September 2026 Policy Update
International
Zambia-based educator Ms. Mikala Mukongolwa is helping train teachers in her country to better support children with intellectual and other developmental disabilities and to build inclusive communities in the southern African country. Ms. Mukongolwa credits her partnership with the University of Minnesota’s Institute on Community Integration (ICI) and its DirectCourse online curriculum, developed by ICI’s Research Center on Community Living. She calls the online resources “invaluable” and has worked with ICI staff to improve training for Zambia’s direct support professionals, local providers, faith-based organizations, teachers, and families.
Ms. Mukongolwa reports that inclusive education for children with disabilities has never fully worked in Zambia due to a number of challenges. She says one of the main issues is the absence of genuinely inclusive communities in which people with disabilities can live without being segregated. Mukongolwa says the partnership with ICI works within communities to change the way people view disability, by providing education to children with disabilities, their parents, caregivers, and the wider community.
National
Federal regulatory overhaul and restructuring of Head Start standards
Significant changes to Head Start, the nation's early education program for children from low-income families, have been proposed by the current administration that would diminish the program's federal standards. There are 1,600 Head Start providers nationally that provide preschool and childcare, meals and support services for qualifying families. They serve more than 700,000 kids each year from birth to age 5. The new proposal would limit the amount of money Head Start centers can spend on administrative overhead, from a 15% cap to 5%, and cut regulations and "compliance-driven activities," according to a press release. The proposed changes would shift decisions about several standards such as student-teacher ratios, education requirements, background checks and transportation practices to states.
Implementation of revised public charge inadmissibility guidelines begins
A new federal policy took effect on September 18, 2026, replacing prior rules. With its new policy, the administration is implementing a change to what’s known as the “public charge” rule, a policy first established under the Immigration Act of 1882. Since then, one factor that the U.S. government has considered when reviewing green card applications is whether the applicant is likely to become dependent on government assistance. Historically, officials reviewing these types of applications have only taken into account cash benefit programs such as Supplemental Security Income from Social Security as “public benefits” that could lead to an immigrant being deemed a “public charge” and having their green card application denied. They have usually not deemed non-cash public benefits, such as Medicaid and food stamps, as programs that would disqualify an immigrant from obtaining permanent resident status. Under the new rule, officials reviewing green card applications are able to consider a broader scope of public benefit programs.
Report Highlights Severe Healthcare Cost and Access Gaps for Adults with Multiple Chronic Conditions
Adults with multiple or complex health conditions, who already face unique physical and mental challenges, commonly struggle to pay their medical bills and access needed care and medication—challenges that fall hardest on uninsured adults, according to a new KFF survey of more than 25 thousand adults. A companion Beyond the Data column by KFF Founding President and CEO Dr. Drew Altman explores the survey’s findings about uninsured adults with greater health needs and considers why the national discussion of the affordability crisis has largely ignored this group. The survey’s large sample size allowed KFF analysts to examine the experiences of adults with certain serious health conditions—including cancer, lung disease, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or a mental health condition—as well as those managing care for multiple health problems. About a third of adults ages 18-64 with multiple or certain complex health conditions say they struggled to pay or could not pay their medical bills in the past year. Adults with three or more conditions (36%), those with cardiovascular disease (37%), and those with a mental health condition (36%) are particularly likely to report struggling with medical bills. As part of these affordability challenges, about a quarter of adults with three or more conditions say they have had to cut back on household expenses to cover medical costs, compared to just about 1 in 10 of those without active health conditions.
State
California Legislature Concludes 2026 Session with Major New Privacy, AI, and Child Safety Laws
The California Legislature concluded its 2026 session on Monday, August 31, advancing a package of privacy and AI bills to Governor Newsom’s desk. Governor Newsom has since signed several of these measures into law, including child safety and AI oversight bills.
The AI measures address companion and customer service chatbots, AI transparency and provenance data, employment and workplace surveillance, synthetic performers and digital replicas, and state oversight of independent AI auditors and verification organizations.
The bills that Governor Newsom has already signed include key child safety measures (AB 2246, SB 1119, AB 1709, SB 867, AB 1856) and AI auditor oversight bills (SB 813 and AB 1405). The Governor has until September 30, 2026, to sign or veto the remaining bills that have been sent to his desk.
