States are set to implement a wave of new laws in 2026 spanning artificial intelligence, paid leave and election rules as expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies drive up premiums. In the absence of federal legislation, at least 38 states advanced AI measures, including restrictions on election deepfakes and guardrails on medical advice from chatbots, despite a Trump administration executive order urging a uniform, lighter-touch national policy. Minnesota, Delaware and Maine will launch paid family and medical leave programs, joining a growing state-led patchwork in a country without a national paid leave mandate. With ACA premium tax credits lapsing, Colorado moved to cushion sharp increases on its exchange with a $100 million stopgap, even as average costs are still set to roughly double. Meanwhile, a surge of state voting measures—many tightening ID rules and mail ballot deadlines—will be in place ahead of the 2026 midterms, as litigation and potential Supreme Court action loom over the scope of federal voting protections.
Related articles:
— NIST AI Risk Management Framework
— Voter Identification Requirements: Voter ID Laws
— Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
— State Artificial Intelligence Legislation Tracker
