The Foreign Propaganda Disclosure Act amends the Foreign Agents Registration Act to explicitly include social media influencers in its regulatory scope. The bill defines a social media influencer as any individual who maintains a monetized account on a social media platform, using an existing definition from the Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2022. By making this addition, the legislation requires these specific digital content creators to comply with the same registration and disclosure obligations currently applied to other foreign agents.
The Water Authority Cybersecurity Protection Act extends the Drinking Water Infrastructure Risk and Resilience Program through fiscal years 2028 and 2029, replacing the previous expiration dates of 2020 and 2021. The bill doubles the authorized funding for technical assistance to $10 million and for grants to small water systems to $20 million. Additionally, it increases the total annual authorization of appropriations for the program from $25 million to $50 million. These changes directly affect public water utilities by providing continued financial support for cybersecurity improvements and risk management.
The Memory Chip Competitiveness Assessment Act of 2026 directs the Secretary of Commerce to conduct a comprehensive study on the market for advanced memory technology, including demand, supply constraints, and impacts on consumer costs. The study must examine capital investment cycles, supply chain dependencies on non-U.S. suppliers, and legal or regulatory barriers that limit domestic supply. The Secretary is required to consult with federal agencies and industry stakeholders, such as manufacturers and major customers, before publishing the findings. A final report must be submitted to congressional committees and made public within 270 days of enactment, following a period for public comment.
The GUARDIAN Act requires social media platforms to obtain verifiable parental consent before collecting or processing the personal data of users under the age of 16. It defines "covered platforms" as internet services that use design features like infinite scrolling, push notifications, and personalized recommendation algorithms to promote user engagement. The bill mandates that these platforms delete a minor's data when they turn 16 unless a parent explicitly requests retention, and it grants parents the right to withdraw consent at any time, which forces the platform to terminate the account within ten days. Enforcement is handled by the Federal Trade Commission, with state attorneys general also permitted to bring civil actions for violations, while the law preempts conflicting state regulations but allows states to enact stricter protections for minors.
Pennsylvania Senate Resolution 356 designates the week of August 17 through 23, 2026, as "Social Media Safety and Parental Awareness Week." The resolution cites rising statistics on online child exploitation, including sextortion and the use of artificial intelligence for abuse, to highlight the need for greater vigilance. It encourages educational programming and public awareness efforts aimed at protecting minors from these digital threats as students prepare to return to school.
Enacts the "fostering optimal classroom use of screens (FOCUS) act" to limit use of internet enabled and electronic devices and prioritize non-digital teaching methods; prohibits use by younger students; limits and restricts certain uses by older students; requires written policies for opting in for the school issued devices; prohibits social media applications, gaming and AI in school issued devices; requires registration by educational technology providers.
Michigan Senate Bill 1131 establishes strict guidelines for state and local government agencies using automatic license plate reader systems, limiting their use to specific purposes such as identifying stolen vehicles, checking for outstanding warrants, or managing parking and tolls. The bill prohibits the retention of captured data except when it serves as evidence in an active investigation or is preserved under a legal request, requiring automatic deletion after a set period if no further action is taken. Agencies must adopt public privacy policies, implement security measures to protect data from unauthorized access, and submit quarterly reports detailing their system usage and compliance with anti-discrimination standards for fine collection. Additionally, the legislation creates a private right of action allowing individuals to sue for damages and attorney fees if their data is mishandled, while generally excluding captured plate data from public disclosure under freedom of information laws unless the vehicle owner consents.
This Michigan bill requires electric providers to offer a voluntary green pricing program that allows customers to choose how much of their electricity comes from renewable sources. It mandates that regulated utilities create a specific "clean technologies accelerator tariff" for commercial and industrial participants, ensuring these businesses directly pay for the renewable energy they procure rather than spreading those costs across all ratepayers. The legislation also protects customers who source at least half of their power through the program from paying certain compliance surcharges and requires providers to notify other participants about additional fees. The bill only takes effect if seven related companion bills are also enacted into law.
Michigan House Bill 6314 updates the state's unemployment security laws to explicitly include digital and electronic fraud in its definition of conspiracy. The bill targets employers, employees, and third parties who knowingly use stolen personal information or automated means to illegally obtain or withhold unemployment benefits. It establishes that offenders face financial penalties equal to three times the amount involved, along with potential imprisonment of up to five years or community service depending on the severity of the loss. These criminal sanctions apply even if the fraud is attempted but does not result in a final payment, and they remain enforceable regardless of whether the individual later repays the funds or self-reports the violation.
By Representative Uyterhoeven of Somerville, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Erika Uyterhoeven for legislation to regulate artificial intelligence. Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity.