Tech Policy Podcast 427: More State Tech Policy Than You Can Poke a Stick At
21 snips
Jan 13, 2026 
In this engaging discussion, Scott Babwah Brennan, Director of NYU’s Center on Technology Policy, dives into the 2025 State Technology Policy Report. He highlights how states like California and Texas are shaping tech legislation, focusing on AI, online safety, and data privacy. Scott reveals emerging partisan patterns influencing these laws, such as Republicans prioritizing child safety while Democrats lean toward privacy. They also explore the complexities of regulatory fragmentation and predict future trends in AI and child safety measures.
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States Are Passing More, Narrower Tech Laws
- States passed 345 new tech laws in 2025, a 45% increase from 2024.
- Many laws are narrower and signal maturation of state tech policymaking.
Regulatory Leadership Spreads Beyond Big States
- States beyond the usual big players are shaping tech policy, including Arkansas and Utah.
- Political complexity and local interest groups drive diverse state approaches.
Tech Politics: More Than Pro- and Anti-Industry
- Partisan divides now run both left-right and industry-aligned versus industry-skeptic.
- Republicans prioritized child safety, data centers, and crypto; Democrats favored privacy, antitrust, and taxation.