Maddy summaryThe Circuit Court of Appeals Reorganization Act of 2026 restructures the Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth U.S. Circuit Courts to better align their geographic boundaries with current population distribution. The bill moves Alaska, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming from the Ninth Circuit to the Eighth, while transferring Arizona and Nevada from the Ninth to the Tenth Circuit, leaving California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands in the newly defined Ninth Circuit. Each affected circuit receives a specific number of judges based on its new composition, with existing judges assigned to their respective new circuits based on their current locations while retaining their original seniority dates. Additionally, the legislation requires that states changing circuits immediately adopt the legal precedents of their new courts and mandates the General Services Administration to plan for new courthouse facilities in Rapid City, South Dakota.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThe Critical Mineral and Extraction Tax Parity Act expands the existing advanced manufacturing production tax credit to include nine additional critical minerals - boron, copper, lead, potash, rhenium, silicon, silver, uranium, and phosphate - effective for products sold after December 31, 2025. The bill allows companies that extract ore in the United States (or specific foreign locations where the mineral is not commercially available domestically) to claim tax credits for extraction costs if the ore is subsequently refined into one of these covered minerals. Additionally, the legislation removes a previous restriction that limited the tax credit amount for metallurgical coal, ensuring it receives the same full credit rate as other eligible materials.
Maddy summaryThe Kids Online Safety Act (S 1748) requires major social media platforms, online video games, and other "covered platforms" to implement specific safety features for minors (under 17). These features include default privacy settings that limit harmful design features like infinite scrolling and auto-play, parental controls for managing minors' accounts, and restrictions on advertising illegal products to minors. The bill also mandates annual transparency reports about how platforms are used by minors and requires platforms to provide clear notices about their content algorithms. It creates a Kids Online Safety Council to advise Congress on online safety issues for children. The law applies to platforms with more than 10 million monthly users in the U.S. and takes effect 18 months after enactment.
Maddy summaryThe Crow Revenue Act transfers specific mineral rights in Montana to the Crow Tribe. It requires the federal government to accept the relinquishment of the Bull Mountains Lease, convey mineral interests to the Hope Family Trust, and then transfer those rights to the Crow Tribe. The bill mandates a revenue-sharing agreement between the Tribe and Hope Family Trust for future development, and exempts these lands from Montana state taxation. This policy change directly affects the Crow Tribe’s land holdings and revenue streams on designated tracts in Musselshell and Big Horn Counties.
Maddy summaryThe Human-Wildlife Conflict Reduction Act of 2026 directs the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a federal program focused on developing and implementing nonlethal strategies to reduce conflicts between wildlife, humans, and livestock. The program will absorb existing nonlethal initiatives from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and prioritize efforts in states where these operations are already active, with a specific focus on protecting livestock from predators and preventing damage to agriculture and infrastructure. To support these goals, the Act authorizes the provision of assistance, training, and demonstration projects for landowners, agricultural producers, Indian Tribes, and nonprofit organizations, while also requiring the development of state-level implementation plans. The legislation appropriates $20 million annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to fund these activities, with a cap limiting research expenditures to no more than 10 percent of the total annual budget.
Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute, Inc. (SAAMI), a non-profit organization founded in 1926 to set safety and reliability standards for firearms and ammunition. The bill does not create new laws or change regulations; instead, it formally acknowledges SAAMI's century-long work in developing technical guidelines that ensure different gun and ammo brands work safely together. By recognizing the institute's role in promoting public safety and responsible industry practices, the resolution serves as a tribute to its contributions rather than a policy change.
Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution honors small businesses that manufacture firearms and accessories, acknowledging their role in the U.S. economy and recreational traditions. It highlights how these companies support hundreds of thousands of jobs and anchor rural communities while facilitating access to shooting sports like hunting and target practice. The bill formally recognizes August 2026 as National Shooting Sports Month to celebrate these activities. As a symbolic measure, it does not change any laws or regulations but serves to express appreciation for the industry.
Maddy summaryThe SMART Savings Act of 2026 modifies federal tax rules to allow individuals to use certain retirement accounts for specific transactions without triggering penalties. It achieves this by updating the definition of a "plan" and removing specific prohibited transaction categories that previously restricted how these funds could be used. Additionally, the bill clarifies rules regarding self-dealing and defines "relationship benefits" to include reduced costs or improved services tied to account value. These changes apply to transactions occurring after the law is enacted, aiming to simplify how people manage their retirement savings while maintaining core protections against abuse.
Maddy summaryThe Protecting Our Kids from Harmful Research Act prohibits the use of federal funds to support research or publications regarding gender transition for individuals under the age of 18. This restriction specifically targets studies that aim to affirm a minor's perception or identity when it differs from their sex assigned at birth, as defined by their reproductive biology and genetics. The bill directly affects federal agencies and institutions that might otherwise receive funding to conduct such observational studies on hormonal treatments or surgical procedures for minors. By limiting financial support, the legislation seeks to prevent government resources from being used for research that challenges the biological definition of sex at birth.
Maddy summaryThe Title IX Clarification Act of 2026 amends the federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in education to explicitly define "sex" based on biological characteristics. Specifically, it states that sex refers to an individual's biologically determined status as male or female. The bill further defines "female" as someone with a reproductive system that produces ova and "male" as someone with a reproductive system that produces sperm, regardless of congenital anomalies or accidents. These definitions apply to all education programs receiving federal financial assistance starting on the date the law is enacted.