Welcome back! This week’s technology policy developments highlight how questions of national security, consumer protection, energy transition, and digital governance continue to converge in Washington. Federal agencies, courts, and states are testing the boundaries of authority over emerging technologies, from drones and app stores to artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, and data privacy, while international tensions over platform regulation remain in sharp focus.

In this week’s Nimitz Tech:

• State Privacy Laws Take Effect: A wave of new state privacy laws taking effect in 2026 significantly raises compliance obligations and enforcement risks, deepening the complexity of the U.S. privacy patchwork.

• FCC Drone Ban: The FCC barred sales of new foreign-made drones including DJI models, citing national security risks and signaling a tougher federal stance on consumer technology tied to supply chain and surveillance concerns.

• U.S. Bars European Tech Regulators: The Trump administration barred several European tech regulators and researchers from entering the U.S., escalating tensions over digital platform regulation and online speech governance.

WHO’S HAVING EVENTS THIS WEEK?

Wednesday, January 7th

• House Judiciary: “Full Stream Ahead: Competition and Consumer Choice in Digital Streaming” at 10:00am. Watch here.

Thursday, January 8th

• House Science, Space and Technology: “Chemistry Competitiveness: Fueling Innovation and Streamlining Processes to Ensure Safety and Security” at 10:00am. Watch here.

TECH NEWS DRIVING THE WEEK

In Washington

• The Federal Communications Commission banned the sale of new models of foreign-made drones, including those produced by Chinese market leader DJI and Autel Robotics, after adding them to the FCC’s Covered List on national security grounds, effectively preventing U.S. consumers from purchasing newly authorized devices while leaving existing approved models unaffected. The decision follows years of pressure from lawmakers and security officials who argue DJI’s dominance of the U.S. drone market creates surveillance risks and undermines domestic drone manufacturing, and it was based on a White House national security determination aligned with President Donald Trump’s National Security Strategy and a June executive order accelerating reviews of foreign drone makers. FCC Chair Brendan Carr framed the move as a step toward strengthening the U.S. defense industrial base and boosting American drone production, while DJI criticized the lack of transparency behind the determination and China’s foreign ministry condemned the ban as discriminatory. The action builds on earlier federal and state restrictions on DJI use by government agencies and could significantly reshape the U.S. consumer and public safety drone market.

• Electric vehicle charging prices in the Washington, DC region vary widely, but EV drivers often do not prioritize cost when choosing where to charge, even when price differences rival large swings in gasoline prices, according to reporting by POLITICO’s E&E News. Charging decisions are instead driven by convenience, charging speed, network availability, and vehicle navigation systems that direct drivers to specific stations regardless of price. Pricing is often less visible than at gas stations, particularly within Tesla’s Supercharger network, where rates fluctuate throughout the day to manage congestion and are displayed primarily through in-car screens or mobile apps rather than public signage. Limited fast-charging infrastructure, the ability of many EV owners to charge at home at lower cost, the relative affluence of EV drivers, and widespread confusion about electricity pricing all reduce sensitivity to per-kilowatt-hour costs. As electric vehicle adoption grows and electricity prices become more politically salient, particularly in states like Virginia and New Jersey, these factors suggest that the traditional relationship between fuel prices and public opinion may weaken in the transition from gasoline to electric transportation.

National

• As 2026 begins, U.S. state privacy enforcement is set to intensify with multiple new and expanded laws taking effect, led by California’s long-awaited regulations on automated decision-making technology (ADMT), risk assessments, and cybersecurity audits under the CCPA, as well as the launch of the California Delete Act’s new data broker opt-out and deletion platform (DROP). These measures significantly raise compliance expectations by requiring opt-outs and human oversight for certain automated decisions, mandatory risk assessments for high-risk data processing, clarified audit triggers for significant cybersecurity risks, and sweeping new obligations for data brokers — including centralized deletion requests and steep per-violation penalties. Alongside California, comprehensive privacy laws in Indiana, Kentucky, and Rhode Island become applicable, largely aligning with existing state frameworks but increasing the likelihood of coordinated enforcement by state attorneys general, while additional updates in Oregon further tighten requirements around universal opt-out mechanisms, children’s data, and geolocation sales, collectively underscoring the growing complexity and enforcement urgency of the U.S. state privacy patchwork.

• Texas is set to establish a new artificial intelligence regulatory council under House Bill 149, the Texas Responsible Artificial Intelligence Governance Act, which takes effect this week and creates a 10-member advisory board to monitor AI use across state government, identify harmful practices, recommend legislative updates, and assess regulations that may hinder AI development. The law prohibits AI systems that intentionally discriminate against protected classes, incite self-harm or violence, or are used to generate or distribute sexually explicit content, while also giving businesses a 36-month window to test AI systems in controlled environments without full regulatory compliance, subject to quarterly reporting requirements. Enforcement authority rests solely with the Texas Attorney General’s Office, with civil penalties of up to $100,000 for violations, a structure critics say places heavier obligations on government agencies than on private companies. The law positions Texas among a small group of states actively regulating AI, even as it enters potential conflict with a recent federal executive order directing the Justice Department to challenge state-level AI regulations.

• A federal judge blocked Texas from enforcing its App Store Accountability Act, which would have required companies that operate app stores, including Apple and Google, to verify users’ ages and obtain parental consent for minors before allowing app downloads or in-app purchases. U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman issued a preliminary injunction, finding the law likely violated the First Amendment by restricting access to a broad range of speech and comparing the requirement to forcing bookstores to check customers’ ages before entry. The ruling followed a lawsuit brought by the Computer & Communications Industry Association and temporarily halts a measure that was set to take effect in January. The decision represents a setback for state efforts to impose age-verification requirements on app stores, even as similar laws continue to be debated nationwide.

International

• The Trump administration barred five European technology regulators and researchers from entering the United States, citing their alleged involvement in efforts to censor American speech online, according to an announcement by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The move targets individuals connected to European efforts to regulate major digital platforms under laws such as the EU’s Digital Services Act, including former European Commission official Thierry Breton and leaders of nonprofit organizations that research disinformation and online harm. Administration officials argued that these individuals had pressured U.S. platforms to suppress certain viewpoints, while those affected and their organizations strongly rejected the accusations and characterized the bans as politically motivated retaliation. The action escalates tensions between the United States and Europe over digital regulation, content moderation, and platform accountability, and reflects the administration’s broader effort to dismantle government-supported disinformation research and push back against foreign regulation of U.S.-based technology companies.

Just for Fun

The Two Georges: Parallel Lives in an Age of Revolution will be on view starting in March at the Library of Congress, bringing together the personal papers of George Washington and King George III to explore their parallel lives and leadership during the revolutionary era.

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