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New Law
Government and regulator governance, compliance and guides, and academic research from scholars: regulation, ethics opinions and research, with the standing guides pinned first.
Civil Justice Council urges Practice Direction on AI in court documents
The Civil Justice Council's working group published its final report on the use of AI in preparing court documents, making 15 recommendations. It asks the Civil Procedure Rule Committee to adopt a risk-based Practice Direction on AI use and sanctions for misuse, and urges guidance for litigants in person. It proposes AI declarations for witness statements and expert reports but none for lawyers' advocacy documents.
Paper (Law Society Gazette) → · Law News
Bar Standards Board finds 41% of UK Bar students gain pupillage within five years and plans review of training system
A Bar Standards Board report finds 41% of UK students obtain pupillage within five years of enrolling on the Bar course, ranging from 11% to 67% by provider. The overall pass rate is 78%, falling to 56% for students with a 2:2 degree. Chair Christopher Bones said the board will launch a full review in the coming year of the fitness and purpose of the current training system.
Paper (Legal Futures) → · Bar Standards Board
Rulings this week
- UK · EWHC Spares 5,000 late-served Dieselgate claims but makes claimants share costs
- 9TH CIR. Keeps California's captive audience meeting ban on hold
- CANADA Ontario Court of Appeal says licensed paralegals can negotiate accident benefits settlements for parties under disability
- UK · UKSC Backs insurer against Spain and France in Prestige oil spill arbitration case
New York S.9508 requires security features and warning labels on internet-connected baby monitors
New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed Senate Bill 9508 (Chapter 367 of 2026) on October 28, 2026, adding General Business Law section 399-iii for internet-connected baby monitors. The law bars manufacture, distribution, sale or offering for sale of a new monitor that broadcasts audio or video over the internet unless it includes security features preventing unauthorized hearing or viewing and a warning label. The act takes effect January 26, 2027, ninety days after signing.
Enrolled text (New York State Senate) → · Utica Phoenix
New York S.5041 extends Address Confidentiality Program to victims of intimate-image dissemination
New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed Senate Bill 5041 (A.6338) on October 27, 2026, her office said. The act amends Executive Law section 108(1)(i) to add victims of unlawful dissemination or publication of an intimate image, Penal Law section 245.15, to the definition of a victim of a sexual offense eligible for the Address Confidentiality Program, which provides a substitute mailing address through the Secretary of State. The act took effect immediately.
Enrolled text (New York State Senate) → · Office of the Governor of New York
New York S.9341A sets civil penalties for lodging facilities that omit trafficking-victim information
New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed A.8939A, the same as S.9341A, on October 27, 2026, as Chapter 365 of the Laws of 2026. The act adds subdivision 3 to General Business Law section 206-f: a lodging facility that fails to provide the required information on services for human trafficking victims is liable for a civil penalty of $500 for a first offense and $1,000 for each later offense, after notice and a 30-day cure period. It takes effect November 26.
Pennsylvania Act 117 requires bell-to-bell mobile device policies in schools by 2027-28
Pennsylvania enacted Senate Bill 1014 as Act No. 117 of 2026 on October 26, 2026, adding Section 1314-A to the Public School Code of 1949. The act requires each school entity to adopt a bell-to-bell phone-free policy by the start of the 2027-2028 school year. Policies prohibit student use of personal mobile devices during the whole school day on school property, with stated exceptions.
Enrolled text (Pennsylvania General Assembly) → · Philadelphia Weekly
Proclamation reshapes Canadian products subject to 50 percent section 338 duties, effective October 30, 2026
A presidential proclamation signed October 23, 2026 further modified the scope of Canadian products subject to the 50 percent additional duties imposed under Proclamation 11048 pursuant to section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930. Annex I removed listed products, including plywood sheets and certain paper and machinery lines, and added others, including specified valves and carpets. The changes apply to goods entered on or after October 30, 2026.
Virginia Executive Directive 6 requires statewide AI cyber-threat plan and Cyber Consortium
Virginia issued Executive Directive 6 on October 23, 2026, directing the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security and the AI Task Force to prepare a coordinated cyber-threat response and infrastructure-hardening plan. The directive requires a Cyber Consortium under the Unified Readiness Framework, quarterly readiness briefings, and an independent privacy and security review of interoperable data systems. It takes effect on signing.
Text (Office of the Governor of Virginia) → · StateScoop
SRA confirms compliance officer separation rules will not take effect in January
The Solicitors Regulation Authority said on October 22, 2026, that its rules separating law firm management and compliance officer roles will not come into force in January as planned. The regulator will run working groups and test alternatives first, and in the meantime will proactively supervise higher-risk firms on governance and compliance independence.
Text (Legal Futures) → · Law Gazette
Pennsylvania Act 103 tightens Sunshine Act agenda notice for agency business
Pennsylvania Senate Bill 1150 was approved on October 22, 2026, as Act No. 103 of 2026, amending section 712.1 of Title 65 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, the Sunshine Act. From December 21, 2026, an agency may add a matter to its meeting agenda by majority vote only if the matter is an emergency, is de minimis, or was raised by a resident or taxpayer at the meeting; the general power to add items by majority vote is repealed.
Enrolled text (Pennsylvania General Assembly (palegis.us)) → · Bucks Independence
Pennsylvania Act 106 standardizes sexual assault evidence testing statewide
Pennsylvania Senate Bill 1212 was approved on October 22, 2026, as Act No. 106 of 2026, amending the Sexual Assault Testing and Evidence Collection Act of 2006. Sexual assault evidence now counts as awaiting testing whenever it has been collected and not yet analyzed, removing the local law enforcement agency's discretion over whether a kit should be tested. Laboratories and local agencies report backlogged evidence through the statewide tracking system. The act took effect immediately.
Enrolled text (Pennsylvania General Assembly (palegis.us)) → · Pennsylvania Senate Republicans
Pennsylvania Act 108 creates statewide licensure for electrical contractors and electricians
Pennsylvania Senate Bill 1260 was approved on October 22, 2026, as Act No. 108 of 2026, the Electrical Services Licensure Act. From October 22, 2028, an individual may not provide electrical services for compensation unless licensed as an electrician or residential electrician by the new State Board of Electrical Licensure, and entities may not contract for electrical services unless licensed as electrical contractors. The board, fees, fines and penalties take effect December 21, 2026.
Enrolled text (Pennsylvania General Assembly (palegis.us)) → · Pennsylvania Senate Republicans
Pennsylvania Act 114 bars out-of-state dispute, arbitration and indemnification terms in Commonwealth procurement contracts
Pennsylvania enacted the Commonwealth Party Procurement Contract Terms Act (Senate Bill 1410) as Act No. 114 of 2026 on October 22, 2026. The act prohibits Commonwealth parties and local agencies from entering procurement contracts containing out-of-state dispute provisions, binding arbitration, non-Pennsylvania governing law or indemnification clauses. A prohibited term is void and unenforceable, and the remainder of the contract stays valid. The act takes effect December 21, 2026, and applies to contracts entered into, amended or renewed from that date.
Enrolled text (Pennsylvania General Assembly) → · Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Senator Kristin Phillips-Hill
Pennsylvania Act 115 ties Game Commission entry onto private land to the state constitution's search-and-seizure clause
Pennsylvania Senate Bill 1431 was approved on October 22, 2026, as Act No. 115 of 2026, amending sections 303 and 901 of Title 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes. From December 21, 2026, Game Commission officers, employees and representatives may enter property outside buildings only in accordance with Article I, Section 8 of the Pennsylvania Constitution, the search-and-seizure clause; the former unconditional right to enter posted or unposted land is repealed.
Enrolled text (Pennsylvania General Assembly (palegis.us)) → · Pennsylvania Senate Republicans
Pennsylvania Act 99 requires disclosure of synthetic content that creates a false perception in advertisements
Pennsylvania enacted the Artificial Intelligence Deceptive Advertising Act (Senate Bill 806) as Act No. 99 of 2026 on October 22, 2026. From December 21, 2026, an advertiser may not knowingly, recklessly or willfully run an advertisement whose synthetic content creates a false consumer perception about the nature, origin or authenticity of goods or services without clearly disclosing that the content was modified or generated using artificial intelligence. The Attorney General and district attorneys enforce the act; civil fines reach $3,000.
United States requires FCC satellite emergency-alert rules under Mystic Alerts Act
The Mystic Alerts Act (H.R. 7022) was signed into law on October 22, 2026. It requires the Federal Communications Commission to publish a proposed satellite emergency-alert rule within six months and a final rule within eighteen months, in consultation with Homeland Security and FEMA. Covered mobile providers then file elections on satellite alert transmission within sixty days after the final rule takes effect.
Enrolled text (govinfo.gov) → · The White House
New York Chapter 315 enacts Francesco's Law on firearm safe storage
New York Assembly Bill 1962-B, known as Francesco's Law, was signed on October 21, 2026, as Chapter 315 of the Laws of 2026. The act amends Penal Law section 265.45 so an owner or custodian stores a rifle, shotgun or firearm in a safe storage depository or with a locking device whenever it is out of the person's immediate possession or control, without regard to who resides in the home.
Enrolled text (New York State Assembly) → · Sun Community News
New York Chapter 316 bars ammunition sales to persons prohibited from possessing rifles or shotguns
New York Senate Bill 7236 was signed on October 21, 2026, as Chapter 316 of the Laws of 2026, amending Penal Law section 400.03. A new subdivision 9 provides that an ammunition background check is denied if the purchaser is prohibited from possessing a shotgun or rifle, is barred under 18 U.S.C. 922(g), or is subject to a temporary or final extreme risk protection order.
Enrolled text (New York State Senate) → · New York State Assembly
New Jersey adopts mandatory responsible gaming rule for online operators, N.J.A.C. 13:69O-1.2A
New Jersey's Division of Gaming Enforcement adopted N.J.A.C. 13:69O-1.2A, effective October 19, 2026, codifying data-driven responsible gaming requirements for online gambling operators. Each operator must designate a responsible gaming lead, apply ten patron-play triggers that require a due diligence review, and run three phases of intervention for patrons found at risk, ending in account closure where the patron still meets the criteria.
Text (New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement) → · New Jersey Office of Attorney General, CDC Gaming, iGaming Times
United States directs Commerce study of critical infrastructure manufacturing within one year
The president signed H.R. 1721, the Critical Infrastructure Manufacturing Feasibility Act, on October 20, 2026. The Act directs the Secretary of Commerce to conduct, within one year after enactment, a study identifying high-demand products in each critical infrastructure sector that are imported because of a manufacturing, material, or supply chain constraint in the United States.
Enrolled text (U.S. Government Publishing Office) → · The White House
United States opens Social Security revocation window for clergy in 2029 and 2030
The president signed H.R. 227, the Clergy Act, on October 20, 2026. The Act permits a minister, a member of a religious order, or a Christian Science practitioner whose Social Security exemption is effective for 2026 to revoke that exemption by application to the Internal Revenue Service. A revocation applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2028.
Enrolled text (U.S. Government Publishing Office) → · House Committee on Ways and Means
United States requires dating services to send fraud ban notices within 24 hours
The president signed H.R. 2481, the Romance Scam Prevention Act, on October 20, 2026. The Act requires an online dating service provider to notify a member who received a message from a member subject to a fraud ban. Section 2 takes effect one year after enactment, on October 20, 2027, and the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general enforce it.
Enrolled text (U.S. Government Publishing Office) → · The White House
United States requires Labor Department trafficking training within 180 days
The president signed H.R. 4307, the Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act, on October 20, 2026. The Act directs the Secretary of Labor to implement, within 180 days after enactment, a training and periodic continuing-education program for Department of Labor employees selected by reference to their official duties, including referral of potential trafficking cases to the Department of Justice.
Enrolled text (U.S. Government Publishing Office) → · The White House
United States extends BLM drilling permit fee authority through 2037
The License to Drill Act, H.R. 7831, was signed into law on October 20, 2026, amending section 35(d) of the Mineral Leasing Act. The act extends the Interior Secretary's duty to collect a fee for each new application for a permit to drill from 2026 through 2037, and directs that all fees collected for fiscal years 2027 through 2037 are transferred to the BLM Permit Processing Improvement Fund.
Enrolled text (govinfo.gov) → · The White House
West Virginia suspends dyed-diesel enforcement under 60-day emergency order
West Virginia declared a 60-day state of emergency on October 20, 2026, covering all 55 counties, and Executive Order No. 2-26 suspends state penalties for selling, storing, dispensing or using red-dyed diesel in highway vehicles. The order directs agencies to stop inspections aimed at detecting dyed diesel. The state motor fuel excise tax and commercial vehicle safety inspections remain in effect during the emergency.
Text (Office of the Governor of West Virginia) → · WV Office of the Governor, Bloomberg Law, American Quorum
Executive order creates NIH Women's Health Division and White House task force, revokes 2024 order
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on October 19, 2026 titled Advancing Women's Health to Improve Outcomes in All Phases of Life. The order directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the NIH Director, to establish a Women's Health Division within 90 days, creates a White House Women's Health Task Force, and revokes Executive Order 14120 of March 18, 2024 and a November 13, 2023 presidential memorandum.
Text (The White House) → · U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
DHS bars DeepSeek AI products from federal civilian agency systems and purchases
The Department of Homeland Security has ordered federal civilian agencies to remove products from Chinese AI developer Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence Co. and its affiliates from their IT systems and barred agencies from buying them, under a notice made public October 19, 2026, and published in the Federal Register on October 20. The order, dated July 24, also covers third-party products built on DeepSeek.
Text (Federal Register (Public Inspection)) → · CNBC, Bloomberg Law
OPM final rule amends administrative leave rules for workforce realignment and deferred resignations
PwC survey: U.K. top 10 law firms widen lead as mid-sized firms' margins shrink
PwC's 35th annual survey of the U.K.'s top 100 law firms found the largest firms pulling further ahead. The top 10 raised their share of top-100 fee income from 45% to 51% over two years, while firms ranked 26 to 50 saw profit margins shrink. Two-thirds of firms have implemented AI, but only 8% reported monetized benefits.
Paper (Legal Futures) → · Law Gazette
New York raises volunteer firefighter and ambulance worker tax credit to $800, $1,600 for joint filers
New York enacted A.6790-A/S.6233-A on October 17, 2026, amending Tax Law section 606 to raise the personal income tax credit for active volunteer firefighters and volunteer ambulance workers from $200 to $800, and from $400 to $1,600 for spouses filing jointly who both qualify. The bill text applies the higher credit to taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2026, and the act takes effect April 1, 2027.
Enrolled text (New York State Senate) → · EIN Presswire, Orleans Hub, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
Executive order waives Graham Act sanctions, restrictions and duties on Russia before October 18 start
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on October 16, 2026 implementing the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 and waiving its duties, sanctions and restrictions. The order stated duty increases of 500 percent on Russian goods and 100 percent on goods from top importers of Russian oil and gas and top sanctions-evasion facilitators, then waived those duties under section 115 after certifying the waiver was in the national interests of the United States.
Text (The White House) → · Okay News, New Kerala
NALP: 2025 law graduates of color trailed white peers in employment, gap widest for attorney jobs
White members of the law school class of 2025 had a 94.4% employment rate about ten months after graduation, compared with 90.8% for graduates of color, the National Association for Law Placement said in its Jobs & JDs release on October 14, 2026, reported by the ABA Journal. Black graduates had the lowest rate, 87%, down from nearly 90% for the class of 2024. The overall employment rate was 92.8%.
Paper (National Association for Law Placement) → · ABA Journal, Above the Law
Nuffield review by Christopher Hodges proposes single justice system and one legal regulator
A review published October 15, 2026 by Oxford emeritus professor Christopher Hodges for the Nuffield Foundation proposes merging courts, tribunals, ombudsmen, regulators and advice services in England and Wales into a single justice system. Resolving disputes: a framework for holistic reform also recommends replacing the eight frontline legal services regulators with a single independent regulator.
Paper (Nuffield Foundation) → · Law Gazette
Federal law restructures Crow Tribe water settlement funding into an MR&I Projects Account
President Trump signed S. 240, the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act of 2025, into law on October 15, 2026, the White House said. The Act amends the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-291), repealing the municipal, rural and industrial water system provisions, creating an MR&I Projects Account in the Crow Settlement Fund that the Tribe uses for water infrastructure on its Montana reservation, and extending the Yellowtail Dam period to 20 years.
Enrolled text (Congress.gov) → · Northern Broadcasting System, GovInfo, The White House
Federal law defines adequate consideration for closely held ESOP stock under ERISA
President Trump signed S. 2403, the Retire through Ownership Act, into law on October 15, 2026, the White House said. The Act amends section 3(18) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1002(18)) to provide that an employee stock ownership plan fiduciary may rely in good faith on a valuation by an independent valuation expert or business appraiser using the principles and methodologies of IRS Revenue Ruling 59-60 in determining fair market value.
Enrolled text (Congress.gov) → · Business Wire, GovInfo, The White House
Federal law requires a chemical-analysis methodology to identify seafood country of origin
S. 283, the Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act, was signed into law on October 15, 2026, the White House said. The Act requires the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to jointly develop a standard methodology, based on chemical analysis, for identifying the country of origin of seafood, to support enforcement against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.
Enrolled text (Congress.gov) → · U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation, GovInfo, The White House
arXiv: TUM researcher maps how to build trustworthy AI graders for law exams and legal AI benchmarks
Federal government finalizes immigration civil penalty procedures, adds mail-delay appeal exception
The Departments of Homeland Security and Justice published a final rule on October 14, 2026, finalizing the June 2025 interim procedures for imposing civil penalties for failure to depart, failure to comply with voluntary departure, and improper entry. The rule makes one change, permitting acceptance of late appeals where documented mail delays beyond the alien’s control caused the delay. It takes effect October 14, 2026.
Text (Federal Register) → · Public Justice
Illinois study finds one in five lawyers rate their mental health fair or poor; 3% screen for problem gambling
The Illinois Lawyers' Assistance Program released a statewide survey of more than 6,700 lawyers on October 13, 2026 finding high rates of stress, substance use and mental health strain, with one in five respondents rating their mental health fair or poor. The report's authors said it is the first study of problem gambling prevalence in the U.S. legal profession.
Paper (WBBM Newsradio) → · ABA Journal, Law.com
Michigan suspends dyed-diesel road bans for farm and logging vehicles through December 31
Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2026-15 on October 12, 2026, declaring a statewide state of energy emergency. The order suspends Motor Fuel Tax Act provisions that bar dyed diesel in farm and wood-harvester vehicles on public roads. The suspension is effective immediately and runs no later than December 31, 2026.
Text (State of Michigan) → · Office of Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Brownfield Ag News
State and local law roundup, week ending October 9, 2026: 3 developments
Illinois and Iowa suspended state dyed-diesel penalties for farm hauling this week. Illinois Executive Order 2026-08, filed October 6, bars penalties for farm use of dyed diesel on highways through December 31, 2026; Iowa's October 7 disaster proclamation extends its suspension to livestock and feed loads through February 4, 2027. California's SB 799 (Chapter 980) lets the South Bay Regional Housing Trust fund moderate-income housing from January 1, 2027.
Entries (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor of Iowa, State of Illinois, Office of the Governor
Colorado adopts election rules requiring clerks to report court-ordered custody transfers and observers to carry authority letters
Colorado's Secretary of State adopted amended Election Rules (8 CCR 1505-1) on Oct. 9, 2026. Under rules effective immediately, a county clerk who transfers election records under a court order must give the order to the Secretary, notify the Secretary immediately and inventory the transferred items. Official observers must hold a Secretary-issued letter of authority, and clerks must admit them. Clerks must also file election plans 120 days before each election.
Text (Colorado Department of State) → · Colorado Secretary of State
Idaho pauses discretionary dyed-fuel inspections for 30 days under Executive Order 2026-07
Under Executive Order 2026-07, Gov. Brad Little directed the Idaho State Police and the Idaho Transportation Department to stop initiating discretionary dyed-fuel inspections under Idaho Code 49-676 for 30 days, the governor's office said. The two agencies must review inspection policy and send recommendations to the governor. The order does not exempt drivers from federal law, other states' laws or warranty terms.