Youth Digital Protection and Privacy
AB 2246 (Age-Appropriate Design Code Replacement). Signed by Governor Newsom on September 10, 2026, this law repeals the California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act and replaces it with a framework requiring businesses that provide online services likely to be accessed by children to take reasonable steps to prevent specified harms to children. The law defines “child” as an individual under 18 years of age. The law prohibits profiling children by default. Profiling is permitted only with a child’s opt-in consent or with parental consent for children under 13. The law also prohibits collecting or sharing personal information that is not necessary to provide the service, and using dark patterns to encourage children to provide personal information or reject privacy protections.
AB 1709 (Addictive Features for Users Under 16). Signed by Governor Newsom on September 10, 2026, this law prohibits “covered platforms,” defined as social media platforms and other online services that allow users to create public or semi-public profiles and share content, from providing “addictive features” to users under 16 and requires such platforms to adopt reasonable measures to ensure that such users are not offered or provided an addictive feature. Addictive features include personalized algorithmic feeds, autoplay features, push notifications, and other psychologically exploitative design elements intended to maximize engagement. The law also creates an e-Safety Advisory Commission within the California Department of Justice and subjects knowing violations to civil penalties of up to $50,000 per affected minor.
AB 1856 (Digital Age Assurance Act Amendments). Signed by Governor Newsom on September 10, 2026, this law amends the Digital Age Assurance Act, which was enacted through AB 1043 in 2025. AB 1043 established an age-bracketing signal framework under which operating system providers must collect a user’s birth date or age at account setup and provide that information to application stores and developers upon request. AB 1856 refines this framework in several ways. Most significantly, it removes AB 1043’s definition of “user,” which was limited to “a child that is the primary user of a device.” Because that definition technically classified every device owner as a child, it made the signaling framework challenging to put into practice because it did not provide a way to affirmatively declare that a device belongs to an adult. Removing the definition of “user” is intended to enable accurate age-bracket signals for users of all ages.
The bill also exempts open-source operating systems by excluding entities that distribute software under license terms that permit recipients to copy, redistribute, and modify the software from the definition of “operating system provider.” Earlier versions of AB 1856 would have extended age-bracketing requirements to browsers and websites, but the enacted version is limited to operating systems and application stores. For commercial operating system providers and app store operators, the core obligations remain. At account setup, the system must collect the user’s birth date or age and provide app developers with a real-time signal identifying whether the user is under 13, between 13 and 15, between 16 and 17, or 18 or older. A developer that receives the signal is deemed to have “actual knowledge” of the user’s age range, even if the developer disregards it.
AB 2360: State Agencies and Plain Language Communication
This bill requires state agencies to write all documents they produce, whether digitally or in print, in "plain language" starting January 1, 2027, with "plain language" defined as clear, easily understood communication that avoids unnecessary jargon and is accessible to common literacy levels, including individuals with disabilities or limited English proficiency. State agencies are authorized to use standards from the Office of Data and Innovation to help incorporate these plain language principles and practices, and the head of each agency must designate senior officials to oversee the implementation of these requirements, communicate them to employees, and establish a process for ongoing compliance. Last Actions: Passed First Chamber; In committee: Held under submission on 08/13/2026.
SB 1052: Guidelines for Authorized Representatives in Developmental Services
Senate Bill (SB) 1052 would allow the State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD) to make “contingent” appointments of authorized representatives to help people with disabilities in accessing services if their family member or support system is suddenly unable to provide assistance.
County
Los Angeles County Halts New Data Center Projects in Unincorporated Regions
Los Angeles County's planning director Thursday September 17, 2026 ordered an immediate prohibition on the development of large-scale data centers that power artificial intelligence in unincorporated areas of the county.
Department of Regional Planning Director Amy Bodek issued the directive in a memorandum Thursday, saying it is intended to serve as interim guidance for planning staff while the county moves toward codifying the prohibition in its zoning regulations.
Los Angeles County Board Chair and First District Supervisor Hilda Solis said she introduced a motion in April addressing public health and environmental concerns surrounding data centers. The motion was unanimously approved by the Board of Supervisors.