State of Privacy: A 2026 Survey of State Privacy Law
By Kelly V. Carter
Privacy and Information Security Law,
October 2026
The absence of a comprehensive federal privacy law continues to drive state-level action across the country. As of mid-2026, more than twenty states have enacted some form of comprehensive consumer privacy framework, and AI-specific regulation has arrived in earnest at the state level. Arguably, this year marks a notable inflection point in that legislative arc: three new state comprehensive privacy laws took effect January 1st; several existing laws were meaningfully amended; and AI governance obligations converged with privacy compliance in ways that are reshaping corporate programs.
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