Text (Office of the Governor of Idaho) → · Office of the Governor, Gem State Chronicle
Maryland lets farm and forestry haulers use dyed diesel on public roads without state penalties under EO 01.01.2026.19
Under Executive Order 01.01.2026.19 (Oct. 9, 2026), Gov. Wes Moore declared a state of emergency over diesel prices. Vehicles hauling agricultural or forestry loads may use dyed diesel on public roads without state citations or fines, and fees for 30-day Exceptional Hauling Permits are waived on non-interstate state highways. Federal fuel tax and penalties still apply, and the Comptroller is asked to seek relief from the IRS.
Text (Office of Governor Wes Moore) → · The Equiery
Michigan caps county treasurer electronic parcel-record fees at 30 cents, $2,000 per request
Michigan enacted Senate Bill 102 as 2026 Public Act 112 on October 9, 2026, amending section 1 of 1895 Public Act 161. The act adds subsections (6) to (9) to MCL 48.101 for electronic copies of county treasurer records. A treasurer charges at most 30 cents per parcel record, capped at $2,000 per request, and transmits records electronically in a delimited, open-standards format.
Michigan Public Act 113 bars forced dealer-system access and requires written consent for protected dealer data
Michigan enacted the Motor Vehicle Dealer Data Collection Act as Public Act 113 of 2026 on October 9, 2026, with immediate effect. The act bars manufacturers and third parties from requiring dealer-system access or using protected dealer data without prior express written consent, limits charges to disclosed actual costs, and requires dealer data vendors to offer standardized open integration and 90-day contract termination.
Enrolled text (Michigan Legislature) → · Lexology, Autobody News
Michigan Public Act 114 revises limited-license psychologist licensing and Board of Psychology membership
Michigan enacted Public Act 114 of 2026 on October 9, 2026, amending the Public Health Code sections on psychologist licensing. The act revises licensure requirements for limited license psychologists, including supervised postgraduate experience, allows limited licensees to practice without supervision within their qualifications, and changes Michigan Board of Psychology membership. The Michigan Psychological Association states practice changes await Board of Psychology regulations.
Enrolled text (Michigan Legislature) → · MichiganVotes.org, Michigan Psychological Association
Missouri suspends dyed-diesel highway ban for any purpose under Executive Order 26-20
Under Executive Order 26-20 (Oct. 9, 2026), Gov. Mike Kehoe suspended enforcement of Missouri's on-highway dyed-diesel ban (RSMo 142.932) and its penalties for any purpose. No state agency or officer may assess penalties under that section. The order replaces EO 26-19 and keeps a 90,000-pound limit for qualifying farm loads on non-interstate roads. It ends Dec. 31, 2026 unless extended.
Text (Missouri Secretary of State) → · Office of Governor Mike Kehoe, KCTV
North Carolina sets motor fuel tax to zero through November 30 under Session Law 2026-62
Session Law 2026-62 (HB 3), signed Oct. 9, 2026, sets North Carolina's motor fuel excise tax to zero from Oct. 10 through Nov. 30, 2026. Fuel cost may not include the suspended tax. Through Dec. 31, the Revenue Secretary may not penalize farm use of dyed diesel in highway vehicles. The State Controller must make monthly hold-harmless transfers from the Stabilization and Inflation Reserve; forgone revenue is estimated at $362.3 million, Brooks Pierce reported.
Enrolled text (North Carolina General Assembly) → · Governor Stein (governor.nc.gov), Brooks Pierce Capital Dispatch
U.S. sanctions the International Criminal Court as an institution
On October 9, 2026, Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control added the International Criminal Court itself to the Specially Designated Nationals list under Executive Order 14203, blocking the court's property in U.S. jurisdiction and barring U.S. persons from dealing with it without a license. OFAC issued four general licenses, including General License 13, which authorizes transactions to maintain or wind down court operations through April 7, 2027. The ICC rejected the sanctions the same day.
Text (Office of Foreign Assets Control) → · International Criminal Court
OFAC authorizes Russian-origin diesel transactions through April 2027 under General License 135
On October 9, 2026, Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control issued Russia-related General License 135, authorizing transactions otherwise prohibited by the Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations and the Ukraine-/Russia-Related Sanctions Regulations that relate to the sale, delivery, offloading or importation of Russian-origin diesel fuel, including into the United States. The authorization runs through 12:01 a.m. EDT on April 7, 2027, and excludes debits to U.S. accounts of Russia's central bank, National Wealth Fund or Ministry of Finance.
Text (Office of Foreign Assets Control) → · Indian Economic Observer
Pennsylvania requires water-supply evidence before final development approval under Act 58
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro approved Senate Bill 1287 on October 8, 2026, as Act No. 58 of 2026, amending Section 503.1 of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code. The act requires applicants whose subdivision or development will use water other than private wells to present evidence of water supply before final subdivision and land development approval. The House passed the bill 203-0 on October 6, 2026.
Wyoming authorizes oversize and overweight permits for agricultural hauling through November 7 under EO 2026-09
Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon issued Executive Order 2026-09 on October 8, 2026, directing emergency relief permits for oversize and overweight loads of agricultural products on state highways, citing drought and strain on the agricultural supply chain. The order sets size, weight, lighting and permit conditions under Wyo. Stat. Ann. 31-18-804(n), extends to all agricultural products the relief EO 2026-08 gave livestock and feed, and expires no later than November 7, 2026.
Text (Governor of Wyoming) → · Wyoming Tribune Eagle
Wyoming extends the federal fuel-hauler hours-of-service waiver to intrastate deliveries through December 16 under EO 2026-10
Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon issued Executive Order 2026-10 on October 8, 2026, directing the Wyoming Department of Transportation to recognize and adopt, for intrastate commerce, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration hours-of-service waiver for gasoline and diesel haulers. The driving-time limits in 49 C.F.R. 395.3, as incorporated by Wyo. Stat. Ann. 31-18-303, do not apply to carriers and drivers moving gasoline or diesel within Wyoming, subject to the FMCSA waiver terms, until 11:59 p.m. on December 16, 2026.
Text (Governor of Wyoming) → · Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation, Your Wyoming Link
Denver bars Caring for Denver tax spending on alcohol and staff wellness, lifts administrator cap to 7%
Denver's City Council passed Council Bill 26-1362 on Oct. 5, and the mayor signed it Oct. 7, amending the Caring for Denver tax ordinance. Administrative funds may no longer be spent on alcohol, regulated marijuana, tobacco or routine meals, and grants may not fund the nonprofit's own staff wellness programs. The nonprofit administrator's cap rises from 5% to 7%, and an extra 10% goes to a jail-alternatives facility for two years. Section 1 takes effect Jan. 1, 2027.
Trump signs law giving identity-theft victims a single Social Security contact
President Donald Trump signed H.R. 5345, the Improving Social Security's Service to Victims of Identity Theft Act, on Oct. 7. The law requires the Social Security Administration to provide individuals whose Social Security number is misused or card is lost with a single point of contact — trained employees — that tracks the case through resolution and coordinates with other SSA units. The bill passed Ways and Means 39-1, the House by voice vote, and the Senate unanimously.
Enrolled text (GovInfo) → · The White House, FedScoop, House Ways and Means Committee +1
Reynolds widens dyed-diesel penalty suspension to livestock and other farm products
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a disaster emergency proclamation on October 7, 2026, suspending the dyed-fuel restrictions in Iowa Code sections 452A.74 and 452A.74A(1) for motor vehicles hauling soybeans, corn, livestock, livestock feed, soybean meal, fertilizer and other farm products, and suspending sales and fuel tax provisions on that fuel. The proclamation, which expands an earlier proclamation, took effect immediately and expires February 4, 2027.
Kentucky suspends dyed-diesel road-use ban and state penalties under Executive Order 2026-667
Under Executive Order 2026-667 (Oct. 7, 2026), approved by Attorney General Russell Coleman in AG Order 2026-07, Gov. Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency and suspended Kentucky's ban on using untaxed or dyed diesel on public roads (KRS 138.502(1)-(3)) and its state penalties, effective Oct. 8. The AG's approval limits the suspension to a period consistent with KRS 39A.090(2), generally 30 days; federal dyed-diesel rules still apply.
Text (Office of the Governor of Kentucky) → · Kentucky Lantern
New law requires annual report on federal projects $1 billion over budget or five years late
President Donald Trump signed S. 766, the Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act of 2025, on Oct. 7. The law requires the Office of Management and Budget to issue guidance within a year directing covered agencies to submit annual information on projects more than five years behind schedule or at least $1 billion over the original cost estimate. OMB must compile the submissions into an annual report to Congress and post it online.
Enrolled text (GovInfo) → · The White House, FEDweek, Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks +1
Seattle mayor signs ordinance banning grocery surveillance pricing
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson signed Council Bill 121267 on Oct. 5, after the City Council passed it on Sept. 22. Enacted as Ordinance 127515, it bars covered grocery retailers from using personal data to set individualized prices, requires pricing disclosures and record retention, and adds Chapter 7.35 to the Seattle Municipal Code. The pricing prohibition takes effect Sept. 1, 2027.
Text (Seattle City Council (Legistar)) → · Office of the Mayor, City of Seattle, Consumer Reports
Georgia waives penalties for on-road use of dyed diesel through Nov. 5
Gov. Brian Kemp signed Executive Order 10.06.26.01 on Oct. 6, 2026, directing the State Revenue Commissioner to waive penalties under O.C.G.A. 48-9-16(e) for selling, delivering or using dyed fuel oil for highway use. The order amends the Sept. 28 petroleum supply state of emergency, which suspended the state motor fuel tax and lifted commercial-vehicle weight limits, and renews the emergency through Nov. 5.
Text (Office of the Governor, State of Georgia) → · Discover Gordon County
Illinois suspends dyed-diesel road penalties for farm use through December 31
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed Executive Order 2026-08 on October 6, 2026, directing the Department of Revenue and State Police not to impose state penalties for the sale or on-road use of dyed diesel for farming and agricultural purposes through December 31. Users must keep records of plates, gallons, fill-up dates and agricultural use for four years. Pritzker also declared all 102 counties disaster areas for 30 days.
Text (Illinois Department of Revenue) → · Office of Governor JB Pritzker, NPR Illinois
New Mexico finalizes doula credentialing rule for Medicaid reimbursement
The New Mexico Department of Health adopted 7.30.16 NMAC, a new rule implementing the Doula Credentialing and Access Act. Published in the New Mexico Register on October 6, 2026, the rule creates a voluntary state credential that lets doulas enroll as Medicaid providers. It sets application and training requirements, establishes a Doula Credentialing Advisory Council, and creates a public online registry of credentialed doulas.
Text (New Mexico Register (State Records Center and Archives)) → · New Mexico Department of Health
New York declares measles disaster emergency, expands who can vaccinate
Governor Kathy Hochul issued Executive Order No. 65 on October 5, declaring a statewide disaster emergency over a measles outbreak after New York recorded 108 cases through October 3, including 92 since mid-July in rural communities across 18 counties. The order authorizes paramedics, advanced EMS providers, pharmacists and midwives to administer MMR vaccine and allows nurses to order measles testing. The emergency runs through November 4.
Text (Governor Kathy Hochul) → · WIXX (Reuters)
Healey declares energy emergency, orders winter heating relief in Executive Order 659
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey signed Executive Order 659 on October 5, 2026, proclaiming an energy emergency through April 30, 2027. It directs agencies to create a one-time heating-oil benefit for households at 60 to 100% of state median income, supplement HEAP, fund removal of the SMART solar charge for at least three months, cut Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard costs by half and enforce against petroleum price gouging. The governor's office put the package at nearly $150 million.
Text (Mass.gov) → · Cape Cod Times
Michigan adds gift card fraud to its organized retail crime felony, effective January 3, 2027
Michigan enacted Public Act 109 of 2026 (HB 4598), amending MCL 752.1084 of the Organized Retail Crime Act. Starting January 3, 2027, it is a crime to knowingly, and with intent to defraud, acquire gift cards or redemption information, alter or tamper with them, exploit holders, issuers or sellers, or use such cards to obtain value. Organized retail crime is a felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison, a $5,000 fine, or both.
Enrolled text (Michigan Legislature) → · MI House Republicans (gophouse.org), Governor Whitmer (michigan.gov)
Michigan bars youth transport companies from using restraints and overnight pickups under PA 111
Michigan enacted Public Act 111 of 2026 (HB 5514), the preventing restraints in youth transport act, effective October 5, 2026. Youth transportation companies taking minors to residential treatment programs may not use blindfolds, hoods or mechanical restraints, may use physical holds only when serious physical harm is imminent and staff are trained, and may not pick up a youth between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. Violations carry civil fines up to $1,000.
Enrolled text (Michigan Legislature) → · Governor Whitmer (michigan.gov), MI House Republicans (gophouse.org)
Michigan requires schools to send parents annual notices on youth cannabis, tobacco and vaping risks under PA 104
Michigan enacted Public Act 104 of 2026 (SB 433), adding MCL 380.1509. By July 1, 2027, DHHS must develop a notice in English, Spanish and Arabic on the dangers of THC, tobacco, vapor, alternative nicotine and synthetic intoxicating hemp products, and update it every year. Starting in 2027-28, districts, intermediate districts, academies and nonpublic schools must get it to every pupil's parent by October 1 each year.
Enrolled text (Michigan Legislature) → · Governor Whitmer (michigan.gov), The Marijuana Herald
Trump order directs Treasury to weigh diesel tax deferral and waive dyed-diesel highway penalties
President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14435 on Oct. 5, directing the Treasury secretary to decide within five days whether 26 U.S.C. 7508A allows deferring certain diesel fuel taxes incurred Oct. 5 through Dec. 31, 2026, without penalties or interest, and to have the IRS announce it will not impose penalties for highway use of dyed diesel in that period. The order also asks Treasury to explore eliminating the deferred tax.
Text (Federal Register) → · The White House, TheTrucker.com
Federal law roundup, week ending October 2, 2026: 2 developments
Two federal rules published September 29, 2026. The National Marine Fisheries Service added omitted inseason sablefish trip limits for West Coast groundfish fisheries, and the Environmental Protection Agency set a residue tolerance for the sodium salt of acifluorfen on sugar beet, with objections due November 30, 2026. Each item links to its Federal Register notice.
State and local law roundup, week ending October 2, 2026: 23 developments
Twenty-three state and local measures dated September 25 to 29, 2026. California enacted laws on prescribed fire, children's meals, added-sugar menu warnings, diaper ingredients, disposable vapes, supplement sales to minors and disability-form fees. North Dakota, Texas, Arkansas and Georgia issued fuel emergency orders. New Jersey and New York signed school, reentry, Rutgers and climate bills, Massachusetts set emergency adult foster care rates, and San Jose paused detention-facility applications.
Entries (California Legislative Information) → · North Dakota Office of the Governor, City of San Jose, Office of the City Clerk (Legistar), Office of the Texas Governor +6
Federal Reserve finalizes averaging of stress-test results to set capital buffer requirement
The Federal Reserve Board adopted a final rule (91 FR 62636) changing how it sets the stress capital buffer for large bank holding companies, savings and loan holding companies, U.S. intermediate holding companies of foreign banks and supervised nonbank financial companies. The buffer will use the average of the maximum common equity tier 1 declines projected in the Board's prior two annual stress tests, and its annual effective date moves from Oct. 1 to Jan. 1.
Text (Federal Register) → · ABA Banking Journal
Federal Reserve finalizes stress-test transparency rule requiring annual public comment on models and scenarios
The Federal Reserve Board on Sept. 30 adopted a final rule amending Regulations Y, LL and YY to open its annual bank stress tests to public comment. The Board will publish its stress-test models and scenarios each year, invite comment on material model changes, and respond to substantive comments before implementing them. The rule takes effect Nov. 2, 2026, under 91 FR 62870 (Oct. 2, 2026).
Text (Federal Register) → · ABA Banking Journal
SEC rewrites quorum rule so one commissioner can act when all others are disqualified
The Securities and Exchange Commission amended its quorum rule, 17 CFR 200.41, so that a single commissioner constitutes a quorum for a matter when every other commissioner in office is disqualified from it. Three commissioners otherwise remain a quorum. The SEC adopted the change without notice and comment as an agency-management rule, and it took effect Oct. 2, 2026 (91 FR 62654).
Text (Federal Register) → · CoinDesk
DeWine signs 90-day suspension of Ohio's gasoline and diesel fuel taxes
Gov. Mike DeWine signed House Bill 519 on Oct. 1, cutting Ohio's 38.5-cent gasoline tax and 47-cent diesel tax to one-hundredth of a cent per gallon for about 90 days starting Oct. 4. Retail and motor fuel dealers must pass the full reduction on to buyers. The act, passed Sept. 30 with an emergency clause, appropriates $725 million from the General Revenue Fund to replace lost revenue.
Enrolled text (Ohio General Assembly) → · Ohio Legislature, Land Line Media
Reynolds signs HF 2801 raising Iowa MEGA tax credit to 10% for steel mill
Governor Kim Reynolds signed House File 2801 on October 2, 2026, hours after the Iowa House approved it 75-17 and the Senate 28-19 in a special session. The law raises the Major Economic Growth Attraction program's investment tax credit from 5% to 10% for one business in a rural county, paid over ten years. It clears the way for Mesabi Metallics' planned $15 billion steel mill in Lee County, with state incentives officials estimate at $1.36 billion.
Enrolled text (Iowa Legislature) → · Office of the Governor of Iowa, The Des Moines Register, Bleeding Heartland
California bans employer surveillance of workers in workplace bathrooms
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1331 on September 30, 2026. From January 1, 2027, unless a court orders otherwise, employers may not use workplace surveillance tools to monitor employees in workplace bathrooms, and employees may leave such tools behind when entering one, except when they must stay available during breaks. The Labor Commissioner and public prosecutors may enforce the law, with civil penalties of up to $500 per violation.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of Governor Gavin Newsom
California bans employer AI tools that read workers' emotions or collect neural data
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1883 on September 30, 2026. From January 1, 2027, employers, including public employers, charter cities and the University of California, may not use AI-powered workplace surveillance tools to recognize or predict employees' emotional states or to collect neural data. Safety uses are allowed, as are uses needed for specified federal aerospace and defense work. Violations carry civil penalties of up to $500 each.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of Governor Gavin Newsom
California limits employers' use of automated decision systems in discipline and firing
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 947 on September 30, 2026. From July 1, 2027, employers may not rely solely on an automated decision system to discipline or fire a worker; when they primarily rely on one, a human must corroborate the decision and the employer must give the employee written post-use notice. Employers may not use such systems to infer protected status or predict and punish workers for exercising legal rights.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of Governor Gavin Newsom, Office of Senator Jerry McNerney
California requires mass-layoff notices to disclose jobs replaced by AI
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 951 on September 30, 2026, amending the Cal/WARN Act. From January 1, 2027, an employer giving notice of a mass layoff, relocation or termination caused wholly or substantially by AI or other automated technology must state which job functions will be automated. The Employment Development Department must publish summaries of the notices, including a quarterly statewide summary of technological displacements.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of Governor Gavin Newsom
FCC sets Oct. 15 effective date for revised network-change disclosure rules
The FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau announced at 91 FR 62334 on Oct. 1, 2026, that OMB approved the information collections in Report and Order FCC 26-19, so the revised network-change disclosure and service-discontinuance rules in 47 CFR parts 51 and 63 take effect Oct. 15, 2026. From then, incumbent local exchange carriers no longer file network-change disclosures with the FCC and instead give notice through publicly accessible methods.
Text (Federal Register) → · NECA
State removes Syria from ITAR policy-of-denial list
The State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls issued a final rule Oct. 1, 2026, removing Syria from the ITAR section 126.1 list of countries subject to a U.S. policy of denial for defense-article licenses and approvals. Future license requests for Syria will be reviewed case by case. The change follows the August rescission of Syria's state-sponsor-of-terrorism designation and took effect Oct. 1, 2026 (91 FR 62313).
Text (Federal Register) → · Associated Press, LexBlog
Minnesota eases harvest-hauler weight limits and fuel-transport hours through Oct. 31
Gov. Tim Walz signed Emergency Executive Order 26-11 on Oct. 1, 2026, effective immediately, directing MnDOT to issue a temporary emergency harvest permit so vehicles hauling corn, soybeans, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, carrots and forest products may exceed regular weight limits. The order also relieves fuel carriers from certain hours-of-service rules and runs until rescinded or Oct. 31, 2026.
