The SECURED Act of 2026 requires digital platforms that list short-term rentals to ask property owners if they are registered child sex offenders and to publicly display that status if the owner answers yes. Property owners who are registered offenders must respond truthfully to these requests, while platforms must provide a direct link to a public registry so guests can verify the information before booking. The Federal Trade Commission is authorized to enforce these rules as unfair business practices, and state attorneys general can also sue to stop violations or seek damages on behalf of residents. The law will not take effect until one year after it is signed into law.
This bill, known as the No Leniency for Fentanyl Dealers Act, aims to increase penalties for trafficking fentanyl and other synthetic opioids while enhancing detection efforts by the U.S. Postal Service. It lowers the quantity thresholds required for federal felony charges and mandates that sentencing guidelines be updated to reflect these stricter penalties. Additionally, the legislation directs the Postmaster General to purchase more chemical screening devices and hire scientists to identify illegal drugs in mail shipments, authorizing $9 million in funding to support these interdiction activities.
The Preserving Our Constitution Act of 2026 prohibits federal courts and government agencies from recognizing or enforcing foreign laws, religious codes, or customs that conflict with the U.S. Constitution. Specifically, it bars the application of rules that discriminate based on race, religion, or gender; restrict freedom of speech or religion; permit forced or underage marriages; or allow cruel punishments and human sacrifice. The bill also prevents U.S. courts from enforcing contracts that choose to apply such incompatible foreign laws or from honoring judgments made by foreign tribunals using those laws. While the legislation establishes these strict prohibitions, it does not create a new private right for individuals to sue for damages if the rules are violated.
The Lori Jackson-Nicolette Elias Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act aims to reduce intimate partner homicides by strengthening federal laws that prevent abusers from accessing firearms while restraining orders are active. It expands the definition of "intimate partner" to include dating partners and clarifies that emergency or temporary restraining orders must also trigger gun restrictions. The bill requires courts to automatically issue firearm surrender orders when a protection order is granted, mandating that abusers turn in their guns within 24 hours and prohibiting them from buying new ones for the duration of the order. Additionally, the legislation creates a new grant program to help states and local governments implement these surrender procedures and partner with domestic violence service providers.
This bill allows rural law enforcement agencies with fewer than 50 officers to receive free training grants from the Department of Justice. Instead of applying directly, these agencies can pool their funding with neighboring departments to hire accredited nonprofit organizations to deliver the training. The program specifically covers topics such as de-escalation, officer wellness, leadership, and handling situations involving mental health crises or domestic violence. By simplifying the application process and removing reporting burdens, the legislation aims to help smaller agencies access resources they previously lacked.
The No Corporate Crooks Act bars individuals from working in the federal executive branch if they have been convicted of specific crimes committed while serving as a chief executive officer of a public or private non-federal entity. This ban applies to offenses such as bribery, fraud, cybercrime, embezzlement, insider trading, wage theft, and tax evasion, as well as comparable state-level crimes. Additionally, the law requires that any current federal executive branch employee who would be ineligible under these new rules must be removed from their position.
The Closing Bribery Loopholes Act clarifies the legal definition of an "official act" to ensure that bribery laws cover a broader range of government actions. Specifically, it expands the definition to include any decision, recommendation, or action on a pending or potential matter, as well as offers of pardons or commutations. The bill also states that an official act can consist of a single action, multiple actions, or a series of behaviors, regardless of whether the action successfully achieves its intended result. These changes directly affect public officials and individuals accused of bribing them by removing ambiguity about what constitutes a quid pro quo. Ultimately, the legislation aims to close potential legal gaps where officials might argue that their actions did not count as official duties if they failed to produce a specific outcome.
This bill, known as the Epstein Files Transparency Act II, strengthens the ability of state attorneys general, district attorneys, and victims to legally challenge the U.S. Attorney General for withholding or redacting records related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. It grants these parties the right to sue in federal court to force the release of unredacted documents, including classified materials, while requiring courts to expedite these cases. The legislation clarifies that federal agencies cannot use standard legal privileges to hide relevant evidence and explicitly defines who qualifies as a victim for the purposes of accessing these files. Additionally, it ensures that state and local law enforcement can use the released information in their own investigations without being restricted by federal privacy regulations.
The Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act 2.0 of 2026 allows specific addiction medicine specialists to prescribe methadone for opioid use disorder to be dispensed directly through pharmacies, rather than requiring patients to attend traditional treatment clinics. This change permits these qualified doctors to use telemedicine for patient care and requires that the methadone be in a liquid or dispersible tablet form. While the bill maintains existing clinic-based treatment options, it streamlines access by removing the need for pharmacies to obtain separate registrations to dispense the medication. The law also mandates that patients sign informed consent forms explaining how privacy rules differ between clinic and pharmacy settings, and it requires the Drug Enforcement Administration to report on the program's progress to Congress every year.
The No GRIFT Act of 2026 prohibits the Department of Justice from awarding grants to certain nonprofit organizations in a given fiscal year. To qualify for a grant, a nonprofit must certify that it is not a "covered nonprofit," which is defined as an organization where over 50% of its recent revenue came from DOJ grants and where it paid an officer or employee more than the Attorney General's annual salary. This provision directly affects 501(c)(3) organizations that have received significant federal funding and have high executive compensation, requiring them to disclose their financial history before applying for new grants.
