This update highlights key legislative and regulatory developments in the third quarter of 2026 related to artificial intelligence (“AI”), connected and automated vehicles (“CAVs”), and the Internet of Things (“IoT”).
I. Federal AI Legislative Developments
In the third quarter of 2026, members of Congress focused on several issues related to AI, including the costs and
Continue Reading U.S. Tech Legislative & Regulatory Update – Third Quarter 2026On October 8, 2026, the FCC released a draft Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) proposing to reallocate and auction the 1675–1695 MHz and 2020–2025 MHz bands for flexible commercial use. The draft, which has been circulated for consideration at the FCC’s October 29, 2026 Open Meeting and remains subject to change, proposes rules that
Continue Reading FCC Proposes to Auction Spectrum for Terrestrial and Space-Based Broadband ServicesOn October 1, 2026, the FCC released its Report and Order (R&O) and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) on consent revocation under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). The FCC circulated a draft of the R&O and FNPRM last month, which we summarized here.
Continue Reading Update: FCC Adopts Final Order and Further Notice on TCPA Consent RevocationOn September 9, 2026, the FCC released a draft Report and Order (R&O) and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) titled “Rules and Regulations Implementing the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991.” The draft has been circulated for consideration by the FCC at its September 30, 2026 open meeting.
The draft R&O and FNPRM address a range of consent revocation issues under the TCPA that have been pending before the agency since the last time the FCC promulgated rules in this area in 2024. If adopted, the R&O will narrow the scope of consent revocations in the context of informational calls and texts.
Continue Reading FCC Releases Draft Rules and Proposals on TCPA Consent RevocationLate this afternoon, the U.S. Supreme Court granted a stay of the Fourth Circuit’s decision setting aside the FCC Media Bureau’s guidance on entitlement to the lowest unit charge (“LUC”) for certain political ads placed on broadcast TV and radio. See our prior post about this issue here. Notably, the 60-day political window for the November midterms begins today, so broadcasters’ obligation to afford qualifying buys the LUC is now in effect.
As a result of today’s decision, the FCC Media Bureau’s guidance is back in effect. That guidance found that two types of broadcast political ads were entitled to the LUC: ads paid for as “party coordinated expenditures” (meaning ads paid for by a party in coordination with a federal candidate), and ads placed by joint fundraising committees involving a federal candidate.
Continue Reading Supreme Court Action Revives FCC Media Bureau’s Political Ad GuidanceOn August 25, 2026, a divided panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit set aside guidance by the FCC’s Media Bureau stating that two types of political advertising were entitled to the favorable “lowest unit charge” (“LUC”) rate: ads paid for as “party coordinated expenditures,” meaning ads paid for by a party in coordination with a federal candidate, and ads placed by joint fundraising committees involving a federal candidate. This question had become particularly salient after the Supreme Court’s decision in June that struck down limits on party coordinated expenditures, allowing unlimited party spending in coordination with candidates, as we explained here. The Fourth Circuit’s ruling was in response to a challenge to the Media Bureau’s Public Notice by four Democratic candidates for federal office. The ongoing litigation has a direct and immediate impact on broadcasters and political advertisers, but its broader significance may lie in what the Fourth Circuit said about judicial review of bureau-level FCC actions.
Continue Reading Fourth Circuit Sets Aside FCC Media Bureau Guidance on Lowest Unit Charge; FCC Asks the Supreme Court to Step InEarlier this week, on August 25, 2026, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) issued a Public Notice seeking public comment on how the agency might increase and improve spectrum access for commercial space launch and reentry activities. The Public Notice follows through on a directive in the Trump Administration’s National Space Transportation Policy memorandum issued last week. Comments are due Monday, September 14, 2026 and reply comments are due Thursday, September 24, 2026.
Continue Reading FCC Seeks Public Comment on Improving Spectrum Access for Commercial Space Launch and Reentry OperationsThis update highlights key legislative and regulatory developments in the second quarter of 2026 related to artificial intelligence (“AI”), connected and automated vehicles (“CAVs”), and Internet of Things (“IoT”).
Continue Reading U.S. Tech Legislative & Regulatory Update – Second Quarter 2026Today, the California Public Utilities Commission (“CPUC”) issued a decision revising and clarifying its regulatory framework for providers of interconnected voice over Internet protocol (“iVoIP”) services. Most notably, the decision reopens the window for iVoIP providers to demonstrate that they do not provide services subject to a new license type that would, among other things
Continue Reading California Reopens Opt-Out Period for Certain Interconnected VoIP Licenses and Refines Associated Regulatory FrameworkIn an 8-1 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the FCC’s authority to issue forfeiture penalties against telecommunications companies found in violation of the agency’s Customer Proprietary Network Information (“CPNI”) rules. The impact of this ruling is that the FCC may continue to enforce its rules through forfeiture orders, but that such orders do not
Continue Reading Supreme Court Upholds FCC Authority to Levy Fines Against Cellphone Carriers