Text (Office of Governor Tim Walz) → · Grand Rapids Herald-Review
USDA moves REAP grants to post-completion, performance-validated model
USDA's Rural Business-Cooperative Service published a final rule Oct. 1, 2026, restructuring the Rural Energy for America Program into a post-completion, performance-validated model. Projects must be fully built and operational before applying, with 12 months of pre-installation data and 12 months of production data. Ground-mounted solar and wind systems on certified cropland become ineligible. The rule (91 FR 62600) takes effect Oct. 16, 2026, with a 30-day comment period.
Text (Federal Register) → · Solar Power World, Michigan Farm News
Georgia cannabis commission amends Rule Chapter 351-1 on organization
The Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission voted on Sept. 30 to adopt amendments to Rule Chapter 351-1, governing the commission's organization. The commission posted its notice of intent to amend the chapter on Aug. 13 and held a public hearing Sept. 16. The amendments form part of a package rewriting Rule Chapter 351 to conform the state's medical cannabis rules to Senate Bill 220, which took effect July 1, 2026.
Text (Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission) → · The Marijuana Herald
Georgia cannabis commission amends Rule Chapter 351-2 on definitions
The Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission voted on Sept. 30 to adopt amendments to Rule Chapter 351-2, setting program definitions. The commission posted its notice of intent to amend the chapter on Aug. 13 and held a public hearing Sept. 16. The amendments form part of a package rewriting Rule Chapter 351 to conform the state's medical cannabis rules to Senate Bill 220, which took effect July 1, 2026.
Text (Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission) → · The Marijuana Herald
Georgia cannabis commission amends Rule Chapter 351-3 on applications
The Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission voted on Sept. 30 to adopt amendments to Rule Chapter 351-3, governing license applications. The commission posted its notice of intent to amend the chapter on Aug. 13 and held a public hearing Sept. 16. The amendments form part of a package rewriting Rule Chapter 351 to conform the state's medical cannabis rules to Senate Bill 220, which took effect July 1, 2026.
Text (Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission) → · The Marijuana Herald
Georgia cannabis commission amends Rule Chapter 351-4 on class 1 and class 2 production licensees
The Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission voted on Sept. 30 to adopt amendments to Rule Chapter 351-4, governing Class 1 and Class 2 production licensees. The commission posted its notice of intent to amend the chapter on Aug. 13 and held a public hearing Sept. 16. The amendments form part of a package rewriting Rule Chapter 351 to conform the state's medical cannabis rules to Senate Bill 220, which took effect July 1, 2026.
Text (Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission) → · The Marijuana Herald
Georgia cannabis commission amends Rule Chapter 351-5 on seed-to-sale tracking
The Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission voted on Sept. 30 to adopt amendments to Rule Chapter 351-5, governing seed-to-sale tracking. The commission posted its notice of intent to amend the chapter on Aug. 13 and held a public hearing Sept. 16. The amendments form part of a package rewriting Rule Chapter 351 to conform the state's medical cannabis rules to Senate Bill 220, which took effect July 1, 2026.
Text (Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission) → · The Marijuana Herald
Georgia cannabis commission adopts Rule 351-6-.11 authorizing home delivery
The Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission voted on Sept. 30 to adopt Rule 351-6-.11, creating a delivery framework for the state's medical cannabis program. The rule requires dispensaries to verify the recipient's identity and active Medical Cannabis Registry Card, keep recipient ID and registry records, and ship only to qualifying Georgia addresses. Shipments must be tracked and records kept; health-care institutions may receive deliveries for patients.
Text (Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission) → · The Marijuana Herald
Georgia cannabis commission amends Rule Chapter 351-6 on dispensing licensees
The Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission voted on Sept. 30 to adopt amendments to Rule Chapter 351-6, governing dispensing licensees. The commission posted its notice of intent to amend the chapter on Aug. 13 and held a public hearing Sept. 16. The amendments form part of a package rewriting Rule Chapter 351 to conform the state's medical cannabis rules to Senate Bill 220, which took effect July 1, 2026.
Text (Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission) → · The Marijuana Herald
Georgia cannabis commission amends Rule Chapter 351-7 on independent laboratories
The Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission voted on Sept. 30 to adopt amendments to Rule Chapter 351-7, governing independent laboratories. The commission posted its notice of intent to amend the chapter on Aug. 13 and held a public hearing Sept. 16. The amendments form part of a package rewriting Rule Chapter 351 to conform the state's medical cannabis rules to Senate Bill 220, which took effect July 1, 2026.
Text (Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission) → · The Marijuana Herald
Georgia cannabis commission adopts Rule 351-8-.07 listing grounds for product recalls
The Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission voted on Sept. 30, 2026, to adopt Rule 351-8-.07. The rule lets the commission require a production or dispensing licensee to recall a product on evidence that it exceeds Rule 351-7-.08 contaminant limits, contains an undeclared allergen, was not made by a Class 1 or Class 2 producer, or has a battery known to explode or ignite. For other risks, licensees get written notice and a chance to respond.
Text (Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission) → · The Marijuana Herald
Georgia cannabis commission amends Rule Chapter 351-8 on enforcement
The Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission voted on Sept. 30 to adopt amendments to Rule Chapter 351-8, governing enforcement. The commission posted its notice of intent to amend the chapter on Aug. 13 and held a public hearing Sept. 16. The amendments form part of a package rewriting Rule Chapter 351 to conform the state's medical cannabis rules to Senate Bill 220, which took effect July 1, 2026.
Text (Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission) → · The Marijuana Herald
Georgia cannabis commission adopts Rule Chapter 351-9 creating cannabis research permits
The Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission voted on Sept. 30 to adopt new Rule Chapter 351-9, creating a research-permit pathway for the state's medical cannabis program. The chapter allows Georgia colleges and universities to partner with licensed producers to study cannabis under commission oversight. It was adopted alongside a delivery rule and recall factors as part of a package conforming the commission's rules to Senate Bill 220, which took effect July 1.
Text (Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission) → · The Marijuana Herald
California requires protective orders for sexually explicit evidence depicting adult victims
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1056 on September 30, 2026. New Penal Code section 1054.11 requires courts, in prosecutions for specified serious felonies involving sexually explicit material depicting an adult victim, to issue a protective order limiting disclosure of that material to safeguard the victim’s privacy while preserving the defendant’s right to a fair trial. Parties may share copies only as the order permits.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of Governor Gavin Newsom, EdSource
Indiana governor extends gas tax suspension through Nov. 4
Indiana Governor Mike Braun signed Executive Order 26-33 on September 30, 2026, renewing the state's energy emergency for 30 days, Oct. 6 through Nov. 4, in all counties. The Gasoline Use Tax and Gasoline Excise Tax are suspended for that period, and the Department of Revenue must not collect them. WDRB reported it is the sixth extension of a holiday that began in April.
Text (Office of the Governor of Indiana) → · Indiana Capital Chronicle, WDRB
Indiana governor signs EO 26-34 letting farmers run road trucks on dyed diesel
Indiana Governor Mike Braun signed Executive Order 26-34 on September 30, 2026, suspending the special fuel restriction in Ind. Code § 6-6-2.5-62(c) for farmers and timber harvesters for the duration of the state energy emergency, now renewed through Nov. 4. They may run untaxed dyed diesel in highway vehicles for farm and timber work; motor carrier safety rules other than hours of service still apply.
Text (Office of the Governor of Indiana) → · Indiana Capital Chronicle
California pilots partial property-tax exemption for moderate-income rental housing
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1294 on September 29, 2026. It adds subdivision (h) to Revenue and Taxation Code section 214, a pilot partial welfare exemption equal to the value of rental units serving low- and moderate-income households. It covers properties in Alameda County, Sacramento County or San Francisco where units are newly built, or converted from commercial use, between January 1, 2027, and January 1, 2030.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California blocks state tidelands infrastructure for new federal offshore oil leases
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1448 on September 29, 2026. The bill amends Public Resources Code section 6245 to bar the State Lands Commission and local trustees from entering new leases or conveyances authorizing new oil and gas infrastructure on tidelands and submerged lands to support Pacific outer continental shelf leases issued after January 1, 2026. Lease renewals tied to such federal leases require an informational agenda item and a 180-day pause before any vote.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California conditions state funding for recovery housing on Housing First core components
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1556 on September 29, 2026. The law adds Health and Safety Code Division 10.95, under which recovery housing programs must satisfy Housing First core components to receive state funding. Programs must offer substance-use-specific peer support, emphasize abstinence, offer permanent or interim housing, treat relapse alone as not grounds for eviction, and allow prescribed medications including buprenorphine, methadone and naltrexone.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California caps building-permit plan checks at two and makes postentitlement permit violations Housing Accountability Act violations
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1621 on September 29, 2026. Local and state agencies may not require more than two plan check and specification reviews for a building permit application. Failing to comply with any postentitlement phase permit requirement in Government Code section 65913.3, subdivisions (b) to (e), now counts as disapproving a housing development project under the Housing Accountability Act.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California disqualifies decertified officers, including federal immigration enforcers, from peace-officer service
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1627 on September 29, 2026. It amends Government Code section 1029 to disqualify from peace-officer service anyone listed in the National Decertification Index whose certification was revoked in any jurisdiction. Beginning January 1, 2028, anyone previously employed as a sworn officer or contractor and personally engaged in immigration enforcement is disqualified unless approved to enter a POST basic course.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California imposes 25% annual tax on private detention facility operators from 2028
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1633 on September 29, 2026. The Private Detention Facility Tax Law, Revenue and Taxation Code section 53000 and following, imposes an annual tax on private detention facility operators equal to 25% of their California-derived gross income, beginning July 1, 2028, whether the contracting agency is federal, state or local. The CDTFA administers the tax, and revenue goes to the Due Process for All Fund.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California requires agency decals on rented vehicles used for detentions and arrests
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1650 on September 29, 2026. It adds Civil Code section 1939.36, requiring privately owned vehicles rented by or furnished to law enforcement agencies to detain, arrest or transport people to display a temporary agency decal legible at 50 feet in daylight. It applies to rental contracts entered on or after January 1, 2027, with exceptions for plainclothes, undercover, exigent, tactical and protective operations.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California keeps CalWORKs eligibility for members detained in federal immigration custody
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1655 on September 29, 2026. It amends and adds Welfare and Institutions Code section 11269 so that a CalWORKs assistance-unit member detained in an immigration detention facility is treated as temporarily absent, and the household stays eligible. A written sworn statement is sufficient to establish the detention. The rule becomes operative July 1, 2027, or when the automation system is ready, whichever is later.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California extends property-tax welfare exemption for conservation lands through 2032
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1668 on September 29, 2026, as an urgency tax levy that took effect immediately. It amends Revenue and Taxation Code section 214.02 to keep the property tax welfare exemption for land used exclusively to preserve native plants, animals and open space through the 2032 lien date, with repeal on January 1, 2033. The state will not reimburse local agencies for lost revenue.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California extends CEQA exemption for affordable housing to 2037 and adds public university housing
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1732 on September 29, 2026. It amends Public Resources Code section 21080.40 to extend the CEQA exemption for qualifying affordable housing projects until January 1, 2037, and to expand it to public university and public college housing projects. Projects must meet labor standards, site and location criteria, recorded affordability requirements and, for vacant sites, tribal cultural resource conditions.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California penalizes drone flights that interfere with wildfire suppression
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1749 on September 29, 2026. The bill adds Civil Code section 1714.57, prohibiting knowingly or recklessly operating a drone to interfere with wildfire suppression or related emergency response, including under an FAA temporary flight restriction. The Attorney General, county counsel, or city attorney may sue, with prevailing plaintiffs recovering civil penalties up to $75,000 per violation plus injunctive relief and attorney's fees.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California requires ministerial approval of qualifying townhome subdivisions
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1751, the Missing Middle Townhome Ownership Act, on September 29, 2026. New Government Code sections 66499.45 and following subject qualifying townhome subdivisions to ministerial approval on sites zoned for multifamily use or underutilized single-family-only sites. New parcels must be at least 600 square feet, with units in fee-simple, condominium, community-land-trust, limited-equity-cooperative or tenancy-in-common ownership, and tenant, rent-control and demolition protections apply.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California requires 180-day public notice before approving private immigration-detention buildings
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1801 on September 29, 2026. It amends Civil Code section 1670.9 to bar cities, counties and public agencies from approving the building or reuse of buildings by private companies to detain people in civil immigration custody until they give 180 days' public notice, including weekly radio broadcasts and written notices in the area's top five languages, and hear comments at two public meetings. It applies to charter cities.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California requires a state prosecutor to investigate immigration-officer shootings that kill unarmed civilians
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1806 on September 29, 2026. New Government Code section 12525.4 requires a state prosecutor, the Attorney General unless another is named, to conduct an independent investigation of any shooting by an immigration enforcement officer that kills an unarmed civilian, and to prepare a written report with a statement of facts and a detailed analysis and conclusion on each investigatory issue.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California bars use of state-owned property for immigration-enforcement staging or detention
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1807 on September 29, 2026. New Government Code sections 7284.25 and 7284.26 bar the use of state-owned property, including garages, parking lots, state parks and vacant lots, for immigration enforcement, such as staging vehicles or personnel and processing, interviewing, detaining or taking custody of people. Property under an existing state lease and specified Corrections and Caltrans uses are exempt.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California lets cities permit Joshua tree removal for commercial projects and sets in-lieu fees
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1808 on September 29, 2026, as an urgency statute effective immediately. It amends the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act so the Department of Fish and Wildlife may delegate take permits for commercial and industrial projects to cities, and sets in-lieu mitigation fees of $1,000, $200 or $150 per tree by height. Some homeowner permits are exempt from CEQA until a programmatic EIR is certified or January 1, 2032.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California bars local building standards stricter than state code for factory-built housing
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1815 on September 29, 2026. Cities, counties and districts may not impose local building standards on factory-built housing structures that exceed or differ from the California Building Standards Code, including local energy and green-building amendments, except climate, geological or topographical changes backed by findings. It creates a rebuttable presumption favoring factory-built housing and covers buildings with at least 30% factory-built residential space.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California requires mobilehome parks to specify rule violations in tenancy-termination notices
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1817 (Chapter 793, Statutes of 2026) on September 29, 2026, amending Civil Code section 798.56. Mobilehome park management seeking to end a tenancy for a rule violation must serve written notice reciting each rule allegedly violated, specific facts on the date, place or circumstances of the violation, and the action required to comply. The homeowner has seven days to comply, and management keeps the burden of proving the violation.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California orders a statewide homelessness prevention strategy by 2028
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1924 (Chapter 794, Statutes of 2026) on September 29, 2026. New Welfare and Institutions Code section 8257.4 requires the state's homelessness council, by July 1, 2028, to develop a statewide homelessness prevention strategy in its Action Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness, including a baseline estimate of first-time homelessness, agency roles, funding recommendations, goals and metrics, and practices such as emergency rental assistance, eviction defense and case management.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California creates a community-scale wildfire mitigation validation program
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1960 (Ch. 764, Stats. 2026) on September 29, 2026. It adds Public Resources Code section 4124.9, requiring CAL FIRE to set up a voluntary program recognizing communities that reach set levels of wildfire mitigation. Recognized communities may receive Wildfire Prevention Grants from fiscal year 2028–29. Recognition may not justify insurance rate, underwriting or mitigation-credit changes absent supporting empirical evidence.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California requires police to inform crime victims of immigration-relief rights by 2028
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1994, the Defending Immigrant Victims Act, on September 29, 2026. It adds Penal Code section 679.028, requiring law enforcement and prosecutors to inform crime victims — or their next of kin, parents, or guardians — of immigration-relief rights by January 1, 2028. The Attorney General must design an 'Immigrant Victims Rights and Resources' card covering U and T visas, VAWA relief, the cooperation requirement, and legal-services resources.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California lets HCD shift residual receipts between developments of the same sponsor
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2020 (Chapter 795, Statutes of 2026) on September 29, 2026. New Health and Safety Code section 50406.4.5 lets the Department of Housing and Community Development, in its sole discretion, transfer its residual receipts share or excess reserves from one HCD-regulated rental development as equity to another owned by the same sponsor or an affiliate. Transfers may not impair other lenders' payment rights or leave replacement reserves below $1,000 per unit.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California launches rapid-response framework for invasive golden mussels
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2032 on September 29, 2026, as an urgency statute taking immediate effect. It adds Fish and Game Code section 2150.6 exempting water agencies with control plans from restricted-species permits for invasive-mussel maintenance and research, section 2301.5 requiring the Department of Fish and Wildlife to issue guidance by April 1, 2027 and quarterly infestation maps, plus Food and Agricultural Code section 12824.1 and Water Code section 13371 for rapid-response coordination against golden mussels.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California extends streamlined habitat-restoration permitting to 2032
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2045 on September 29, 2026. It extends the Habitat Restoration and Enhancement Act from January 1, 2027 to January 1, 2032. Department of Fish and Wildlife approval of a restoration project now covers take only of the species the proponent lists in its application, and the department must set an application fee schedule by January 1, 2030 and report to the Legislature by December 31, 2029.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California requires HOAs to fund reserves at levels keeping 30-year balances non-negative
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2050 on September 29, 2026. Beginning January 1, 2032, common interest development reserve studies must state the minimum reserve contribution that keeps the projected reserve balance from falling below zero over 30 years, and associations must fund at least that level each year. If the balance is projected to fall below zero, the association must transfer 15% of its gross annual budget to reserves or levy a special assessment.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California lets buyers choose private inspectors for factory-built housing and caps local fees
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2058 (Chapter 783, Statutes of 2026) on September 29, 2026. Once the Department of Housing and Community Development adopts regulations, due by January 1, 2029, a first user of factory-built housing may choose a department-supervised quality assurance agency to inspect installation. Local inspection and permitting fees are capped at 50% of nonfactory-built equivalents absent a substantial-evidence cost finding, and inspectors may not disassemble or damage the housing.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California requires major transit cities to zone regional transit hub districts for downtown housing by July 2027
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2074 on September 29, 2026. By July 1, 2027, each major transit city must designate at least one regional transit hub district where downtown housing developments are an allowed use eligible for streamlined ministerial approval. Cities may not set height limits below 150 feet or floor area ratios below six there, and at least a quarter of district area must allow 450 feet and a ratio of 12.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California tightens fire-tool requirements for forestry operations
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2075 on September 29, 2026. Operators of spark-producing equipment on or near forest, brush or grass land must keep a backpack pump extinguisher and enough round point shovels, at least 46 inches long, for every person within 25 feet of the equipment. The law defines 'person' to include business entities and removes the exception for emergency crews and utility service vehicles.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California streamlines approvals for essential local fire station projects
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2152 on September 29, 2026. It amends Public Resources Code sections 21189.81 to 21189.82 so the Governor may certify essential local fire station projects for CEQA infrastructure streamlining, including expedited litigation timelines. Qualifying projects must be undertaken by a local agency, be covered by a project labor agreement, and have the applicant pay trial and appellate court costs of any challenge.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California requires affordable-housing programs to accommodate factory-built housing by 2027
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2185 (Chapter 784, Statutes of 2026) on September 29, 2026. New Health and Safety Code section 50158 requires state housing agencies administering nine multifamily affordable-housing programs, including the low-income housing tax credit and Multifamily Housing programs, to revise their guidelines by July 1, 2027 to facilitate factory-built housing, treat it as an allowable use of funds, and make early deposits available for upfront material and factory-production costs.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California revises regional housing-needs allocation methodology
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2296 on September 29, 2026. It amends the regional housing needs allocation process so councils of governments receive University of California and California State University enrollment forecasts, and moves the deadline to form subregional entities from 28 to 34 months before a housing element update and the subregional share deadline from 25 to 31 months, except for some seventh-cycle regions.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California bars officers from obstructing medical care for people in their control
