A weekly snapshot for lobbying & government affairs
Week of Sept 15–19, 2025 • Curated for policy pros, firms, and in-house GR teams
What matters this week
- Shutdown roulette resumes. House CR (through Nov 21, 2025) advances; Senate path still fluid. H.R. 5371 overview · bill PDF · rule (H.Res. 722)
- Defense policy keeps moving. Senate continues work on the FY26 NDAA (S.2296) · bill text · amendments
- AI sandbox bill drops. Sen. Cruz introduces the SANDBOX Act (federal AI regulatory sandbox via OSTP).
- Non-compete rule: appeals dropped, scrutiny remains. FTC accedes to vacatur of the 2024 non-compete rule; watch for case-by-case enforcement. FTC release
- States: California privacy + climate. AB 566 (browser opt-out signal) passed the legislature (awaiting governor). Energy/climate package includes AB 1207 (cap-and-trade mechanics). AP recap New: reporting on tech lobbying + AB 566.
Funding & authorizations
Continuing Resolution (CR) → Senate next
Vehicle: H.R. 5371 — Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026 (through Nov 21, 2025). Text (PDF)
Action: Identify programs relying on expiring authorities; pre-draft anomaly asks for the next CR.
FY26 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)
On the Senate floor with active amendment activity. Check titles for your portfolio (industrial base, cyber, intel, acquisition).
Bill page · Full text · Amendments
AI Policy — SANDBOX Act
Establishes an OSTP-coordinated federal AI sandbox with time-limited regulatory flexibility and guardrails.
Labor/Competition — Non-competes
FTC dropped its appeals and accepted vacatur of the 2024 non-compete rule; agency signals continued case-by-case scrutiny.
FTC press release · Coverage: Reuters, SHRM
California — Privacy & Climate
AB 566 — Browser-level Opt-Out: requires major browsers to include a setting for an Opt-Out Preference Signal (OOPS). Bill text (as passed) · Regulator note: CPPA announcement · Background: AP report
AB 1207 — Cap-and-Trade/Market-Based Compliance: a key component in the end-of-session climate package. Bill page
Action: Update privacy engineering roadmaps for GPC/OOPS signals; model GHG compliance cost scenarios through 2045.
Quick wins for your team
- Federal: Send a 1-pager on CR anomalies + NDAA priorities to committees of jurisdiction; request staff briefings for next week.
- AI: Draft a “sandbox readiness” memo (use case, risks, guardrails, metrics) in case the SANDBOX Act moves.
- Labor/HC: Audit restrictive covenants (health care first) and update templates.
- States: Stand up CA privacy compliance workstream (OOPS/GPC), plus cap-and-trade modeling.