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At least nine bills across six states have been introduced in 2026 to regulate the collection of brain and nervous system data, as consumer neurotechnology devices proliferate and the federal MIND Act awaits action in Congress.

Seven U.S. states now enforce consumer electronics right-to-repair laws, the EPA has clarified that farmers can fix their own diesel equipment, and defense contractors blocked military repair provisions from the 2026 defense bill.

The US and Japan enacted a critical minerals action plan on March 19 featuring price floors and four joint projects as neodymium prices doubled year-to-date and a $12 billion US strategic stockpile takes shape.

All six DMA gatekeepers filed annual compliance reports on March 9 as the Commission prepares its first formal review of the regulation, with AI designation and transatlantic tensions at stake.

A new class of high-entropy boride magnets made from earth-abundant metals achieves magnetic properties approaching rare-earth levels, offering a potential path to breaking dependence on Chinese-controlled supply chains for EVs, wind turbines, and electronics.