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2318 on September 29, 2026. It adds Penal Code section 832.11, making it unlawful for law enforcement — including federal officers acting under color of law — to deny, delay, or obstruct medical care for a person under their control when safe and reasonable and a medical professional requested care or is present and willing. Denials must be documented within 72 hours and reported to civilian oversight when a professional was present.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California locks in original standards for modifications to SB 35 streamlined projects
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2390 (Chapter 799, Statutes of 2026) on September 29, 2026, amending Government Code section 65913.4, the SB 35 streamlined-approval law. Local governments must approve a modification to a streamlined project if it is consistent with the objective zoning, subdivision and design review standards in effect when the original application or notice of intent was submitted, and must evaluate later modifications with the same assumptions and methodology used before.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California makes density-bonus approvals nondiscretionary and exempt from CEQA review
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2433 on September 29, 2026, amending the Density Bonus Law, Government Code section 65915. From January 1, 2027, a city or county's grant of a density bonus, incentive or concession, or waiver of development standards is not discretionary and requires no CEQA review. Once an application is deemed complete, the city or county must give the applicant a density-bonus eligibility determination. Applicants filing a base density study may elect a floor-area-ratio bonus.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California requires extra density bonus for mixed-income student housing
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2480 (Chapter 801, Statutes of 2026) on September 29, 2026, amending Government Code section 65915. Cities and counties must grant an additional density bonus to a student housing development that gives 24% of its units to lower income students and adds units affordable to moderate-income students, if no more than 50% of total units are income-restricted. A moderate-income student is an independent student earning up to 120% of area median income.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California extends immigration-retaliation ban to rights under federal and local employment law
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2495, by Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose), on September 29, 2026 (Chapter 748, Statutes of 2026), amending Labor Code section 1019. From January 1, 2027, employers and others may not use unfair immigration-related practices to retaliate against anyone for exercising rights under any local, state or federal employment statute or regulation. Violators face civil penalties of up to $10,000 per employee for each violation.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California authorizes regional landscape wildfire-resilience grants
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2513 (Ch. 768, Stats. 2026) on September 29, 2026. It lets the Department of Conservation, CAL FIRE and the Wildlife Conservation Board directly award regional landscape grants to regional or local entities to carry out regional wildfire priority strategies, makes advance grant payments permanent, and adds ignition prevention and roadside vegetation modification to activities eligible for CAL FIRE's local assistance grants.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California bans wearable electroshock 'shock gloves' in law enforcement through 2029
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2760 on September 29, 2026. The bill adds Government Code section 7286.1, prohibiting law enforcement — including federal officers operating in California — from using wearable electroshock devices known as shock gloves through January 1, 2030. It bars the use of state funds to purchase the devices and directs the Department of Justice to complete a study of them by January 1, 2029.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California expands HCD Portfolio Reinvestment Program to older at-risk affordable housing
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 750 on September 29, 2026. It amends Health and Safety Code section 50607 so the Department of Housing and Community Development may make loans and grants to rehabilitate and extend affordability of challenged developments, not only department-funded projects with expiring restrictions. Department-funded projects keep priority, and at least 10% of each funding round goes to challenged developments the department did not fund.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California lets for-sale density-bonus affordability be met through nonprofit homebuyer loans
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 939 (Chapter 790, Statutes of 2026) on September 29, 2026, adding Government Code section 65915.4. A developer may instead meet Density Bonus Law affordability for a for-sale unit by ensuring it is bought by a 501(c)(3) nonprofit housing corporation with a welfare exemption that sells to extremely low, very low or lower income families in a below-market interest rate loan program with a repurchase option. Cities and counties must ensure that purchase.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California sets ministerial ADU and junior ADU permit rules for residential zones
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 956 on September 29, 2026. It amends Government Code section 66323 so local agencies must ministerially approve two detached new-construction accessory dwelling units, up from one, on a single-family lot, with up to 800 square feet and four-foot setbacks. Agencies may not require correcting nonconforming zoning or fire sprinklers not required for the primary residence, and rentals must exceed 30 days.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California requires early estimates of housing-project improvement costs
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1014 on September 29, 2026. New Government Code section 65941.3 lets housing applicants request a preliminary estimate of required onsite and offsite improvements, which the city or county must provide within 30 business days with a good-faith list of improvement types and costs. Within 30 business days of deeming a postentitlement permit application complete, the city must give an itemized list of required improvements and generally may not require unlisted ones.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California creates a CAL FIRE Fire Innovation Unit through 2032
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1079 on September 29, 2026. Upon appropriation, it creates a Fire Innovation Unit within CAL FIRE to research, test, procure and deploy wildfire technology. A vendor that completes a unit-run pilot and receives formal validation may get a follow-on contract for substantially similar technology without a separate competitive solicitation. The provisions are repealed January 1, 2033.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California creates Community Anti-Displacement and Preservation Program
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1091 (Chapter 807, Statutes of 2026) on September 29, 2026. It creates the Community Anti-Displacement and Preservation Program, under which the Department of Housing and Community Development, through a nonprofit-lender program manager and regional housing entities, funds acquisition and rehabilitation of unrestricted housing with affordability restrictions of 55 years for rentals and at least 45 years for ownership. HCD must adopt program regulations by July 1, 2028.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California sets mobilehome park duties after disasters
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1093 on September 29, 2026. After a disaster, mobilehome park management must make good faith efforts to give displaced residents weekly then monthly status updates, let them retrieve belongings and inspect damage starting seven days after evacuation orders are lifted, and evaluate rebuilding costs before a closure or change of use. Residents may sue management for willful violations.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California expands ministerial housing approvals on subdivided lots
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1116 on September 29, 2026. It amends Government Code sections 65852.28 and 66499.41 on ministerial approval of housing on subdivided lots: height limits apply to building height, not floor count, and new parcels on multifamily-zoned land may be as small as 480 square feet if the average is at least 600. New Civil Code section 714.9 voids deed restrictions that would preclude such housing, outside common interest developments.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California limits ADU impact fees to floor area above 750 square feet
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1117 on September 29, 2026. It amends Government Code section 66311.5 so that, for up to two accessory dwelling units on a lot, impact fees on an ADU larger than 750 square feet are charged proportionately and only on the area above 750 square feet. ADUs up to 750 square feet and junior ADUs up to 500 square feet remain exempt from impact fees.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California creates wildlife coexistence program and lets livestock guard dogs pursue wolves
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1135, the California Wildlife Coexistence Act, on September 29, 2026. Upon appropriation, the Department of Fish and Wildlife must run a Wildlife Coexistence Program and a renamed Wolf-Livestock Coexistence and Compensation Program, spending at least half of compensation funds on nonlethal deterrence. Dogs guarding livestock or crops on their owner’s property may pursue wolves despite the general ban on dogs pursuing protected mammals.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California requires large water suppliers in fire zones to add wildfire procedures
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1153 on September 29, 2026. It adds Government Code section 8607.3, requiring water suppliers serving at least 3,300 people in high or very high fire-hazard severity zones to include wildfire incident procedures in their disaster plans beginning January 1, 2028. The bill creates no duty to build infrastructure for wildfire defense.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California lets nonprofit housing developers join public-entity insurance pools
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1170 on September 29, 2026. It amends Government Code section 990.8 to let nonprofit housing developers provide insurance through joint powers agreements and be coinsured under master policies alongside local public entities, with pooled self-insured claims not treated as insurance subject to Insurance Code regulation.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California lets defendants move to strike suits against priority care developments and doubles housing-suit bond cap
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1344 on September 29, 2026. New Code of Civil Procedure section 425.21 lets defendants bring a special motion to strike lawsuits challenging approval or permitting of priority care developments, which provide housing tied to behavioral-health services and other specified purposes. The court denies the motion only if the petitioner shows a probability of prevailing. SB 1344 also raises the cap on undertakings in suits against qualifying housing projects from $500,000 to $1 million.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California bars cities and counties from approving new private detention facilities
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1367 on September 29, 2026. Government Code section 65850.05 prohibits cities and counties from approving a new land use that authorizes construction of a detention facility, or a change of use that lets an existing building serve as one. A detention facility is any structure a private entity operates for a governmental entity to hold people for criminal, civil or administrative purposes. The ban applies to charter cities.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California creates single coordinated 60-day review for wildfire mitigation projects
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1370 on September 29, 2026. New Public Resources Code sections 4240 and following direct the Natural Resources Agency, with CalEPA, to run a single consolidated review of covered wildfire mitigation projects such as fuel breaks, defensible space and prescribed fire. CEQA does not apply, and decisions are due within 60 calendar days of a complete application. Authority to issue expedited authorizations ends January 1, 2029.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California extends attorney general reviews of immigration detention facilities indefinitely
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1399 on September 29, 2026. It amends Government Code section 12532 to indefinitely extend the Attorney General's reviews of county, local, and private locked detention facilities housing noncitizens for civil immigration proceedings, including facilities holding minors for ORR or ICE. It deletes the inoperative and repeal dates and the apprehension-and-transfer-circumstances requirement, and guarantees the Attorney General full access.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California exempts Concord Naval Weapons Station redevelopment from surplus-land rules
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 328 on September 29, 2026, as an urgency statute effective immediately. It amends Government Code section 54221 so the former Concord Naval Weapons Station can be disposed of as exempt surplus land for a project expected to include at least 10,000 homes, with 25% restricted to lower-income households for 55 years for rentals or 45 years for ownership, a project labor agreement and 30 days' notice to HCD.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California deems San Diego's Midway Rising environmental report CEQA-sufficient
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 344 (Chapter 786, Statutes of 2026) on September 29, 2026, as an urgency statute effective immediately. New Public Resources Code section 21080.77 deems San Diego's Midway Rising Specific Plan Subsequent Final Environmental Impact Report sufficient for CEQA, so project approvals may rely conclusively on it, and makes its mitigation measures enforceable conditions of approval. The project covers about 4,254 homes, 2,000 of them deed-restricted affordable.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California denies charitable property-tax exemption to detention facilities
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 420 on September 29, 2026. It adds Revenue and Taxation Code section 214.12, providing that property operated as a detention facility is not exempt from property tax as religious, hospital, scientific, or charitable property for purposes of the welfare exemption. The bill is declaratory of existing law.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California opens detention-facility incident reports to public-records disclosure
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 423 on September 29, 2026. It adds Government Code section 7923.606 to the California Public Records Act, providing that recordings and written communications to state or local agencies reporting incidents at private detention facilities — and related law-enforcement records — are not confidential and must be disclosed on request, with limited redactions. The provision does not apply to the Attorney General, the Department of Justice, or the Department of Consumer Affairs.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California orders HCD realistic-capacity formulas for housing element site inventories by July 2028
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 457 on September 29, 2026. By July 1, 2028, the Department of Housing and Community Development must promulgate or approve formulas and tools to determine the realistic capacity of housing element inventory sites, and cities and counties may rely on them. Inventories must state the number of units allowed on each site at adoption and after rezoning, and committed assistance may include in-kind services.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California orders removal of abandoned transmission facilities and utility liaisons to emergency centers
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 742 on September 29, 2026. By January 1, 2028, the Public Utilities Commission must update General Order 95 to require each electrical corporation to remove all permanently abandoned transmission facilities. Wildfire mitigation plans must account for all transmission facilities and set removal timelines, and certain utilities must assign liaisons to local emergency operations centers.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California No Kings Act creates state-law action for federal constitutional violations under color of law
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 747, the No Kings Act, on September 29, 2026 (Chapter 752, Statutes of 2026), adding Civil Code section 53.8 as an urgency statute effective immediately. Any natural person who, under color of law, deprives someone of federal constitutional rights is liable to the injured party, and immunity defenses are limited to those available under 42 U.S.C. 1983. Claims must be filed within two years.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California widens Infill Infrastructure Grant eligibility to streamlined housing sites
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 772 (Ch. 804, Stats. 2026) on September 29, 2026. It amends Health and Safety Code 53559 and 53559.1 to widen the Infill Infrastructure Grant Program of 2019: qualifying infill projects may sit on sites mostly bordered by previously developed urban uses, and qualifying infill areas include sites made ready for streamlined housing under the Affordable Housing and High Road Jobs Act of 2022. HCD must rank applications on on-demand transit access and walkability.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California bars civil arrests at courthouses and within 1,000 feet of them
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 873 on September 29, 2026. Civil Code section 43.54 bars civil arrests at a courthouse, including public ways within 1,000 feet, and of people traveling to or from one for lawful activity; arrests under a valid judicial warrant are exempt. Violators are liable for false imprisonment or false arrest, with actual damages plus $10,000 in statutory damages. Court security must ask entering officers for identification, purpose and a judicial warrant.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California creates a Wildfire Resilience Loan Program without ratepayer funds
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 894 (Ch. 770, Stats. 2026) on September 29, 2026. It adds Public Resources Code sections 26090 and 26091, creating the California Wildfire Resilience Loan Program at the California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority. Upon appropriation, the program will finance home hardening, defensible space and other wildfire-resilience improvements, and it may not use money collected from electrical or gas corporation ratepayers.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California sets rapid post-wildfire permitting and reporting duties
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 904 on September 29, 2026. It adds Government Code section 8608.2, requiring the Department of Housing and Community Development to report within 30 days of post-wildfire permitting suspensions and update every 60 days, with a rapid-permitting goal of 30 days; section 8608.3 creates a Title 24 suspension workgroup by July 1, 2028; and section 8608.4 electronic-filing mandates take effect January 1, 2028.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California voids HOA bans on energy-code-compliant window replacements
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 908 on September 29, 2026. New Civil Code section 4754 voids common interest development restrictions that effectively prohibit owners from replacing windows with California Energy Code-compliant windows. Associations may impose only reasonable installation restrictions and, in multifamily buildings of more than 20 units, limited aesthetic restrictions. Applications not decided in writing within 45 days are deemed approved.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California extends undertaking-bond protection to student housing developments
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 916 on September 29, 2026. It amends Code of Civil Procedure section 529.2 so defendants in suits challenging student housing developments, like affordable housing projects, may ask the court to require the plaintiff to post an undertaking if the action is meritless and brought in bad faith, vexatiously or for delay. The plaintiff’s liability is capped at $1 million, and courts may waive the bond for undue hardship.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California extends crowd-control limits to flash-bangs and federal agents, bars them in immigration raids
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 937 on September 29, 2026. It amends Penal Code sections 13652 and 13652.1 to extend existing limits on kinetic energy projectiles and chemical agents at assemblies to flash-bang grenades and to federal law enforcement agencies. Flash-bangs and explosive breaching charges may not be used for immigration enforcement except in joint task forces or as state law permits, and agencies must report flash-bang use.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California codifies rights for people held in civil immigration detention
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 942 on September 29, 2026, as an urgency statute effective immediately. New Civil Code section 53.9 grants people held for civil immigration proceedings at any locked facility in California, including ICE and ORR contract facilities, rights to dignity, privacy, humane care, medical care, clean facilities, food, confidential phone access and attorney mail. The Attorney General may sue and seek $2,500 per violation.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California bars treating building-height impacts alone as significant under CEQA
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 958 on September 29, 2026. New Public Resources Code section 21080.82 provides that impacts of increased building height alone, such as shadow, air circulation, light reflection or attracting wildlife, are not significant under CEQA if the project's use and density were analyzed in a certified EIR, the site is previously graded infill without sensitive biological resources, the project is not industrial, and it fits local airport land use plans.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
Treasury and IRS issue temporary Trump Accounts regulations with automatic enrollment
The Treasury Department and the IRS issued temporary regulations (T.D. 10056), effective Sept. 30, for Trump Accounts, the tax-favored savings accounts for children under section 530A. On or about Oct. 1, Treasury will elect to open 'auto accounts' for eligible children who lack one, held in a master group trust until a guardian claims them. The rules also set requirements for qualified general contributions, including gifts of publicly traded stock.
Text (Federal Register) → · Thomson Reuters Tax & Accounting, Journal of Accountancy, Wealth Strategies Journal
NHTSA finalizes SAFE Vehicles Rule III resetting fuel-economy standards for model years 2022-2031
NHTSA published a final rule on Sept. 30 recalibrating Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards for passenger cars and light trucks for model years 2022 through 2031. NHTSA estimates the standards correspond to a fleetwide average of roughly 34.9 mpg in model year 2031. The rule ends trading of credits earned in model year 2028 and later and applies updated vehicle classification definitions from model year 2030. It takes effect Nov. 30.
Text (Federal Register) → · CollisionWeek, GM Authority, Business Fleet
OFAC issues new Cuba Sanctions Regulations implementing May executive order
OFAC published a final rule on Sept. 30 establishing new Cuba Sanctions Regulations at 31 CFR Part 516 to implement Executive Order 14404 of May 1, 2026, on repression in Cuba. The regulations prohibit all transactions barred by the order and authorize sanctions against foreign financial institutions that conduct or facilitate significant transactions for blocked persons. OFAC issued the part in abbreviated form for immediate guidance and plans a fuller set of regulations with interpretive guidance, definitions, and general licenses.
Text (Federal Register) → · Thompson Hine SmarTrade, Office of Foreign Assets Control
OFAC amends Cuban Assets Control Regulations to restrict travel and block entrepreneur accounts
OFAC published a final rule (91 FR 61741) on Sept. 30, 2026, amending the Cuban Assets Control Regulations at 31 CFR Part 515, effective that day. U.S. persons may no longer engage in indirect financial transactions with entities on the Cuba Restricted List or travel to Cuba for professional meetings or group educational trips. The rule revokes the authorization for bank accounts of independent Cuban entrepreneurs, and banks must block those funds.
Text (Federal Register) → · Thompson Hine SmarTrade, Cuba Headlines, Office of Foreign Assets Control
OFAC writes 2020 Iran sectors order into sanctions regulations, with humanitarian exemption
OFAC published a final rule on September 30, 2026 (91 FR 61759), effective that day, amending the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations at 31 CFR part 560 to implement Executive Order 13902 of January 10, 2020. New section 560.211(c)(1)(iii) adds the order's blocking authority over persons in specified Iranian economic sectors, with exemptions for agricultural commodities, food, medicine and medical devices and for United Nations official business.
Text (Federal Register) → · Office of Foreign Assets Control
Treasury sets procedures for reviewing state stablecoin regimes under GENIUS Act
The Treasury Department, on behalf of the Stablecoin Certification Review Committee, issued an interim final rule on Sept. 30 setting the process and forms for state payment stablecoin regulators to certify their regimes under section 4(c) of the GENIUS Act. The committee, chaired by the Treasury Secretary with the Federal Reserve and FDIC chairs, will approve or deny certifications. None will be accepted until the information collection receives Paperwork Reduction Act approval. Comments are due Nov. 30.
Text (Federal Register) → · Forkast
USCIS finalizes EB-5 fee rule more than doubling investor petition charges
USCIS published a final rule on Sept. 30 that resets EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program fees for filings postmarked on or after Nov. 30. The Form I-526 standalone investor petition fee becomes $7,615 and the initial Form I-526E regional-center petition $7,850, each with a $75 technology fee. The rule creates Form I-527 for certain legacy investors at $10,330 and codifies provisions of the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022.
