The Smart Meter Data Privacy Protection Act prohibits state-regulated electric utilities that are not wholly owned by U.S. persons from selling or commercially monetizing personal consumption data collected via smart meters, restricting such use to specific operational needs like billing and grid reliability. The bill requires these utilities to submit annual reports to the Federal Trade Commission detailing what data was collected, how it was used, and with whom it was shared. If a utility violates these privacy rules, the FTC can order the company to credit affected customers an amount equal to three times the revenue generated from that unauthorized use. State attorneys general are also granted the authority to sue on behalf of residents to enforce compliance or seek damages, while the FTC is tasked with establishing security standards for data retention.
The Halt Abusive Internet Lawsuits Act of 2026 prohibits federal and state legal claims related to wiretapping or eavesdropping when information is collected for commercial digital activities. This applies to practices such as using cookies, pixels, chatbots, and analytics tools to facilitate sales, marketing, or customer interactions. The bill directly affects businesses and service providers that use these standard digital commerce tools by shielding them from specific privacy-related lawsuits. Additionally, any existing legal actions based on these grounds would be required to stop once the law is enacted.
The Water Cyber Shield Act of 2026 mandates cybersecurity risk assessments and emergency response plans for community water systems serving more than 3,300 people and large wastewater treatment facilities serving over 10,000 people with a design flow rate of at least one million gallons. The bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency to establish baseline cybersecurity standards in collaboration with federal agencies and industry experts, while authorizing states to assume primary enforcement responsibilities if they demonstrate adequate capacity and security protocols. It allocates $300 million annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2032 to help water systems build cybersecurity resilience, prioritizing assistance for facilities with the greatest need for resources or expertise. Additionally, the legislation expands cyber incident reporting obligations under the Homeland Security Act to include these specific water infrastructure entities and requires that submitted security documentation be protected from public disclosure under federal and state freedom of information laws.
The ADVERSARIES Act requires the Under Secretary of the Bureau of Industry and Security to conduct a review within 90 days of enactment regarding how U.S.-based affiliates of foreign entities on the Entity List or Military End User List might be acquiring controlled items that their parent companies are restricted from accessing. The review must also assess national security risks posed by foreign adversary exploitation of vulnerabilities in information and communications technology, including whether specific sectors pose undue risk to export control effectiveness. Following the review, officials must submit a report to relevant congressional committees detailing their findings, any planned actions to address identified threats within the next year, and recommendations for changes to U.S. law.
The Housing Price Transparency Act requires landlords and property managers who use algorithms to set rental prices to clearly disclose this practice to tenants. The Federal Trade Commission is authorized to enforce these rules by treating violations as unfair or deceptive acts, while state attorneys general may also bring civil actions on behalf of their residents if federal enforcement is not pending. Individuals injured by non-compliance can file private lawsuits in federal court to seek injunctions and recover damages of at least $10,000 per violation or actual monetary losses, whichever is greater.
The Open-Source AI Leadership Act directs the Secretary of Commerce to promote the adoption of U.S.-developed open-source artificial intelligence models by coordinating with private sector entities, state governments, and foreign partners. The bill requires the Department of Commerce to identify barriers to using these domestic models and to enter into agreements that facilitate their use in interstate and foreign commerce. Additionally, it mandates an annual public report assessing the risks associated with AI models developed by foreign adversary nations, including concerns about data security, national safety, and model performance. A specific provision ensures that the Secretary of Commerce cannot use this authority to ban or restrict any open-source AI model from being available in the market.
The GATE Act of 2026 prohibits U.S. national laboratories from admitting or granting access to foreign nationals from China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and Cuba who are not permanent residents or U.S. citizens. This ban applies to individuals seeking to visit the facilities or work there for more than 30 consecutive days. The Secretary of Energy may issue a written waiver to allow specific exceptions if they determine that the benefits to the United States outweigh national security and economic risks, a decision made in consultation with intelligence officials. Any such waivers must be reported to relevant congressional committees within 30 days, including details on the individual's country of origin and the specific reasons for the exception.
The Rural Broadband Modernization Act amends the ReConnect program to ensure that broadband projects are eligible for federal loans and grants based on performance standards rather than the specific technology used. The bill requires that funded projects provide internet speeds of at least 100 Mbps downstream and 20 Mbps upstream, while prohibiting agencies from denying or deprioritizing applications because they use terrestrial, non-terrestrial, or low-Earth orbit satellite systems. This change directly affects rural communities and service providers by allowing a wider range of delivery methods to compete for funding. Additionally, the law mandates that the Secretary of Agriculture publish public reports on awarded projects within 30 days and issue final implementing regulations within 180 days of enactment.
The Doctors Not AI Act of 2026 prohibits health insurance plans from using artificial intelligence systems to issue or dictate adverse benefit determinations that involve clinical judgment, such as decisions based on medical necessity or treatment appropriateness. Instead, these determinations must be made by a licensed healthcare professional who conducts an independent evaluation of the patient's specific medical circumstances without deferring to AI outputs. The bill requires insurers to disclose in written notices if any AI system was used during the review process and mandates that detailed documentation regarding the AI's role and outputs be maintained as part of the administrative record, available to patients upon request. Additionally, the legislation classifies the use of AI in utilization review as a treatment limitation for parity purposes, ensuring it is evaluated equally across mental health and medical-surgical benefits under existing federal laws.
The Flock-Off Act prohibits federal agencies, state and local governments, and other recipients of federal funds from using federal money to purchase, operate, or maintain automated camera systems that capture biometric data or license plate information. The bill requires these entities to remove any existing covered camera systems within 180 days of enactment, with violations resulting in the withholding of further federal funding until reimbursed. Specific exceptions allow for the continued use of such systems within one mile of the U.S. borders for security purposes and on toll roads strictly for toll collection and enforcement.
