The Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026 is a comprehensive legislative proposal designed to reduce health disparities by mandating standardized data collection on race, ethnicity, gender identity, and socioeconomic status across federal health programs. The bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to establish new commissions and task forces focused on preventing bias in artificial intelligence and ensuring equitable data reporting during public health emergencies. It also expands access to care for underserved populations by removing citizenship barriers to Medicaid, increasing funding for minority-serving institutions, and requiring culturally and linguistically appropriate services from federally assisted health providers. Additionally, the legislation addresses specific disease disparities through targeted research grants and mandates that drug manufacturers investigate and report on racial or ethnic differences in drug safety and effectiveness.
The People-First Chatbot Act imposes strict privacy and safety regulations on companies that create or distribute AI chatbots, requiring them to obtain explicit user consent before using personal data for training or advertising purposes. The bill mandates that providers clearly disclose when users are interacting with an AI rather than a human, prohibit the sale of chat logs, and limit data retention to five years unless required by law. Additionally, companies must conduct monthly risk assessments for potential harms such as emotional dependence or compulsive usage, with specific safeguards required to protect minors from features that could cause significant injury. Enforcement is handled by the Federal Trade Commission, while state attorneys general and private individuals are granted the right to file lawsuits against providers who violate these provisions.
The Protecting Americans from Doxing and Political Violence Act requires government agencies to remove the personal contact details, home addresses, and financial information of Members of Congress, their family members, and designated staff from public records within 72 hours of a written request. The bill also prohibits data brokers from knowingly selling or trading this private information for any individual in the United States and mandates that other online platforms take down such data if the affected person submits a takedown notice. While these protections apply broadly to prevent doxing, the law includes exceptions that allow the continued publication of information related to news stories, matters of public concern, or records required by federal election laws.
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.
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.
This bill mandates an annual report from the Executive Office for Administration and Finance regarding progress on data collection efforts required by the Data Equity Law. The report is intended to track the status of approximately 38 government programs that are subject to these new data equity requirements.
The RECOVER PII Act expands identity protection coverage for individuals affected by federal data breaches, extending the duration of such coverage to the remainder of their lives and increasing insurance limits to at least $5 million. It also allows federal agencies to use appropriated funds to fully reimburse employees or contractors for costs associated with privacy-enhancing services, such as software or hardware that reduces personal data risks. These changes aim to provide long-term security support and financial assistance to victims of government data incidents without specifying which agencies or individuals are directly impacted.
This bill, known as the Hawaii Social Media Data Deletion Act, requires large social media platforms to give users clear and effective ways to permanently delete their accounts and all associated personal data. It applies to platforms with at least one million monthly active users nationwide or those generating $25 million or more in annual revenue. The law mandates that these companies remove all stored information, including sensitive details like browsing history and biometric data, when a user requests account termination. Additionally, the act prohibits deceptive practices that might prevent users from successfully deleting their accounts or their data.
This bill directs the Attorney General to create guidance for local and state governments on establishing voluntary registries for individuals at risk of receiving false emergency calls, commonly known as swatting. The guidance will outline best practices for data privacy, secure technology integration, and training law enforcement to use registry information to de-escalate dangerous situations without mandating a federal registry. Additionally, the bill allows the Justice Department to provide technical assistance and funding to help communities implement these safety measures while ensuring that participation remains optional and that officer safety is not compromised.