Text (Federal Register) → · USCIS, Erickson Immigration Group, The Hindu BusinessLine
California bars marriage licenses and domestic partnerships for anyone under 18
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1267, authored by Assemblymember Gail Pellerin (D-Santa Cruz), on September 30, 2026 (Chapter 850, Statutes of 2026). From January 1, 2027, no one under 18 may be issued a marriage license or establish a domestic partnership in California. The law repeals Family Code provisions that let minors marry with a court order and parental consent.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of Governor Gavin Newsom, MyNewsLA
California requires pornographic websites to keep nonconsensual and underage content off their sites
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1705 on September 30, 2026. From January 1, 2027, operators of pornographic websites must exercise ordinary care and take reasonable steps to ensure displayed and uploaded sexually explicit content does not include anyone who did not consent, was a minor when it was made, or did not consent to its upload. Uploaders must certify the depicted individuals' status under penalty of perjury.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of Governor Gavin Newsom
California extends Cartwright Act to single-firm monopolization, with enforcement limited to AG and district attorneys
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1776, known as the Compete Act, on September 30, 2026 (Chapter 826, Statutes of 2026). From January 1, 2027, the Cartwright Act prohibits any person from monopolizing or monopsonizing any part of trade or commerce. Only the attorney general or a district attorney may sue, and plaintiffs must prove substantial market power. Qualifying California small businesses are exempt.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of Governor Gavin Newsom, Palo Alto Online (CalMatters)
California bars life and disability insurers from using genetic information except under set criteria
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1798 on September 30, 2026. From January 1, 2027, life and disability insurers may not cancel, limit or deny coverage based on genetic tests, or require, request or use genetic information, except where specified underwriting criteria are met. Insurers, agents and insurance-support organizations may not seek a person's genetic information or full genome or base adverse underwriting on it unless those criteria are met.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of Governor Gavin Newsom
California gives agencies 10 business days to answer public records requests
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1821 on September 30, 2026, amending Government Code section 7922.535 of the California Public Records Act. From January 1, 2027, a state or local agency must decide whether a request seeks disclosable records in its possession, and notify the requester, within 10 business days rather than 10 days. In unusual circumstances it may extend that period by up to 14 business days, rather than 14 days.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of Governor Gavin Newsom
California requires gene synthesis equipment makers and providers to follow federal screening framework
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1864 on September 30, 2026. From January 1, 2027, manufacturers of benchtop nucleic acid synthesis equipment and providers of specified synthetic nucleic acids may not produce in California or sell or deliver to California customers unless they adhere to the federal Framework for Nucleic Acid Synthesis Screening, as revised in September 2024, and publicly post an attestation of compliance.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of Governor Gavin Newsom
California lets employers seek workplace violence restraining orders covering all employees at a site
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1961 on September 30, 2026, amending Code of Civil Procedure section 527.8. From January 1, 2027, an employer may seek a workplace violence restraining order on behalf of all employees at a workplace, or at a location where a group of employees primarily work, when harassment, violence or a credible threat is directed at that site, without naming individual employees. The Judicial Council must update its forms by January 1, 2028.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of Governor Gavin Newsom
California bars AI from independently performing licensed clinical functions and brings health chatbots under medical privacy law
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1979 on September 30, 2026. From January 1, 2027, health facilities, clinics and physician offices may not use AI to independently perform clinical functions the law reserves for licensed professionals, and must ensure licensed clinicians keep independent judgment when care is informed by clinical decision support systems. Businesses offering health care chatbots to consumers become providers subject to the Confidentiality of Medical Information Act.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of Governor Gavin Newsom
California AB 2222 creates tax credits for local journalism jobs
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2222, the Community NEWS Act, on September 30, 2026. For taxable years 2027 through 2031, qualifying local news outlets may claim a refundable credit of $20,000 for each of up to five full-time journalists, $15,000 for each additional full-time journalist, $7,500 per part-time journalist and an extra $15,000 per new position. Outlets must carry media liability insurance and publish an error-correction policy.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of Governor Gavin Newsom, Palo Alto Online (CalMatters)
California requires community colleges and CSU to set generative AI procurement standards and training
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2392 on September 30, 2026. From January 1, 2027, the California Community Colleges chancellor's office and the California State University must convene an intersegmental working group, with the University of California requested to join, to recommend generative AI procurement standards and training by January 1, 2028. They must deliver and annually review the training, keep completion records, and report each systemwide GenAI contract to the Legislature.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of Governor Gavin Newsom
California extends likeness and impersonation laws to AI digital replicas
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1111 on September 30, 2026. From January 1, 2027, the Civil Code cause of action for using a person's voice or likeness without consent covers digital replicas, defined as computer-generated, highly realistic representations of a person who did not perform or whose performance was materially altered. Using a digital replica to impersonate someone counts as false impersonation under the Penal Code.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of Governor Gavin Newsom
California bars using AI to fake public participation before government agencies
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1159 on September 30, 2026. From January 1, 2027, no one may knowingly use AI to falsely represent that a natural person appeared before, submitted information to or engaged with a government agency. Under the Public Records Act, open-meeting laws, the Administrative Procedure Act, CEQA and the Coastal Act, AI systems, autonomous agents and robots are not persons or members of the public.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of Governor Gavin Newsom
California sets emergency-response duties for driverless vehicle makers from July 2028
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1246 on September 30, 2026. From July 1, 2028, autonomous vehicle manufacturers must use U.S.-based, California-licensed remote drivers, immediately dispatch local incident technicians after crashes or official requests, notify local jurisdictions of fleetwide failures, and let remote staff move or stop driverless commercial vehicles at an emergency official's direction. They must report response data to the DMV quarterly, and city attorneys may sue for civil penalties.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of Governor Gavin Newsom
California lets child influencers make family vloggers delete paid content featuring them as minors
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1247 on September 30, 2026. From January 1, 2027, social media platforms must offer a clear and conspicuous way for a child influencer to ask a vlogger to delete or edit paid content featuring them as a minor. The vlogger, a parent, guardian or family member who was paid for such content, must remove the child within 10 business days, and may be sued for failing to.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of Governor Gavin Newsom
California extends emergency rent-gouging limits to all rental housing and narrows landlord exemptions
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1365 on September 30, 2026, amending Penal Code section 396. From January 1, 2027, the emergency price-gouging ban covers rental housing regardless of initial lease length, and existing exemptions become affirmative defenses. Rent increases above 10% are defensible for repair costs only if incurred within a year before the emergency, while the unit was rented or offered for rent or intended for rent within six months.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of Governor Gavin Newsom
California lets courts refer incompetent misdemeanor defendants to conservatorship on their own finding of grave disability
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1401 on September 30, 2026, amending Penal Code sections 1370 and 1370.01. From January 1, 2027, a court may refer a misdemeanor defendant found incompetent to county conservatorship if the court itself finds the defendant appears gravely disabled, not only on an expert's opinion. County behavioral health agencies may report confidential medical information to the court to determine eligibility for services.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of Governor Gavin Newsom
California requires developers and users of clinical AI tools to identify and mitigate biased impacts
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 503 on September 30, 2026. From January 1, 2027, developers of AI clinical decision support systems used in health programs must identify systems with known or foreseeable risk of biased impacts, disclose intended uses and risks to deployers, and make reasonable efforts to mitigate that risk. Deployers must regularly monitor the systems and take reasonable, proportionate steps to mitigate biased impacts.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of Governor Gavin Newsom
California bars lawyers and arbitrators from delegating legal work and decisions to generative AI
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 574 on September 30, 2026. From January 1, 2027, attorneys may not delegate the practice of law to generative AI and, when using it, must keep confidential and nonpublic information out of AI systems and verify outputs. No court filing may contain citations the responsible attorney has not personally verified, and arbitrators may not delegate decisionmaking to generative AI.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of Governor Gavin Newsom
California opens CEQA-streamlined certification to fusion component plants and orders a fusion plan
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 925 (Ch. 831, Stats. 2026) on September 30, 2026. It lets developers of facilities that manufacture, produce or assemble components integral to fusion energy apply to the Energy Commission for certification as environmental leadership development projects, with CEQA streamlining, under Public Resources Code 25545. It also requires the commission to deliver a fusion energy strategic plan, including a licensing and permitting roadmap, to the Legislature by December 31, 2029.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of Governor Gavin Newsom, Neutron Bytes
California requires assignees to name the original party in case titles
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 932 on September 30, 2026, adding Code of Civil Procedure section 369.6. From January 1, 2027, an assignee who has been assigned rights in a proceeding by the original real party in interest must identify that assignor and original real party in interest in the title of the case on the first document the assignee files in the proceeding.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of Governor Gavin Newsom
Delaware bars employer retaliation for skipping meetings on politics, religion, or union views
Delaware Governor Matt Meyer signed House Substitute 1 for House Bill 84 on September 30, adding Section 711B to Title 19 of the Delaware Code. The law makes it an unlawful employment practice to discharge or discipline employees who decline employer-sponsored meetings or communications conveying the employer's views on political or religious matters, including unionization. Employees who skip such meetings during work time must still be paid. The Department of Labor received investigation, rulemaking, and civil-action authority.
Delaware governor signs SB 249 creating licensed harm reduction program framework
Delaware Governor Matt Meyer signed Senate Bill 249 on September 30, 2026, as 85 Del. Laws ch. 536, effective on signing. It adds Chapter 48 to Title 16, letting the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health license harm reduction programs under evidence-based regulations. Programs must offer sterile supplies, drug-checking equipment, opioid antagonists and disease screening, and personal possession of drug paraphernalia is decriminalized.
Enrolled text (Delaware General Assembly) → · State of Delaware News
Missouri governor signs EO 26-19 letting farm haulers use dyed diesel and heavier loads
Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe signed Executive Order 26-19 on September 30, 2026, declaring a state of emergency and suspending enforcement of the motor fuel restrictions in Section 142.932, RSMo, so vehicles used strictly for agricultural purposes may run on dyed diesel on state highways and local roads, but not interstates. Six-axle farm combinations may carry up to 90,000 pounds. The relief runs through October 30.
Text (Missouri Secretary of State) → · Office of Governor Mike Kehoe, Missouri Farm Bureau
California's SB 876 requires home insurers to offer 50% extended replacement cost and doubles emergency claim penalties from 2028
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 876 (Chapter 656, Statutes of 2026) on September 27. Starting January 1, 2028, insurers may not issue or renew a residential property policy without offering extended replacement cost coverage of at least 50% above the dwelling limit, must assign a primary point of contact on emergency claims within 30 days, and face civil penalties of up to $10,000 per act, or $20,000 if willful, for unfair practices tied to a state of emergency.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · CalMatters
Florida Cabinet approves designating CAIR, antifa and Muslim Brotherhood as domestic terrorist organizations
Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet on Sept. 29, 2026, approved the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's designation of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, including CAIR-Florida, antifa and the Muslim Brotherhood as domestic terrorist organizations under HB 1471, Chapter 2026-28. CAIR's lawyers, including the ACLU, said they would seek an emergency order to stop the designations, which they said take effect Nov. 5.
Text (Florida Department of Law Enforcement) → · The Florida Senate, American Civil Liberties Union of Florida
Education Department repeals 2024 Title IX rule and recodifies prior text
The Education Department published a final rule repealing its 2024 Title IX regulations and recodifying the text that existed before the 2024 rulemaking at 34 CFR part 106. The department said the 2024 rule was vacated nationwide and had not been enforced for over a year and a half. The rule omits four obsolete provisions, including a sentence vacated by Victim Rights Law Center v. Cardona. It took effect September 29, 2026.
SBA removes affirmative action and disparate-impact provisions from Title VI rules
The Small Business Administration published a final rule rescinding provisions of its Title VI regulations (13 CFR part 112) that authorized or required affirmative action by SBA program applicants and recipients. The rule also removes references to employment practices and drops disparate-impact coverage, stating the regulations prohibit only intentional discrimination. SBA cited a December 2025 DOJ Title VI revision and Executive Order 14281. The rule took effect September 29, 2026.
Law roundup: seven FAA airworthiness directives, IRS and HUD fee changes, Nebraska harvest weight relief
Sixteen federal rules and notices published September 24 to 28, plus one Nebraska executive order. They include seven FAA airworthiness directives and new IFR altitudes, an IRS estate tax closing letter fee rising from $56 to $76, a 1.05% HUD Section 108 guarantee fee for fiscal 2027, PHMSA's adoption of ASME Section XII for transport tanks, FTC rules of practice changes, and Nebraska's 90-day, permit-free 25% weight allowance for harvest haulers.
Entries (State of Nebraska, Office of the Governor) → · Federal Register
State law roundup: 20 California laws on licensing, EV charging, elections and welfare, plus Alaska game rules
Twenty California laws signed September 18 to 25 and one Alaska regulation package. California extended three licensing boards to 2031, capped multifamily EV charger permit fees, widened streamlined EV permitting, allowed E15 under existing vapor-control certifications, set in-person vote-by-mail procedures, expanded translated election materials, dropped the CalWORKs 100-hour work test and will revoke licenses for six years after an injury DUI with four prior convictions. Alaska's archery and predator-control rules took effect September 23.
Entries (Alaska Online Public Notices) → · California Legislative Information
Federal law roundup: softwood lumber assessment, NHTSA target waiver, Access Board FOIA rules
Three federal final rules were published September 22 and 23. USDA clarified that the softwood lumber assessment of $0.41 per thousand board feet applies on a nominal count and added a U.S. South seat to the Softwood Lumber Board, effective October 22. NHTSA waived, for fiscal year 2027 only, the requirement that states' common highway safety targets match FHWA's. The Access Board replaced its FOIA regulations with a new 36 CFR part 1120.
California requires human fallback for customer-service chatbots at large businesses
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1609 on September 28, 2026. Large businesses with over $500 million in annual national revenue may not present a customer-service chatbot as human and must disclose that it is AI-generated when misdirection is likely. During business hours they must offer a simple way to reach a human agent and make a good-faith effort to connect within 15 minutes or schedule a callback within one business day.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California gives parents remote-meeting option with teachers
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1412 on September 28, 2026, amending Education Code Section 51101. From January 1, 2027, a parent, guardian or educational rights holder who cannot attend an individual meeting about their child in person has the right to communicate with the teacher by telephone or a school-approved web conferencing platform. Such meetings may not be recorded or transcribed, and the school must notify the parent of privacy and confidentiality risks.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California streamlines permits and caps fees for residential heat pumps
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 222 on September 28, 2026, adding Chapter 7.5 to the Government Code as a matter of statewide concern. Cities and counties must offer asynchronous inspections of residential heat pump water heater and HVAC installations by July 1, 2027, cap permit fees at $150 and $200 respectively, and run online real-time automated permitting for qualifying swapouts by July 1, 2028. Plug-in ready window heat pump units rated 120 volts or less need no permit or inspection.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California extends ad-loudness rule to music and podcast streaming
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 96 on September 28, 2026. Effective January 1, 2027, music streaming, podcast streaming, and video streaming services serving California consumers may not transmit commercial advertisements louder than the content they accompany, consistent with FCC regulations under the federal Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act. The bill also clarifies that "video streaming service" includes user-generated video platforms.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California eases library-card rules for 16- and 17-year-olds
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 965 on September 28, 2026, adding Section 18732 to the Education Code. Beginning January 1, 2028, a public library may not require the presence of a parent or guardian to issue a library card to a California resident who is 16 or 17 years old. A library may still require a parent's or guardian's consent or signature unless the minor is emancipated.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California requires youth football leagues to allow soft-shell helmet add-ons
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 708, the California Youth Football Act safety-equipment amendment, on September 28, 2026, adding Section 124241.2 to the Health and Safety Code. Youth tackle-football leagues, organizations and coaches must allow participants to use safety equipment including soft-shell helmet add-ons. Courts may grant injunctive relief for violations, and a prevailing plaintiff who obtains relief is entitled to reasonable attorney's fees and costs. The law takes effect January 1, 2027.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California suspends summer-blend gasoline rule and orders fuel spot-market reports
On September 28, 2026, Governor Gavin Newsom suspended California's seasonal summer-blend gasoline requirement for the remainder of the season and directed state agencies to enable winter-blend gasoline to be manufactured, imported, distributed, and sold immediately, exercising authority under SB 237 (Grayson, 2025). He separately directed the California Energy Commission, consulting CARB and the Division of Petroleum Market Oversight, to publish a regular public spot-market report for gasoline and diesel and to collect information on renewable diesel pricing.
Text (Office of Governor Gavin Newsom) → · Office of the Governor
California protects resident tuition for military dependents after transfer
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1346 on September 28, 2026, amending Education Code Section 68074. A dependent child, stepchild or spouse of an active-duty servicemember who holds resident tuition classification and is granted the right to reenroll at a California public college or university keeps that classification even if the servicemember has been transferred out of state or has retired from active duty. The change takes effect January 1, 2027.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California expands paid family leave for military 'covered active duty'
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2054 on September 28, 2026. It expands the definition of "covered active duty" for paid family leave purposes to include training, nonforeign deployment, and state active duty, effective upon the claims-system changes needed to implement it or by July 1, 2028, whichever comes first.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California grants priority college registration to veteran and GI Bill students
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2203 on September 28, 2026, adding Section 66025.4 to the Education Code. Beginning with the 2028-29 academic year, every California State University campus and community college district campus that runs a priority enrollment system must grant priority registration to students receiving a veteran-dependent fee waiver and to students using federal GI Bill benefits. The University of California is requested to do the same.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California orders performance framework for county veterans service offices
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2219 on September 28, 2026 (Chapter 728, Statutes of 2026). From January 1, 2027, counties must fill a county veterans service officer vacancy within 12 months, and appointees must obtain department accreditation within nine months. The Department of Veterans Affairs must set minimum training requirements, develop a service-capacity and performance framework for county offices, build a statewide work queue by January 1, 2029, and report to the Legislature every three years.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California grants property tax exemption to disabled-veteran homeowners
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 296 on September 28, 2026. For lien dates from January 1, 2027 through December 31, 2031, it exempts 50 percent of the first $1 million in value of the principal residence of a 100 percent disabled veteran, rising to 100 percent for claimants under a household income limit, and extends the exemption to eligible unmarried surviving spouses. As a tax levy, the act took effect immediately.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California creates 'Non-Ultraprocessed Certified' food label standard
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2244 on September 28, 2026 (Chapter 721). It creates a state "Non-Ultraprocessed Certified" food standard: the Department of Public Health must accredit certification agents and create an official seal by June 1, 2029, and qualifying large grocery stores must identify certified products for shoppers.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California requires tobacco retailers to post lung-cancer screening signage
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1124 on September 28, 2026, adding Section 22974.6 to the Business and Professions Code. The State Department of Public Health must make lung-cancer screening awareness signage available free on its website by July 1, 2027, and every tobacco retailer must conspicuously display it at each retail location beginning January 1, 2028. A retailer that fails to display the sign is liable for a $500 civil penalty per offense per location.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
FAA stops single-pilot exemptions for two-pilot Cessna Citation CE-500 jets
The Federal Aviation Administration said it would stop issuing exemptions that let certain Cessna Citation CE-500 aircraft certified for two-pilot crews operate with a single pilot, citing safety concerns and widespread non-compliance found in a review. Current exemption holders face rescission by separate action, and pilots holding logbook endorsements from exempted providers must now fly two-pilot configurations. The policy statement takes effect September 29, 2026.
Text (Federal Register) → · NBAA
New Jersey makes EV charger installations at existing buildings a ministerial permit, barring site plan review
Governor Sherrill signed S-3739 (P.L.2026, c.94) on September 28, 2026. Municipal administrative officers must approve applications to install electric vehicle supply equipment at existing gasoline stations, retail establishments and other existing buildings through a non-discretionary permit, without site plan or land use board review or variance relief. Municipal and county review is limited to specific, identifiable public health or safety impacts supported by substantial evidence. The act took effect immediately and applies to pending applications.
