Thousands of bills became law in state legislatures this year. For policy teams preparing for 2027, the challenge is knowing which of those laws need a closer look. That concern came through in a poll at the start of our webinar: most attendees worried about overlooking a law that could affect their organization.
To bring the year’s developments into focus, we asked three members of the PolicyNote PolicyNote Professional Services team to select the enacted bills they considered most significant in their areas of expertise. Autumn Richards covered healthcare; Lauren Mleczko, energy and manufacturing; and Eric Seipp, digital policy and finance. Each explained what the laws do, who they affect, and whether other states could follow.
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Jump to a Topic
5:41 - Healthcare with Autumn Richards
10:03 - Energy with Lauren Mleczko
14:23 - Digital policy with Eric Seipp
19:45 - Manufacturing with Lauren Mleczko
24:23 - Finance with Eric Seipp
Healthcare
Autumn chose Indiana HB 1271 and Washington SB 5395 because together they capture the dominant healthcare AI pattern of 2026. Hundreds of healthcare AI bills were introduced this session. These two show where the conversation is heading: states are not banning AI in claims and prior authorization, they are requiring a human to stay accountable and requiring disclosure when AI is involved. Autumn sees a high likelihood that more states could introduce similar measures in 2027, which makes these worth understanding now.
Energy
Lauren picked Colorado SB26-003, a first-of-its-kind extended producer responsibility law for EV propulsion batteries. EPR policy this session was overwhelmingly battery-focused, and states with an existing battery EPR framework could add propulsion batteries with a relatively light lift.
Her second pick, Hawaii SB 2999, creates a clean fuel standard modeled on California, Oregon, and Washington. She flagged it as a long-horizon signal that states may move beyond emissions trading toward fuel-focused climate policy, with implications for anyone in transportation.
Digital Policy
Eric called Connecticut SB 5 the highlight of 2026 AI legislation for its rules on automated employment decision technology. His reasoning goes beyond the bill itself: AI legislation has tended to follow the prior year's headlines, from election deepfakes to companion chatbots, and 2026 brought a wave of stories about AI-driven layoffs. That pattern could make Connecticut's law a model for other states in 2027.
Manufacturing
Lauren included California AB 2253 even though it is not yet enacted (the governor has until September 30 to act). It would extend recycled-content claim documentation from plastic food containers to all products, and environmental marketing claims are becoming a bigger topic in more legislatures.
She used Arizona HB 2641, a PFAS firefighting foam prohibition, as a case study for how fragmented PFAS legislation is nationally, and how state scrutiny of the chemical family keeps widening into protective equipment, water, and consumer products.
Finance
Eric chose Illinois SB 3561 because it makes Illinois one of the first states with a comprehensive licensing and consumer protection regime for buy-now-pay-later loans, a template other states could adopt as consumer use of these products grows.
He closed with Michigan HB 6074, which follows Congress in barring large institutional investors from buying more single-family homes. The affordable housing push behind it has bipartisan and public support, which could make it one of the more copied bills of 2027.
These picks sit against the full 2026 picture: which states passed the most, which converted introductions into law most reliably, and which policy areas dominated. All of that is in the 2026 State Session Recap Report.
Next Steps
These selections offer a starting point for 2027 planning. Consider which policy approaches could affect your organization if other states take them up, then use these resources to sharpen your watch list:
- Map the year ahead. Use the 2027 State Legislative Calendar to see when your priority states convene and adjourn.
- Put the bills in context. Explore the 2026 State Session Recap Report to see where legislation passed and which policy areas dominated.
- Get the federal outlook. Watch CQ’s Fall 2026 Legislative Preview on demand for a look at what Congress faces as it returns.