention Centers Act prohibits recipients of federal housing funds from forcing homeless individuals to live in government facilities or requiring them to perform labor in exchange for shelter. The bill also bans local and state authorities from punishing people for engaging in basic life-sustaining activities, such as sleeping or resting, on public property. These restrictions apply to actions taken by law enforcement officers or private contractors acting under federal authority. By tying these prohibitions to federal funding, the legislation aims to prevent the use of criminal penalties or involuntary confinement to address homelessness.
The Strengthening Protections for Children with Food Allergies Act requires that staff working in school meal programs receive specific training on how to prevent, recognize, and treat severe food allergic reactions, including the use of epinephrine. This training must be available in multiple languages and alternative formats for individuals with disabilities, and it will extend to personnel involved in other federal child nutrition programs such as the special milk program and summer food service. Additionally, the bill directs the creation and distribution of evidence-based nutrition education materials for WIC participants who have food allergies, covering needs during pregnancy, postpartum periods, and early childhood. To support these efforts, the legislation authorizes $1 million annually from fiscal years 2027 through 2031 for staff training and a one-time appropriation of $1 million in fiscal year 2027 for WIC education materials.
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