Enrolled text (New Jersey Legislature) → · Office of the Governor
California bans speculative ticket sales and makes sellers liable for double the price of undelivered tickets
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1349 on September 27, 2026, recasting the Business and Professions Code's ticket-seller chapter. The law bans speculative ticket sales, requires resale marketplaces to take reasonable measures to prevent them, and makes sellers who fail to supply a ticket liable for twice its price plus the buyer's nonrefundable expenses. It extends refund duties for canceled or rescheduled events to all seller types and restricts bot purchases. Newsom's signing message asked lawmakers to revisit the resale-marketplace carve-out.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor, CalMatters
California bans marked-up resale of restaurant reservations without the restaurant's written agreement
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1640, the California Restaurant Reservation AntiPiracy Act, on September 27, 2026. It prohibits selling, transferring, or facilitating the sale or transfer of a California restaurant reservation for more than the seller paid, unless the restaurant gave a written agreement expressly authorizing the higher price. The Attorney General, county counsel, or city attorneys may seek up to $1,000 per violation plus injunctive or declaratory relief and attorney's fees.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California bars public officers from issuing meme coins and restricts official-linked listings
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2409 on September 27, 2026. It bars state and local public officers, and public employees with bid or contract decision authority, from issuing meme coins. Digital asset service providers may not list, for California residents, meme coins issued on or after January 1, 2027 that are offered by or with a federal official or a state or local officer. The Attorney General, district attorneys, city attorneys and county counsel may sue for injunctions and disgorgement.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California extends CCPA deletion rights to all data held about a consumer
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 923, the Expanding Privacy Rights Act, on September 27, 2026. Sponsored by the California Privacy Protection Agency, it extends the CCPA deletion right to all non-exempt personal information a business holds about a consumer, whether collected from the consumer or a third party. Businesses may keep a suppression record of the minimum data needed to keep the information deleted. Online-only businesses with a direct consumer relationship must offer a web-based request method.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor, A&O Shearman (JD Supra)
California requires attorney general notice before producing abortion or gender-affirming care records
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1930 on September 26, 2026, as Chapter 468 of the Statutes of 2026. Adding Civil Code section 1798.309, it requires any person or entity served with subpoenas, discovery requests, or other legal-process requests concerning legally protected abortion or gender-affirming care to notify the Attorney General at least seven business days before producing records. The Attorney General may intervene in protective actions and seek injunctions and civil penalties, including $15,000 for a false attestation.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California updates conversion-therapy ban to cover gender-identity change efforts
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 934 on September 26, 2026, as Chapter 469 of the Statutes of 2026. From January 1, 2027, it amends Business and Professions Code sections 865 to 865.2 to redefine the regulated practice as “sexual orientation or gender identity change efforts”. Licensed mental health providers may not seek, during mental health services, to direct a patient under 18 toward a predetermined sexual orientation or gender identity; doing so is unprofessional conduct subject to licensing discipline.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California raises DMV violation points to three for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated
Governor Newsom signed AB 1685 on September 25, 2026. The act amends Vehicle Code sections 1808 and 12810. A conviction for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated with gross negligence will carry three DMV violation points instead of two, and DMV abstracts of such convictions will be disclosed for 10 years from the offense. The point increase becomes operative January 1, 2031.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California makes repeat DUI convictions wobblers carrying up to three years and tightens Good Driver discount eligibility
Governor Newsom signed AB 1546 on September 25, 2026. The act makes repeat DUI convictions wobblers: a DUI within 10 years of two or three prior violations is punishable by 120 days to one year in county jail, or by 16 months, two, or three years under Penal Code section 1170(h), plus fines of $390 to $1,000. With four or more prior violations in 10 years, the offense is a straight felony. The act also amends Good Driver Discount eligibility.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California imposes 3-to-5-year prison terms for hit-and-run drivers with prior DUIs and mandates Watson advisements on pled-down charges
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 907 (Braun's Law) on September 25, 2026. The act amends Vehicle Code sections 20001 and 23635. A hit-and-run driver whose crash kills or seriously injures someone faces three-, four-, or five-year state prison terms when the offense occurred within 10 years of a prior DUI-related conviction. Courts must give the Watson murder advisement when a DUI allegation is dismissed or pled down to a lesser offense. The non-urgency statute takes effect January 1, 2027.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California, CapitolTrack
California makes Native American Day a paid state holiday, contingent on appropriation
California enacted AB 1841 (Chapter 447, Statutes of 2026), amending Government Code sections 19853 and 19853.1 and adding section 19853.3. Upon a future appropriation by the Legislature, the fourth Friday in September, Native American Day, becomes a paid holiday for state employees, replacing the current option to take the day as an elective eight-hour holiday credit. Any state bargaining unit may also negotiate the day as a paid holiday. Signed September 25, 2026, the act takes effect January 1, 2027.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California makes its Office of Tribal Affairs permanent in statute
California enacted AB 2507 (Chapter 449, Statutes of 2026), amending Government Code section 12012.3 to make the Governor’s Office of Tribal Affairs permanent. The statute creates a nine-member Tribal Advisory Committee of tribal chairs, three each from the northern, central and southern regions, and requires state agencies that engage tribal governments to designate a tribal liaison, adopt tribal consultation policies and keep the office informed of liaison appointments. Signed September 25, 2026, it takes effect January 1, 2027.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California requires short-term rental platforms to report listings to tribes on request
California enacted the Short-Term Rental Facilitator Act of 2026 (SB 594, Chapter 456, Statutes of 2026), adding Government Code sections 50997 to 50997.3. Where a federally recognized tribe adopts an ordinance applying the chapter, short-term rental facilitators must, on request, report each listing’s address and nine-digit ZIP code, with parcel numbers and URLs when needed to identify the rental. Tribes may fine non-reporting under tribal law. Signed September 25, 2026, it takes effect January 1, 2027.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California tightens ICWA-style protections in guardianship and conservatorship cases
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1824 on September 25 as part of a Native American legislative package, aligning California guardianship and conservatorship proceedings involving Indian children with Indian Child Welfare Act standards. Courts and petitioners must inquire whether a child is or may be an Indian child, parties seeking placement must show 'active efforts' to prevent family breakup, and placements must follow ICWA placement preferences.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor of California
California exempts tribal contracts from competitive-bidding rules
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2187 on September 25, amending Public Contract Code section 10340 so state agencies may contract with federally recognized California Native American tribes without securing three competitive bids. A tribe fulfilling such an interagency agreement may subcontract with its wholly owned subdivisions or business enterprises if it provides a limited waiver of sovereign immunity and cost justification showing market equivalence.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor of California
California extends nonprofit security grants to offsite events
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1836 (Chapter 441, Statutes of 2026) on September 25, 2026, amending Government Code section 8588.9 to extend the California State Nonprofit Security Grant Program beyond fixed facilities to offsite events hosted by nonprofits at high risk of violent attack or hate crime. Cal OES administers the program, which funds security guards, temporary infrastructure and screening equipment; offsite-event security is capped at $25,000 per grant. The change takes effect January 1, 2027.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor of California
California creates 100-foot buffer zone around houses of worship
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2664 on September 25, adding Penal Code section 594.38, which bars anyone within 100 feet of a house of worship's entrance from intentionally approaching within 8 feet of a person entering or exiting to pass leaflets, display signs, protest, or harass. A first violation is a misdemeanor punishable by up to $1,000 or six months in jail; repeat violations carry up to $5,000 or one year.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor of California
California authorizes nonprofit partnership to operate and fund the California Indian Heritage Center
California enacted AB 1592 (Ramos), authorizing the Department of Parks and Recreation to contract with a 501(c)(3) California Indian Heritage Center support organization to help operate and program the heritage center. The organization may recruit culturally knowledgeable staff, raise private funding, and receive state funds, while a board of up to 25 - at least 51 percent representing California Native American tribes - oversees it. Governor Newsom signed the bill on September 25, 2026; it takes effect January 1, 2027.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California counts tribal colleges as part of public higher education
California enacted AB 1641 (Jackson), amending Education Code section 66010 so that tribal colleges and universities located in California and operated by an Indian tribal government count as part of state public higher education. The bill places tribal colleges alongside the California Community Colleges, California State University, and the University of California in statute. Governor Newsom signed the bill on September 25, 2026; it takes effect January 1, 2027, with the definition continuing under a successor provision in 2030.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California requires transfer and dual-enrollment pathways for tribal college students
California enacted AB 1769 (Ramos), adding Education Code section 66728 to build transfer pathways between tribal colleges and universities in the state and public postsecondary institutions. CSU trustees and community college districts offering baccalaureates must develop articulation agreements and concurrent-enrollment programs for students at tribal colleges; UC regents are asked to do the same. Governor Newsom signed the bill on September 25, 2026; it takes effect January 1, 2027.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California lets up to three tribes' officers serve as state peace officers under DOJ oversight
California enacted AB 31 (Ramos), creating a Tribal Police Program under the Department of Justice and the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. Up to three federally recognized tribes may enroll; officers who complete state peace-officer training are deemed peace officers. Participating tribes must enact tribal laws mirroring state public-records and claims rules, waive sovereign immunity for program suits, and accept Attorney General oversight. Governor Newsom signed the bill on September 25, 2026; it takes effect January 1, 2027.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
Trump signs Hydropower Licensing Transparency Act requiring annual FERC reports
President Trump signed the Hydropower Licensing Transparency Act (H.R. 3657) on September 25, 2026. The law requires the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to report to Congress within 180 days, and annually thereafter, on pending hydropower license applications for which applicants gave at least three years’ notice of intent to apply, listing each docket, its status and the anticipated issuance date. Sponsored by Rep. Kim Schrier, the bipartisan bill took effect on signing; no public law number had yet been assigned.
Enrolled text (GovInfo (U.S. Government Publishing Office)) → · The White House, Congress.gov, Renewable Energy World
Trump signs MAPOceans Act requiring public database of offshore recreation restrictions
President Trump signed the Modernizing Access to Our Public Oceans Act (S. 759) on September 25, 2026. The Secretary of Commerce, through NOAA, must set data standards within 31 months and, within four years, publish on a public website geospatial data identifying U.S. exclusive economic zone areas subject to restrictions on fishing, boating and other recreation, refreshed at least twice a year. The act took effect on signing; no public law number had yet been assigned.
Enrolled text (GovInfo (U.S. Government Publishing Office)) → · The White House, Congress.gov
Nebraska declares fuel emergency, allows untaxed dyed diesel on highways
Governor Jim Pillen signed Executive Order 26-21 on September 24, 2026, declaring a statewide emergency over distillate fuel shortages. For 90 days, registered highway vehicles may hold and use untaxed dyed diesel without state penalty, sales of the fuel to those operators are permitted, the Tax Commissioner must seek IRS penalty relief within three business days, and diesel taxes on Nebraska agricultural hauling are refundable via Form 84AG.
Text (State of Nebraska, Office of the Governor) → · Office of Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen
Nevada lawmakers clear sweeping cannabis rules on delivery, testing, and ads
Nevada's Legislative Commission approved LCB File No. R152-24 on September 24, 2026, completing legislative review of the Cannabis Compliance Board's comprehensive regulation package. The rules raise the per-trip delivery limit to 12.5 ounces and the per-consumer daily home-delivery limit to 2.5 ounces, overhaul testing, advertising, packaging, and disciplinary rules, and strengthen unlicensed-activity enforcement. The regulations take effect once filed with the secretary of state.
Text (Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau) → · The Marijuana Herald
NYC Bar ethics committee says lawyers should not use AI to record calls with non-clients by default
The New York City Bar Association's Committee on Professional Ethics issued Formal Opinion 2026-2 on August 5, 2026, on AI tools that record, transcribe and summarize lawyers' conversations with people who are not clients. It concludes the default should be not to use them absent a good reason, that lawyers must disclose an intended recording and obtain every participant's permission, and that surreptitious recording is barred.
Ohio Board of Professional Conduct issues nonbinding AI ethics guide for lawyers, judges and magistrates
The Ohio Board of Professional Conduct published Artificial Intelligence for Lawyers and Judicial Officers: Ohio Ethics Guide at the Supreme Court of Ohio's request, Court News Ohio reported on June 30, 2026. The nonbinding guide applies the Rules of Professional Conduct and the Code of Judicial Conduct to AI use, covering verification, confidentiality, billing, candor to tribunals and judges' independent decision-making.
Opinion (Ohio Board of Professional Conduct) → · Court News Ohio
Oregon governor orders AI safety standards for state procurement and use
Governor Tina Kotek signed Executive Order 26-26 on September 23, 2026, effective immediately. It sets state policy that Oregon shall seek to purchase, contract for, or use frontier artificial intelligence models that have received independent third-party safety review. The State Chief Information Officer must submit an implementation proposal to the Governor within 90 days, covering a definition of frontier model, standards for adequate third-party review, and evaluation of a “kill switch” requirement. The Governor reassesses the order every three months.
Text (Office of the Governor of Oregon) → · Office of Oregon Governor Tina Kotek
HHS pauses Exchange registration for new agents and brokers through February 2027
The Department of Health and Human Services published an interim final rule on September 23, 2026 (91 FR 60317, CMS-9872-IFC) codifying CMS authority to impose temporary moratoria on Exchange agent and broker registration, and immediately paused Plan Year 2027 registration on the federally facilitated Exchanges for agents and brokers without Plan Year 2026 agreements. The moratorium took effect September 22, 2026 and runs through February 1, 2027 unless CMS lifts, extends or modifies it; comments are due November 21, 2026.
Text (Federal Register) → · Federal Register (full text)
Seattle council passes ban on algorithmic personalized grocery pricing, awaiting mayor's signature
The Seattle City Council passed Council Bill 121267 by 7-2 on September 22, 2026, adding a Fair Pricing and Transparency chapter (SMC 7.35) that bars grocery businesses with 20 or more locations, mixed-use retailers and delivery services from setting prices based on tracking or automated analysis of a consumer's personal data. Retailers must disclose discount eligibility criteria and keep records. The bill awaits the mayor's signature and takes effect September 1, 2027.
Text (Seattle City Council (Legistar)) → · Seattle City Council
Illinois governor creates AI Cabinet by executive order to assess AI risks and regulatory options
Governor JB Pritzker signed Executive Order 2026-07 on September 22, 2026, effective on filing that day, creating the Illinois Artificial Intelligence Cabinet. The Governor must appoint academic and expert members within 30 days; senior leaders of DoIT, IEMA-OHS, IDFPR, ICC, ISP, IDPH and IEPA sit on it. Members develop AI incident-response and infrastructure-protection policies and evaluate conditioning data-center incentives on safety standards, AI-safety procurement requirements, and whether existing legal remedies suffice for AI-caused harm. It sunsets by December 31, 2027.
Text (Office of the Governor of Illinois) → · Office of the Illinois Governor (newsroom)
Illinois creates AI Cabinet to advise on incident response and safety policy
Gov. JB Pritzker signed Executive Order 2026-07 on September 22, creating the Illinois Artificial Intelligence Cabinet, a cross-sector group that advises state government on AI incident preparedness, safeguards for public assets and infrastructure, and further AI safety and accountability policy. The unpaid cabinet studies data-center effects on the grid and ratepayers, procurement standards, and strict-liability options; members will be named in coming weeks.
Text (Gov. Pritzker Newsroom) → · Capitol City Now
California requires the state air board to post landfill methane temperature and monitoring data online
AB 2674 (Chapter 406), approved September 20, added Section 39732 to the Health and Safety Code, requiring the State Air Resources Board to post on its website the temperature and monitoring data it receives regarding methane emissions from landfills. Legislative findings cite the board's 2010 landfill methane regulations and state that public posting increases trust and transparency and helps nearby communities protect themselves.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California reenacts conditional-exemption rules for small-quantity hazardous waste treatment
AB 2776 (Chapter 408), approved September 20, reenacted Health and Safety Code Section 25201.5 governing generators that treat small quantities of hazardous waste under a conditional exemption or permit-by-rule. The section keeps the 500-pound or 55-gallon monthly threshold, requires 60-day advance notice to the department or CUPA, three years of onsite records, and unit decontamination on closure.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California broadens the Gambling Control Commission attorney seat to regulatory or gaming law experience
AB 2793 (Chapter 409), approved September 20, amended Business and Professions Code Sections 19800 and 19812 so that the attorney seat on the five-member California Gambling Control Commission requires 'regulatory or gaming law experience' rather than only 'regulatory law experience.' The commission's structure, party-balance cap, and cooling-off rules for gambling-establishment employment were unchanged.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California keeps securities fee schedule funding the Financial Protection Fund
AB 2795 (Chapter 410), approved September 20, restated Corporations Code Section 25608, the fee schedule the Commissioner of Financial Protection and Innovation charges for securities filings, broker-dealer and investment adviser certificates, examinations, and hearings. All fees collected under the section go to the Financial Protection Fund.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California lets gift-certificate issuers sell sub-$15 printed stock through 2028 with point-of-sale notice
SB 1078 (Chapter 420), approved September 20, added Civil Code Section 1749.52, letting gift-certificate issuers sell through December 31, 2028, certificates printed with a cash-redemption threshold lower than the statutory amount, if the certificates were manufactured or printed before April 1, 2026. Issuers must post a notice in at least 24-point font at each point of sale stating that certificates with cash value under fifteen dollars are redeemable in cash.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California sets 48-month expiration for approved tentative subdivision maps
SB 1169 (Chapter 423), approved September 20, rewrote Government Code Section 66452.6 so that an approved or conditionally approved tentative subdivision map expires 48 months after approval, plus any local-ordinance extension of up to 36 months. Where the subdivider must spend at least $236,790 on offsite public improvements, each phased final-map filing extends expiration by 48 months, up to 10 years from approval.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California caps retention on public architecture and engineering contracts at 5 percent
SB 1205 (Chapter 424), approved September 20, added Public Contract Code Section 7204, capping retention on design-bid-build contracts and amendments entered on or after January 1, 2027, between a public entity and an architecture or engineering firm at 5 percent. Withheld retention must be released within 60 days after the firm's services are complete, regardless of project completion. Higher retention requires a pre-bid substantially-complex finding.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California lets officers and code enforcement boot vehicles of repeat illegal dumpers with delinquent fines
SB 1218 (Chapter 425), approved September 20, added Vehicle Code Section 22651.10, authorizing peace officers and salaried code-enforcement employees to immobilize a vehicle on a highway or public lands when the registered owner has five or more delinquent illegal-dumping violation notices, or two or more delinquent commercial-quantity dumping notices. Release requires identification, proof of payment or an active payment plan, and current registration.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California requires estate representatives to notify the child-support agency of a decedent's death
SB 1264 (Chapter 427), approved September 20, added subdivision (e) to Probate Code Section 9202, requiring a general personal representative or estate attorney with actual knowledge of a court-ordered child support obligation to notify the Director of the Department of Child Support Services within 90 days after letters are first issued. The duty applies to estates where letters are first issued on or after January 1, 2027.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California authorizes instructional alcohol tasting events under new tied-house exception rules
SB 1273 (Chapter 428), approved September 20, amended Business and Professions Code Section 25503.56, the tied-house exception for instructional tasting events on qualifying off-sale premises. Authorized licensees may conduct consumer tastings of wine, beer, or distilled spirits with per-person caps — one-fourth ounce for spirits, one ounce for wine, eight ounces of beer per day — and no charge may be made.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California exempts day care centers in residential areas from CEQA review
SB 299 (Chapter 413), approved September 20, added Section 21080.68 to the Public Resources Code, exempting from the California Environmental Quality Act any project consisting exclusively of a day care center located in a residential area. Existing law already exempted day care centers outside residential areas. The exemption excludes projects within 3,200 feet of active oil or gas extraction or refining facilities and projects on natural and protected lands.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California extends battery producer stewardship to medium-format batteries with per-county collection minimums
SB 501 (Chapter 414), approved September 20, amended the Responsible Battery Recycling Act of 2022's stewardship-plan requirements in Public Resources Code Section 42422.1, extending the extended-producer-responsibility program to medium-format batteries. Plans must provide free-at-drop-off collection in every county: at least 10 sites per county or one per 15,000 people for small format, and at least five sites per county or one per 30,000 people in larger counties for medium format.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California directs its air board to build a hydrogen sulfide response framework for unregulated sources
SB 58 (Chapter 411), approved September 20, added Section 41514.7 to the Health and Safety Code, directing the State Air Resources Board to develop a response framework for fugitive and natural sources of hydrogen sulfide gas. The board must consult local air districts, health and emergency agencies, tribes, and community organizations, hold at least three public workshops, and estimate implementation resources.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California requires body-worn camera policies to add a patient-footage redaction procedure by July 2027
SB 691 (Chapter 416), approved September 20, added subdivision (c) to Penal Code Section 832.18, requiring every law enforcement agency with a body-worn camera policy to add, by July 1, 2027, a procedure letting emergency service personnel request redaction — before any public release — of recordings showing a patient receiving medical or psychological evaluation, procedure, or treatment. Redaction may include blurring patient care and muting audio.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
Sacramento County and five cities must form a joint powers authority for housing and homelessness by January 2028
SB 802 (Chapter 417), approved September 20, enacted the Sacramento Regional Housing and Homelessness Joint Powers Authority Act, requiring Sacramento County and the cities of Sacramento, Elk Grove, Rancho Cordova, Citrus Heights, and Folsom to establish a joint powers authority by January 1, 2028. The authority assumes oversight of the Sacramento City and County Continuum of Care, sets system performance goals, and coordinates prevention, outreach, shelter, and housing programs.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California requires qualifying cities and counties to offer remote building inspections for specified residential work
AB 1738 (Chapter 271), approved September 18, added Section 17970.9 to the Health and Safety Code, requiring California cities and counties to offer homeowners and their contractors the option of remote building inspections for specified residential work, including heat-pump installations, reroofs, small photovoltaic systems, and smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors. Larger agencies must comply by January 1, 2028; small agencies that issue remote inspections by July 1, 2028.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California orders utility-rate review so data centers bear grid costs
SB 1168 (Chapter 440), signed September 21, requires the Public Utilities Commission, in a new or existing proceeding, to assess rate-structure opportunities ensuring data centers pay a reasonable share of transmission and distribution costs, their proportionate share of load increases and procurements, consistent with integrated resource planning. The review must also alleviate cost pressures on residential ratepayers, including CARE and FERA program customers.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California conditions data-center CEQA streamlining on zero-carbon power, water, and community terms
SB 887 (Chapter 439), signed September 21, added data centers to California's environmental leadership development project program under the California Environmental Quality Act, opening a path to expedited judicial review. To qualify, a project must prepay interconnection costs, add no fossil fuel use, install four-hour zero-carbon storage at peak demand, use recycled or waterless cooling, reach 100 percent zero-carbon electricity within five years, and sign an enforceable community benefits agreement.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California assigns data centers interconnection, transmission-upgrade, and stranded-cost risks
SB 886, the California Technology Innovation and Ratepayer Protection Act (Chapter 438), signed September 21, directs the Public Utilities Commission to establish interconnection and service tariffs for large data centers by January 1, 2028. Tariffs must prevent stranded costs and cost shifts to other customers, assign transmission upgrade costs to the data center, impose early termination fees for departures within ten years, and require utilities to publish maps of low-upgrade interconnection sites.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California folds data-center demand into urban water-shortage planning
AB 2619 (Chapter 437), signed September 21, adds data-center electricity demand to the factors shaping urban water-shortage contingency planning. Urban water suppliers must incorporate the unconstrained demand of data centers, irrigation, and other large users into their annual water supply and demand assessments, weighing weather, growth, and supply-management policies for the current year and one dry year against available supply, infrastructure constraints, and shortage response actions.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California conditions data-center approvals on water-supply and workforce disclosures
AB 2469 (Chapter 436), signed September 21, bars cities and counties from approving permits for data-center construction or water-use-increasing expansions unless the applicant supplies a water supply assessment, a water scarcity plan beginning in 2028, projected water use and efficiency measures, and workforce disclosures. Applicants must bear the full cost of required water infrastructure improvements. Meeting the conditions does not obligate the locality to approve the project.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California requires data-center tariffs that prevent ratepayer cost shifts
AB 2383 (Chapter 435), signed September 21, requires the Public Utilities Commission to order electrical corporations to file transmission, distribution, and generation tariffs for data centers that keep incremental costs off other ratepayers. Community choice aggregators and electric service providers must adopt equivalent generation tariffs by January 1, 2028. The tariffs must run at least ten years, with upfront collateral, minimum payments tied to projected load, and early termination fees.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California requires large data centers to report energy and operating metrics
AB 1577 (Chapter 434), signed September 21, requires owners or operators of data centers with at least 10 megawatts of electrical capacity to report energy and operating data to the California Energy Commission at energization and annually thereafter. The commission must publish the data in anonymized, aggregated form on its website and assess data-center electricity load trends in its biennial Integrated Energy Policy Report beginning in 2029.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California authorizes incentive payments for recycled beverage-container materials
AB 2481 (Chapter 403), signed September 20, adds Public Resources Code section 14549.1, authorizing CalRecycle, subject to available funds, to pay quality incentive payments per beverage-container material type: up to $60 per ton for color-sorted glass used to make glass beverage containers in California, up to $30 per ton for other glass products, up to $180 per ton for resin-sorted plastic, and up to $125 per ton for clean aluminum. Only one payment per container is allowed.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California lets localities authorize official-duty OHV use on highways
AB 2453 (Chapter 400), signed September 20, adds Vehicle Code section 21100(p), authorizing local authorities to regulate off-highway motor vehicle operation by peace officers and first responders on highways within their jurisdiction during official duties. The locality must adopt a publicly reviewed policy or plan posted on its website, limiting highway operation to five miles for accessing off-highway areas or patrol locations and specifying activities, timeframes, and required training and safety equipment.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California raises county pest-control registration fee caps
AB 2380 (Chapter 397), signed September 20, raises the maximum total registration fee for a pest control business to register in its home county from $25 to $75, with a $50 maximum for an additional county. It also raises the maximum fees for pest control aircraft pilots, pest control advisers, and Structural Pest Control Board registered companies in their home and additional counties, including fumigation registration and fees for adding operators and field representatives.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California requires electronic funds transfer for alcohol wholesale payments
AB 2375 (Chapter 396), signed September 20, requires licensed retailers' payments to licensed wholesalers for beer, wine, or distilled spirits to be made by wholesaler-initiated electronic funds transfer, received no later than 30 days after delivery. Cash, check, or money order is allowed only in specified cases such as failed transfers or temporary permits. Each party pays its own processing costs, and retailers may not accept rebates or incentives from the wholesaler's chosen processor.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California extends Broomrape Program to 2030 and revises weed funding
AB 2326 (Chapter 395), signed September 20, extends the Broomrape Program in the Department of Food and Agriculture by two years to July 1, 2030, and expands assessed commodities from processing tomatoes to any broomrape-impacted commodity the secretary specifies. It revises Noxious Weed Management Account rules so the 60 percent control-and-abatement share goes only to eligible weed management areas, and raises the administration cost cap from 10 to 25 percent. The bill appropriates continuously appropriated funds.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California grants Martinez tidelands under public-trust conditions
AB 2312 (Chapter 394), signed September 20, grants tidelands trust lands to the City of Martinez to hold as trustee for maritime and water-dependent commerce, navigation, fisheries, scientific study, open space, wildlife habitat, and water-oriented recreation. The city may not alienate the lands and may lease them for up to 66 years at fair rent, with longer terms requiring State Lands Commission approval. The state reserves highway use, public fishing rights, and archaeological, historical, and mineral deposits.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California directs PUC to weigh consolidating load-serving-entity plans by 2030
AB 2266 (Chapter 389), signed September 20, requires the Public Utilities Commission, by January 1, 2030, to consider consolidating the procurement plans load-serving entities file under specified provisions into a single plan. Where feasible, the commission must consolidate compliance reporting for reliability requirements and explain in a decision or ruling if consolidation is not feasible. Commission-issued reporting templates must be final at least 30 business days before reports are due.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California accepts verified e-signatures for mobilehome lien releases from 2028
AB 2174 (Chapter 386), signed September 20, requires the department, beginning January 1, 2028, to accept verified electronic signatures — digital signatures meeting Government Code section 16.5 attributes — on documents releasing or satisfying a legal owner's security interest in manufactured homes, mobilehomes, commercial coaches, truck campers, and floating homes, with the same force as an original signature. The 120-day escrow moratorium on competing title-record amendments is retained.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California requires naloxone video training where employers mandate CPR
AB 2150 (Chapter 384), signed September 20, requires California employers that mandate CPR certification training to also require an Emergency Medical Services Authority-approved online video module on naloxone use, at the employer's cost. The training covers overdose recognition, response actions, and proper administration of naloxone or other FDA-approved opioid antagonists. It creates no independent duty to administer naloxone and sets a floor other agencies may exceed.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California bars drones within 400 feet of ticketed events and amusement parks
AB 2113 (Chapter 383), signed September 20, makes it unlawful to operate an unmanned aircraft within 400 feet of an outdoor ticketed entertainment event or an amusement park. A covered event is a professional music, sporting, or performing arts event at a gated venue with capacity of 1,000 or more not subject to FAA restrictions. Exemptions cover venue consent, official business, and emergency responders. Violations are infractions punishable by a $500 fine.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California orders long-range, risk-prudent renewable transmission planning
AB 2111, the Accelerating Renewable Energy Delivery Act (Chapter 382), signed September 20, requires the Public Utilities Commission, consulting the Energy Commission, to give the Independent System Operator transmission-focused guidance on portfolios of expected renewable and zero-carbon resources. The commission must submit at least three risk-prudent, near-term resource portfolios spanning plausible futures and request approval of transmission projects it finds reasonable, with projections covering at least 20 years.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California authorizes workforce-housing infrastructure financing districts
AB 2110, the Workforce Housing Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Act (Chapter 381), signed September 20, lets cities and counties form workforce housing enhanced infrastructure financing districts under an infrastructure financing plan reviewed every ten years. Every financed development must reserve all units for public safety, education, health care, or manufacturing personnel, with at least 70 percent for lower income households. Bonds require a two-thirds vote of district voters.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California requires bars to offer drink-testing devices and post notices
AB 1982 (Chapter 377), signed September 20, requires applicants for and holders of Type 48 on-sale general public premises licenses to offer customers drug testing devices, such as strips or straws that detect controlled substances in drinks, at no more than a reasonable wholesale-based price. Licensees must post a prescribed notice about drink lids and test kits in a prominent location. Violations are not crimes, and licensees are shielded from liability for defective tests or inaccurate results.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California requires utilities to report taxpayer funding and pass savings to ratepayers
AB 1715 (Chapter 372), signed September 20, requires each electrical or gas corporation to file quarterly reports with the Public Utilities Commission on taxpayer funding of $1 million or more from federal programs including the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Inflation Reduction Act, or CHIPS Act. Reports must detail sources, spending plans, and expected ratepayer savings. The commission must require utilities to pass funding benefits through to ratepayers via rate adjustments. The reporting duty ends January 1, 2037.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California sets protest and election rules for Santa Fe Springs water-utility sale
AB 1712 (Chapter 371) authorizes Santa Fe Springs to sell its public water utility for consolidation with a bordering public water system when the council finds public ownership is not in the public interest. Conditions include fair market value and a four-fifths council vote. A 45-day protest period follows; protests by 10 percent of interested persons trigger a majority-vote election, and 50 percent or more bars the sale for a year. The act is repealed January 1, 2032.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California makes financial-institution staff mandated reporters of elder financial abuse
AB 871 (Chapter 360), signed September 20, makes every officer and employee of a financial institution a mandated reporter of suspected financial abuse of an elder or dependent adult. Reports go immediately by phone or confidential internet tool, and in writing within two working days, to adult protective services or law enforcement, plus a report to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center. Institutions face civil penalties up to $1,000, or $5,000 if willful. The duties take effect January 1, 2028.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California extends rural organic-waste exemptions and credits biomethane
AB 643 (Chapter 358), signed September 20, extends rural exemptions from organic-waste collection and procurement requirements to January 1, 2037, renewable in five-year increments. By January 1, 2027, CalRecycle must let jurisdictions count pipeline biomethane converted from landfill-diverted organic waste toward recovered organic waste procurement targets. The law also expands countable procurement to vermicomposting, mushroom compost, tree-trimming mulch, and limited edible food recovery.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California extends endangered-species take permits to species proposed for listing
AB 550 (Chapter 357), signed September 20, authorizes the Department of Fish and Wildlife to permit incidental take of species proposed for listing under the California Endangered Species Act, expanding a program previously limited to listed and candidate species. The governor's release describes the measure as covering take associated with renewable electrical generation facilities. Permits require minimized and fully mitigated impacts with adequate funding, plus a no-jeopardy determination based on best available science.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California requires landfill heat monitoring with $100,000 daily penalties
AB 28 (Chapter 356), signed September 20, requires landfill owners and operators to notify CalRecycle, water boards, air agencies, and local enforcement bodies upon a subsurface elevated temperature event, defined as subsurface temperatures persistently over 131 degrees Fahrenheit, and to implement mitigation including a corrective action plan. CalRecycle may assume enforcement, recover its costs, and impose administrative civil penalties up to $100,000 per day. The law creates a continuously appropriated community mitigation fund.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
Michigan bans price optimization in auto insurance rates under 2026 PA 98
Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Senate Bill 1013 on September 21, 2026, prohibiting insurers from using price optimization in no-fault auto insurance rating. The law adds MCL 500.2027a and was assigned Public Act 98 of 2026 with immediate effect. It codifies a 2024 Department of Insurance and Financial Services bulletin barring willingness-to-pay pricing in auto insurance.
Enrolled text (Michigan Legislature) → · Office of Governor Gretchen Whitmer
Michigan bans property and casualty insurers from price optimization in ratemaking
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed Senate Bill 1013 on September 21, 2026, now 2026 Public Act 98, effective immediately. It adds section 2027a to the Insurance Code (MCL 500.2027a), making it an unfair or deceptive practice for a property and casualty insurer to use price optimization in ratemaking: charging on an insured's price tolerance through adjustments not actuarially justified and unrelated to risk of loss or expense. The governor's office says it codifies a 2024 DIFS bulletin.
Enrolled text (Michigan Legislature) → · Michigan Executive Office of the Governor
Michigan exempts CMS model arrangements from state anti-kickback law
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed Senate Bill 1052 on September 21, 2026, now 2026 Public Act 97, effective immediately. It amends the Medicaid False Claim Act (MCL 400.604) so that model arrangements and model patient incentives authorized and sponsored by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services do not constitute a kickback or bribe under Michigan's Medicaid anti-kickback provision, which otherwise carries up to four years' imprisonment or a $30,000 fine.
Enrolled text (Michigan Legislature) → · Michigan Executive Office of the Governor
Michigan allows electronic return of rental security deposits
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed Senate Bill 22 on September 21, 2026, now 2026 Public Act 102, effective immediately. It amends the Landlord and Tenant Relationships Act, 1972 PA 348, so a landlord may return a security deposit balance by direct deposit or electronic transfer to a bank account, or to an internet or mobile payment account, instead of a check with the notice of damages. The landlord must deposit the amount within 10 days of mailing the notice.
Enrolled text (Michigan Legislature) → · Michigan Executive Office of the Governor, Detroit Free Press
Michigan requires fee-free rent payment option in every rental agreement
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed Senate Bill 373 on September 21, 2026, now 2026 Public Act 103, effective immediately. It amends MCL 554.633 so that a residential rental agreement may not impose an added charge or fee on every permitted method of paying rent: where more than one method is allowed, at least one must be fee-free. A violating provision is void. The Senate passed the bill 24-12 on July 3 and the House 99-5 on August 25.
Enrolled text (Michigan Legislature) → · Michigan Executive Office of the Governor, Detroit Free Press
California requires large data centers to report energy and operational data to the Energy Commission
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1577 on September 21, 2026, chaptered as Cal. Stats. 2026, ch. 434 and adding Public Resources Code section 25302.10. From January 1, 2027, owners and operators of data centers of at least 10 megawatts must report operational data to the Energy Commission upon energization and after any substantive change. The Commission publishes the data annually in anonymized, aggregated form and adds biennial data-center load assessments to integrated energy policy reports from 2029.
New York sets November RAISE Act registration rollout ahead of January compliance
New York said it would begin directing large frontier AI developers to register in November ahead of the RAISE Act’s January 1, 2027 compliance date. The law established requirements for public safety frameworks, model disclosures and incident reporting, with separate deadlines for imminent physical danger.
Enrolled text (The New York State Senate) → · Governor Kathy Hochul
DEA places diphenidine in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act
The Drug Enforcement Administration placed diphenidine (1-(1,2-diphenylethyl)piperidine), including its salts, isomers, and salts of isomers, in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act by final rule published September 21, 2026 (91 FR 59695, FR Doc. 2026-19231), effective October 21, 2026. Anyone who manufactures, distributes, imports, exports, researches or possesses the substance becomes subject to Schedule I registration, security and recordkeeping requirements and to administrative, civil and criminal sanctions. The rule implements US obligations under the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances.
State Department rewrites its FOIA and public-access-to-information rules
The Department of State revised its public-access-to-information regulations at 22 CFR part 171, effective October 21, 2026 (FR Doc. 2026-19223), reflecting organizational and procedural changes and the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016. Electronic FOIA and Privacy Act requests for the Information Access Programs Directorate and the Directorate for Passport Services are accepted only via FOIA.gov or the Department's FOIA website. The rule simplifies procedures for describing records sought and points requesters to current component contact information.
California makes litigation-funder control of cases unauthorized practice of law
Governor Newsom signed AB 2305 on September 20, adding Article 7.5 (Business and Professions Code sections 6134 to 6134.14). For contracts entered on or after January 1, 2027, a corporate legal funder that interferes with a substantive litigation decision or controls a litigation function commits the unauthorized practice of law. Litigation practices may not accept funder terms that restrict withdrawal, bar reporting, or penalize resistance; such terms are void. Compliant nonrecourse litigation finance is not impermissible fee sharing.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California requires traction-battery labeling, registration, and fees
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 615 (Chapter 351, Statutes of 2026) on September 20, 2026, adding Part 11 to Division 26 of the Health and Safety Code. Battery suppliers and remanufacturers must register with the Air Resources Board within 90 days of chaptering and update annually. From July 1, 2028, new vehicle traction batteries need a permanent label and remanufacturers must relabel. From July 1, 2029, suppliers pay annual tiered cost-recovery fees; board regulations are due by July 1, 2031.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California permanently requires bars to offer drink-spiking test kits
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1982 on September 20, 2026, removing the January 2027 sunset on California's bar drink-safety law. Type 48 on-sale general public premises must continue offering drug-testing devices for sale at near-wholesale cost, keep them unexpired, and post one of two prescribed notices about drink lids and test kits. Violations are not crimes, and licensees are not liable for defective or inaccurate test results.
California extends criminal-history access to county counsel and red light abatement actions
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2001 (Chapter 378, Statutes of 2026) on September 20, 2026, amending Penal Code section 11105. From January 1, 2027, the Attorney General must furnish state summary criminal history information to city attorneys and county counsel pursuing red light abatement actions, alongside listed actions such as gang injunctions, drug abatement, illegal cannabis, substandard housing and gun violence restraining orders. The Attorney General may also furnish the information to tribal peace officers in other states.
California authorizes workforce-housing tax increment financing districts
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2110 on September 20, 2026, as Chapter 381, enacting the Workforce Housing Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Act. It lets cities and counties establish workforce-housing enhanced infrastructure financing districts funded by tax increment financing. Financed housing must reserve all units for public safety, education, health care, or manufacturing personnel and lower- or moderate-income households, with affordability covenants of 55 years for rentals and 45 for owner-occupied homes. Bonds need two-thirds voter approval; effective January 1, 2027.
California expands postsecondary sexual-harassment definitions to cover sextortion and deepfakes
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2212 on September 20, 2026, adding Education Code section 66262.5 on sexual harassment in postsecondary education. The law defines affirmative consent, sextortion, digitized sexually explicit material, sexual exploitation, sexual violence, and technology-facilitated sexual harassment, and states that sexual harassment of students is a form of sex discrimination. The section becomes operative August 1, 2027.
California bars corporate legal funders from directing litigation decisions
California added Article 7.5 to the Business and Professions Code, making it unauthorized practice of law for a corporate legal funder to interfere with an attorney's or litigant's substantive litigation decisions. Chapter 393, approved September 20, 2026, voids contract terms enabling such control and exposes violators to client suits for $10,000 per violation or treble actual damages. It preserves nonrecourse litigation finance without control over legal judgment.
California grants firefighters 26 weeks of paid postpartum leave
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1024 (Chapter 419, Statutes of 2026) on September 20, 2026, adding Chapter 9.6.1 to the Government Code. From January 1, 2027, city, county, district, CSU and Cal Fire departments must grant active firefighters with 1,250 hours of service in the prior year up to 26 weeks of fully paid leave when disabled by pregnancy, childbirth or a related condition, without requiring them to exhaust sick, vacation or compensatory leave, with benefits continuing.
California conditions zero-emission truck incentive eligibility on manufacturers' pricing-data disclosure
Governor Gavin Newsom approved SB 1213 on September 20, 2026, as Chapter 349, effective January 1, 2027. Beginning January 1, 2027, the State Air Resources Board and the Energy Commission must condition inclusion of any medium- or heavy-duty vehicle model in incentive programs funded by the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, including the Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project, on receipt of the pricing data specified in new Health and Safety Code Section 43216.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California strengthens HOA residents' access to member-owned EV chargers in common areas
Governor Gavin Newsom approved SB 1267 on September 20, 2026, as Chapter 350, effective January 1, 2027. The law amends Civil Code Section 4745 so a homeowner in a common interest development may install an EV charging station in a common area for the owner's exclusive use when installation in a designated parking space is impossible or unreasonably expensive. Associations must authorize installation through a license agreement, and associations or owners may also install shared chargers for all members.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California ends penalty exemption for paid influencers who hide campaign payments
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1130 (Chapter 335, Statutes of 2026) on September 19, 2026, amending Government Code section 84513 to remove the Political Reform Act exemption that shielded paid online political posters from penalties. From January 1, 2027, a person paid by a committee to post political content without the required disclaimer, and the paying committee, are jointly and severally liable for penalties, and the committee must flag the payment as a paid third-party post on its report.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California, TechCrunch, WebProNews
California makes seizing ballots or election records a felony before certification
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 282 on September 19 as an urgency statute, in force immediately. New Elections Code section 18579 makes it a felony, punishable by 16 months or two or three years in custody, to seize, cause, or assist the seizure of ballots, election records, or certified voting technology before results are certified. A person with authority who directs subordinates to seize such materials commits a separate felony punishable by two, three, or four years.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California, Washington Examiner, Unbiased Headlines +1
California rewrites deceptive-campaign-ad rules for the November election
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 502 on September 19 as an urgency statute so it governs the November 3, 2026 general election. The bill rewrites Elections Code section 20012: the ban on knowingly distributing materially deceptive election communications now turns on content material to a voter's electoral decisions or to public confidence in an election's process or outcome, the window narrows from 120 days to 30 days before an election, and disclosures must meet new color and font-size rules.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California, The Nerd Stash
California extends deepfake election-media ban to January 1, 2031
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 686 on September 19. The bill extends the repeal date of Elections Code section 20010, California's prohibition on distributing, with actual malice, materially deceptive audio or visual media of a candidate within 60 days of an election, from January 1, 2027 to January 1, 2031. Media that discloses it was manipulated is exempt; candidates keep injunctive and damages remedies through 2030.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California, The Nerd Stash
California expands Voting Rights Act to bar voter-suppression policies
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1164 (Chapter 338, Statutes of 2026) on September 19, 2026, revising the California Voting Rights Act of 2001. From January 1, 2027, no political subdivision or state agency may implement, impose or enforce an election policy or practice that results in, or is likely to result in, voter suppression, and no political subdivision may use a method of election that dilutes the vote of a protected class, defined as any race, color or language-minority group.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California requires governor's permission for out-of-state military entry
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed SB 1354 (Chapter 329, Statutes of 2026) on September 19. New Military and Veterans Code section 570 bars military personnel of another state, territory, or district from entering California, or causing something to enter, to perform military duty or law-enforcement functions for another state without the governor's permission. Personnel in active federal service under Title 10, military compacts entered before January 1, 2027, and training exercises are exempt.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California, EIN Presswire
California bars law enforcement arrests within 200 feet of polling places through 2029
Governor Newsom signed SB 884, the Protect Our Polls Act, on September 19 as an urgency statute. New Elections Code Chapter 5 (from section 400) bars arrests within 200 feet of a polling place on election day except for crimes against persons or property or disruption of the polling place, requires ballot drop-off locations to open 30 days before an election, and lets counties widen the electioneering ban to 200 feet, for elections from November 2026 through 2029.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California, Washington Examiner, Unbiased Headlines
California requires one-day notice to state officials of law-enforcement probes into election records
Governor Newsom signed AB 1664 (Chapter 336) on September 19, 2026, as an urgency statute effective immediately. New Elections Code Section 23 requires a local agency, political subdivision or elections official to notify the Secretary of State and Attorney General within one calendar day of learning of a warrant, subpoena or law-enforcement investigation involving election records or certified voting technology. Either official may intervene in court to challenge it. The section is repealed January 1, 2030.
California creates a tax credit for film and television post-production work performed in the state
Governor Gavin Newsom approved AB 2319 on September 19, 2026, creating a new California tax credit for post-production of qualified motion pictures. The credit equals 35% of qualified editorial post-production expenditures for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2027, with per-project caps of $6 million for non-visual-effects work and $6 million for visual effects, plus uplifts for out-of-Los-Angeles-zone work, music scoring, and in-state principal photography.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor of California
California narrows election deepfake ban to 30 days before a vote and lets depicted people sue
AB 502, approved September 19, 2026, as Chapter 333, amends Elections Code section 20012. Knowingly distributing materially deceptive content about candidates, elections officials or voting equipment with malice is prohibited within 30 days before an election, replacing the prior 120-day window, and through 38 days after for officials and equipment. The person depicted, rather than any recipient, may seek an injunction and damages. The urgency statute took effect on signing.
California extends its election deepfake law to 2031
AB 686, approved September 19, 2026, as Chapter 334, Statutes of 2026, amends Elections Code section 20010 and Code of Civil Procedure section 35 to extend the repeal date of California's deceptive-media election law from January 1, 2027, to January 1, 2031. The law bars distributing, with actual malice, materially deceptive audio or visual media of a candidate within 60 days of an election, and lets candidates seek injunctive relief, damages and attorney's fees.
California extends film credit carryforward to 15 years and raises refunds to 95 percent under SB 186
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 186, a budget trailer bill, on September 19, 2026, as Chapter 344 of the Statutes of 2026, effective immediately. It extends the carryforward period for motion picture credits 2.0 and 3.0 from 9 to 15 years. It raises the refundable amount under motion picture credit 4.0 from 90 to 95 percent, payable over two years, and, for taxable years from January 1, 2027, exempts sold credits from the $5 million business credit limit.
Trump signs Graham sanctions act authorizing up to 500% tariffs on Russian imports
President Donald Trump signed H.R. 5334, the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, on September 18. The law authorizes tariffs of up to 500% on Russian goods and up to 100% on goods from leading buyers of Russian oil and gas, bans U.S. purchases of Russian sovereign debt, and extends the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 to 2031, with tariff decisions due 30 days after enactment.
Enrolled text (GovInfo (U.S. Government Publishing Office)) → · The White House, New York Post, The Fuse +1
California restricts "reef safe" marketing claims on sunscreen products
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1744 (Chapter 272, Statutes of 2026) on September 18, 2026, adding Business and Professions Code section 17580.7. From January 1, 2027, no one may represent in advertising or on the label or container of a sunscreen product sold in California that it is “reef safe,” “reef friendly,” “ocean safe” or similar unless the product contains no chemical ultraviolet filters such as oxybenzone or octinoxate. Violations are misdemeanors; the rule covers FDA-regulated over-the-counter sunscreens.
California shifts bond filings from county recorders to county clerks starting in 2028
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1828 (Chapter 275, Statutes of 2026) on September 18, 2026. From January 1, 2028, bond filings for legal document assistants, unlawful detainer assistants, process servers, professional copiers and notaries public move from county recorders to county clerks. Clerks must retain each bond for at least six years (ten for notaries), issue the registrant one certified copy as official proof, and the $7 filing fee gives way to a fee set under Government Code Section 54985.
California regulates sequential repayment of retirement-community entrance fees
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1983 (Chapter 281, Statutes of 2026) on September 18, 2026, amending Health and Safety Code sections 1771, 1788 and 1788.4. From January 1, 2027, a continuing care retirement community offering repayable in sequential order contracts must keep a repayment account, number each terminated contract and repay them in that order from later entrance fees. Contracts must disclose the average and longest wait between termination and repayment over the past five years.
California exempts stationary engineers from standard meal-period rules under qualifying union contracts
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2078 on September 18, 2026, adding stationary engineers who perform building-maintenance work to the categories of employees exempt from California's standard meal-period rules. The exemption applies only when the worker is covered by a valid collective bargaining agreement that provides meal periods, final and binding arbitration of meal-period disputes, premium overtime pay, and a regular rate at least 30 percent above the state minimum wage.
California raises county recorder fees and mandates electronic recording systems
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2224 (Chapter 292, Statutes of 2026) on September 18, 2026, revising county recorder fee law from January 1, 2027. Recording and indexing fees rise to $15 for the first page and $4 per additional page, capped at reasonable costs, and recorders collecting the fee must implement an electronic recording delivery system. The act repeals nonconforming-page surcharges and per-name indexing fees, removes the 2027 sunset on electronic-recording contracts, and extends electronic recording to all document types.
California raises farm labor contractor surety bonds by payroll tier
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2227 (Chapter 294, Statutes of 2026) on September 18, 2026, amending Labor Code sections 1683 and 1684. From January 1, 2027, licensed farm labor contractors must post a $50,000 surety bond for payrolls up to $500,000, $100,000 for payrolls of $500,000 to $2 million and $150,000 above $2 million, double the previous tiers, deposited at first registration or first annual renewal. The Labor Commissioner must publish bond details on its public license database.
California adds email and text notice to 60-day warning of health plan provider-contract terminations
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2613 (Chapter 306, Statutes of 2026) on September 18, amending Health and Safety Code section 1373.65. From January 1, 2027, health plans must send the existing 60-day notice of a provider-group or hospital contract termination by email or text, as well as mail, to enrollees who opted in. If plan and provider later reach agreement, the plan must notify enrollees by mail and electronically within 10 business days of DMHC approval.
California accepts RPR certification for the shorthand-reporter skill exam and extends remote court-reporting pilot
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2783 on September 18, 2026, as an urgency statute. The act lets successful completion of the National Court Reporters Association's Registered Professional Reporter certification satisfy the Dictation/Transcription skill portion of California's certified shorthand reporter examination. It also extends the remote court-reporting pilot in 13 participating superior courts through July 1, 2028.
California conforms background-check rules across licensed occupations and adds refingerprinting requirements
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2796 on September 18, 2026, as an urgency statute. The act conforms criminal-history background-check requirements across firearms permits, education contractors, massage professionals, professional fiduciaries, tax preparers, humane officers, financial-sector workers, escrow agents, care facilities, and certain Medi-Cal providers. It includes an FBI-authorization fallback and requires subsequent-notification refingerprinting under Penal Code Section 11105.2.
California widens tied-house shelf-service exception to wine and spirits in containers of 500 milliliters or less
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 744 on September 18, 2026, as Chapter 265 of the Statutes of 2026, effective January 1, 2027. It amends Business and Professions Code section 25503.2, the tied-house exception that lets manufacturers and wholesalers stack, rotate, inventory and service their brands at off-sale retail premises with the retailer's permission. The exception, previously limited to beer and single-serve wine and spirits, will cover beer and wine or distilled spirits in containers of 500 milliliters or less.
California bans public sale of large nitrous oxide containers
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 936 (Chapter 317, Statutes of 2026) on September 18, 2026, adding Chapter 10 to Part 15 of Division 104 of the Health and Safety Code. From January 1, 2027, no one may sell or distribute nitrous oxide containers holding more than eight grams or allowing direct inhalation, food-flavoured nitrous oxide, or inhalation devices, subject to medical, dental, culinary, automotive and manufacturing exemptions. Violations are infractions fined $500 to $2,000, with license suspension for repeat offenders.
Federal rules roundup, week to September 18, 2026: 16 Federal Register actions
This week’s roundup gathers 16 federal rules published in the Federal Register on 17 and September 18, 2026: nine FAA actions (six airworthiness directives, two instrument-procedure amendments, one airspace change), two Coast Guard temporary zones, a USDA milk-pricing correction, DHS domestic-sourcing rules for protective equipment, a DOE notice voiding its 2022 manufactured-housing standards, and two State Department ITAR rules, one adding Saudi Arabia and Peru to the major non-NATO ally list. Each item links to its Federal Register entry.
US Judicial Conference AI task force plans fresh generative AI guidance within a year
U.S. Circuit Judge Sidney Thomas said on September 17, 2026 that a 24-member federal judiciary AI task force is preparing further generative AI recommendations for judges within the next year after the Judicial Conference met in Washington. The Administrative Office separately said interim guidance already cautions courts not to delegate core judicial functions to AI and holds users accountable for AI-assisted work.
Text (Reuters) → · U.S. Courts, Law360
Trump signs Prison Staff Safety Enhancement Act directing national BOP assault standards
President Donald Trump signed the Prison Staff Safety Enhancement Act (S. 307) into law on September 16, 2026. The law requires the Bureau of Prisons to fully implement within 90 days the recommendations from a 2023 Justice Department inspector general report on inmate sexual harassment and assault of staff. It then directs the inspector general to analyze fiscal 2022–2025 incident data and the attorney general to issue national prevention, reduction, and punishment standards by rule.
Enrolled text (GovInfo (enrolled bill text)) → · The White House
California allows conditional sale of aftermarket emissions parts pending CARB approval
Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 1069 (Chapter 244, Statutes of 2026) on September 16, 2026; it takes effect January 1, 2027. The law creates a conditional approval pathway for makers of emissions-related aftermarket parts. Manufacturers that file complete California Air Resources Board executive-order applications, backed by emissions testing and technical documentation, may sell, advertise and install parts while the board completes its review. Conditional approvals last two years; CARB keeps authority to approve or deny the final order.
California extends smog-check exemption to collector cars through the 1985 model year
California signed Senate Bill 1392 on September 16, 2026. The law phases in biennial smog-check exemptions for collector motor vehicles meeting Vehicle Code section 259 criteria, extending eligibility from pre-1976 vehicles to pre-1986 model years by 2033. The exemption phases in one model year at a time beginning January 1, 2028, for pre-1981 vehicles. Older collector cars at least 35 model years old gain partial test exemptions if insured as collectors and meeting emissions standards.
Newsom signs wildfire recovery package: smoke-damage insurance rules and permanent mortgage forbearance
Governor Gavin Newsom signed four wildfire-recovery bills in Altadena on September 15, 2026. Assembly Bills 1642 and 1795 direct state agencies to set standards for testing and remediating lead and asbestos contamination from wildfire smoke, require insurers to cover qualifying testing, cleanup and restoration, and bar cutoff of living-expense coverage until homes are safe. Assembly Bills 1842 and 1847 create permanent mortgage-forbearance protections and double the forbearance window for Los Angeles fire survivors from 12 to 24 months.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California, Desert Sun, Los Angeles Issue
EPA finalizes repeal of 2024 carbon pollution standards for coal and gas power plants
The Environmental Protection Agency published a final rule on September 17, 2026 repealing most of the 2024 Carbon Pollution Standards for fossil fuel-fired power plants, effective November 16, 2026. The repeal removes emission guidelines for existing steam units and the carbon capture-based standards for modified coal units and new base load gas turbines. Administrator Lee Zeldin announced it in Houston on September 14, projecting $310 billion in savings; EPA also proposed rescinding all remaining power-sector greenhouse gas standards.
Enrolled text (Federal Register) → · EPA, CNN, NPR Illinois
UK JCHR calls for AI Bill, single statutory oversight body, and bans on some AI uses
On September 14, 2026 the UK Joint Committee on Human Rights published a report saying existing law is fragmented and ill-equipped for AI human-rights risks. It recommends a dedicated AI Bill, a single independent statutory AI oversight body with enforcement powers, stronger lifecycle duties for higher-risk systems, and prohibitions on certain incompatible uses.
Enrolled text (UK Parliament (JCHR)) → · Law Gazette, BBC News
Trump signs Stop Secret Spending Act requiring other-transaction awards on USAspending.gov
President Trump signed the Stop Secret Spending Act of 2025 (H.R. 2069) on September 11, 2026. The law amends the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (31 U.S.C. 6101 note) to add other transaction agreements to the federal awards agencies must report on USAspending.gov, gives agencies up to three years to transmit that data automatically, and requires an annual posting of the total federal award spending withheld from the site and the reasons for withholding it.
Enrolled text (GovInfo (enrolled bill text)) → · The White House, Congressman Jimmy Panetta
Trump signs disaster tax relief act on casualty losses and wildfire payments
President Trump signed the Doug LaMalfa Federal Disaster Tax Relief Certainty Act (H.R. 5366) on September 11, 2026. The law adds Internal Revenue Code section 165(h)(6), letting taxpayers deduct qualified disaster-related personal casualty losses from major disasters declared from December 28, 2019 through 2026 without itemizing, subject to a $500 per-casualty floor, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024. New section 139M excludes qualified wildfire relief payments from gross income for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.
Enrolled text (GovInfo (enrolled bill text)) → · The White House, Congressman Jimmy Panetta
CFTC finalizes 30% whistleblower award presumption for awards up to $5 million
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission approved a final rule on September 11, 2026 establishing a rebuttable presumption that whistleblower awards of $5 million or less will be 30 percent of the monetary sanctions collected. The presumption is subject to Commission discretion and its analysis of the relevant factors. The rule, published September 16, 2026 at 91 FR 58576, takes effect October 16, 2026.
Enrolled text (GovInfo (Federal Register)) → · Crowdfund Insider
Legal Benchmarks DELTA finds no LLM ready for independent Dutch legal research
Legal Benchmarks on September 10, 2026 released its DELTA Benchmark Report scoring 23 large language models on more than 200 Dutch legal research tasks. Legaltech News reported that no model was ready for independent Dutch legal research; Claude Fable 5.1 led with a 15.0% task pass rate. Lawyers at 12 partner firms helped review tasks and criteria.
Paper (Legaltech News) → · Legal Benchmarks, Recht.nl
FCC finalizes Covered List equipment rule with online marketplace FCC-ID duties
The Federal Communications Commission's equipment-authorization rule expanding its Covered List national-security restrictions was published in the Federal Register on September 11, 2026 (91 FR 57798), and takes effect October 13, 2026. The rule closes a component-part loophole by denying authorization to devices incorporating logic-bearing hardware components from Covered List entities. It also extends marketing rules to online marketplaces and requires them to display devices' FCC IDs at the online point of sale, with limited exceptions.
EU Cyber Resilience Act reporting duties for digital products apply from September 11
As of September 11, 2026, the EU Cyber Resilience Act requires manufacturers of products with digital elements to report actively exploited vulnerabilities and severe security incidents through ENISA's Single Reporting Platform. Early warnings are due within 24 hours of awareness and fuller notifications within 72 hours. Legal IT Insider and Stevens & Bolton flagged the deadline on September 10, 2026.
Text (Legal IT Insider) → · Stevens & Bolton
California requires child-risk assessments, session limits and biennial audits for companion chatbots, from July 2027
California adopted Chapter 190, Statutes of 2026, on September 10, 2026, requiring operators of companion chatbots accessible to children to conduct documented child-risk assessments before new or substantially modified products launch. The law imposes child-safety policies, crisis protocols, parental default settings, session limits, advertising restrictions, and biennial independent audits starting January 1, 2029, with core duties operative July 1, 2027.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of Senator Steve Padilla, Reuters, Startup Fortune
California bans manufacture and sale of toys with AI companion chatbots until 2031
California chaptered Senate Bill 867 on September 10, 2026, prohibiting the manufacture, sale, exchange, and possession for sale of any toy that includes an AI companion chatbot. The four-year moratorium runs through December 31, 2030, covering physical products designed, marketed, or manufactured for play by children under 16. Violations carry the same civil liability provisions as California's companion-chatbot operator law.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Reuters, Mondaq (Ballard Spahr LLP)
UK SME boutique firms lobby SRA and Law Society over COLP/COFA separation rules
Twenty-eight firms in a new SME & Boutique Law Firm Alliance sent open letters to the Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Law Society on September 8, 2026 seeking changes to LSB-approved rules separating compliance officer roles. The rules stop individuals who can unilaterally control a firm from serving as COLP or COFA where turnover exceeds £600,000 or client money exceeds £2 million, from January 2027. The alliance wants the start postponed.
Text (Legal Futures) → · Solicitors Regulation Authority
California legislature passes bill requiring lawyers to verify and disclose generative AI use
California's legislature passed Senate Bill 574 on August 31, 2026, 75-0 in the Assembly and 40-0 in the Senate, and sent it to Governor Gavin Newsom. The bill would bar attorneys from delegating the practice of law to generative AI, require personal verification of every citation, require disclosure of AI use to the court for all filed documents, and bar arbitrators from delegating decisions to AI. The governor has until September 30 to sign or veto.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Bloomberg Law, Law360, ABA Journal
New York State Bar says virtual office may serve as lawyer's address for communications
The New York State Bar Association's Committee on Professional Ethics said on 3 September 2026 that a New York lawyer may list a virtual law office as the office address on websites, advertisements, letterhead and business cards. The committee said listing is not false if the arrangement ensures receipt of mail and service and availability for in-person meetings on reasonable notice.
Wisconsin bar says lawyers must report misconduct raising substantial fitness question
The State Bar of Wisconsin's Committee on Professional Ethics said on 3 September 2026 that lawyers must report another lawyer's or judge's misconduct when they know of a violation that raises a substantial question about honesty, trustworthiness or fitness. The committee said the duty is conditional, requires client consent if confidential information is disclosed, and must be made to the Office of Lawyer Regulation or Judicial Commission.
New York bar says public defender's personal conflict not imputed within government office
The New York State Bar Association's Committee on Professional Ethics said in Opinion 1300, dated 31 August 2026, that a public defender office that is a government office is governed by Rule 1.11, not Rule 1.10. The committee said a conflict under Rule 1.7(a)(2) based on a lawyer's personal interest in a relative heading a county agency would not be imputed to other lawyers in the office.
New York bar says lawyer may bill for time explaining invoices after notice
The New York State Bar Association's Committee on Professional Ethics said on 31 August 2026 that a lawyer may charge a client for time spent explaining a sufficiently detailed bill. The committee said the time is billable as counseling under Rule 1.4 when the lawyer gives advance notice, but time spent addressing a good-faith billing dispute is overhead and not billable.