Policy Tracker
The policy tracker is an interactive library of current legislation affecting data center development at the state and federal level. Each bill entry captures the essential information advocates need to engage quickly.
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Search Data Center Policy
- Title and summary of what the bill actually does, in plain language.
- State or federal jurisdiction and current session.
- Bill status — introduced, in committee, passed one chamber, passed both, died, or signed.
- Party of the lead sponsor(s).
- Direct link to the legislation for deeper reading and tracking.
What’s Tracked
The tracker covers bills ranging from moratoria on new data centers, to water and energy reporting requirements, to targeted repeals or conditions on tax breaks, to rate-protection measures keeping data center costs off household utility bills.
- Find precedents for the policy you want in your community
- Brief your legislator with model language from comparable bills
- Watch for threats: pre-emption bills, critical infrastructure carve-outs, and expanded tax giveaways are in the tracker too
LEGEND
Bill Status Definitions
These describe where a bill or policy stands in the legislative process. The order below reflects a suggested progression — please confirm or adjust.
| Order | Status | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | introduced | |
| 2 | in committee | |
| 3 | in chamber | |
| 4 | passed one chamber | |
| 5 | passed both chambers | |
| 6 | vetoed | |
| 7 | adopted | |
| 8 | enacted | |
| 9 | substituted | The bill no longer directly concerns data centers |
| 10 | died | |
Concerns, Objective, and Methods
These describe what a bill addresses or how it intervenes. Bills can have multiple concerns. On the tracker, these appear as combinations of the terms below.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| capacity | Attempts to mitigate data centers’ high electricity load or water usage, for example by transparency measures, supporting improvements to infrastructure, or increasing power generation. |
| capital investment | Relating to how the government spends money on establishing, improving, or migrating its own data storage. |
| environment | Appears to be motivated by a desire to limit CO2 emissions, protect water supplies or public lands, or prevent noise nuisance |
| fee | Imposes a direct charge on data centers |
| foreign | Tackles security concerns about data centers in other countries, especially those in adversary nations (Many of these are aimed at shutting down disingenuous veterans’ benefits consultants) |
| incentive+ | Creates or expands an incentive for data centers to be established, often but not always through a tax rebate or exemption, or a special low tax rate |
| incentive- | Limits, removes, or tightens the eligibility criteria for an existing incentive |
| protect crypto | Prevents crypto mining facilities being singled out for local regulation above other data centers (identical and near-identical bills) |
| rates | Attempts to mitigate or measure the impact of data centers on the electricity rates of non-data center customers |
| regulation | Directly imposes rules or regulator oversight for data centers, or introduces new or stricter data center approvals processes |
| study/data collection | Initiates a study into how to best handle data centers, typically into managing tradeoffs with externalities and sometimes into incentivizing their establishment, or directs the collection of data about the facilities’ impact |
Tim Bernard
Tech policy analyst, Tech Policy Press
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| Title | Session | State/Federal | Bill Status | Party | Summary | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| To require a strategy for the defense of data centers from external breaches from malefactors and t… | Current | Federal | in committee | D | [text not yet available] | View |
| Load Forecast Accountability Act (SB 308, DE) | Current | Delaware | in committee | D, R | Requires Public Service Commission to review and evaluate load forecasts submitted by electric dist… | View |
| An Act concerning data center development and supplementing Title 48 of the Revised Statutes. (A494… | Current | New Jersey | in committee | D | Directs Board of Public Utilities conduct study on environmental, infrastructural, and financial im… | View |
| An act to repeal the sales and use tax exemption for data centers. (H1213, NC) | Current | North Carolina | in committee | R, D | Repeals sales tax breaks for data centers. | View |
| A resolution to urge and request the Louisiana Public Service Commission to study the feasibility,… | Current | Louisiana | in committee | R | Cites “the rapid growth of data centers and artificial intelligence infrastructure” as a justif… | View |
| An act to reform North Carolina’s approach to integration of large-load electricity customers… | Current | North Carolina | in committee | D | Requires public utilities to create large-load customer tariffs that ensure cost covering and insul… | View |
| Affordable Energy Omnibus (S844, NC) | Current | North Carolina | in committee | D | Requires certificate from Commission to begin construction or operation of large load facilities, w… | View |
| Ratepayer and Resource Protection Act (H1063, NC) | Current | North Carolina | in committee | D | Requires preconstruction disclosure from data centers to Utilities Commission, Department of Enviro… | View |
| An act amending the utilities and tax laws relative to data centers. (H1180, NC) | Current | North Carolina | in committee | D | Requires public utilities to create data center tariffs that ensure cost covering and protect other… | View |
| To require developers of AI-focused data centers to disclose certain information before the AI-focu… | Current | Federal | in committee | D | [text not yet available] | View |
| Megaproject Assessment Freeze and Payment Law (HB0910, IL) | Current | Illinois | in committee, passed one chamber | D, R | Excludes data centers from a tax break for “megaprojects” that is established by this law. | View |
| An Act to appropriate money for the expenses, grants, refunds, and distributions of the Office of A… | Current | Missouri | passed both chambers | R | Appropriations bill with a modernization directive to generally stop maintaining physical State dat… | View |
| Omnibus State and Local Government policy bill (SF 4555, MN) | Current | Minnesota | passed one chamber | D | Requires public hearings and basic disclosures before siting approvals for data centers. Prohibits… | View |
| An Act amending the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971, in Co… | Current | Pennsylvania | in committee | D | Adds requirement for data centers to, by 2030, purchase 100% of their energy from cleaners energy s… | View |
| A bill to require certain data centers to implement security measures; to provide for the powers an… | Current | Michigan | in committee | D | Requires that data centers data implement risk-based cybersecurity and resilience programs to prote… | View |
| Data center overlay districts act (HB 5846, MI) | Current | Michigan | in committee | D | Authorizes local government to create overlay districts in order to facilitate zoning ordinances fo… | View |
| An act relating to taxation; sales and use; repealing the exemption for data centers; repealing the… | Current | Minnesota | in committee | D | Repeals a tax break for data centers. | View |
| Michigan zoning enabling act (HB 5881, MI) | Current | Michigan | in committee | D | Adds the data center planning and responsibility act (HB 5882) to zoning ordinance | View |
| Data center planning and responsibility act (HB 5882, MI) | Current | Michigan | in committee | D | Set procedures for local authorities to implement moratoriums on data centers on crypto mining faci… | View |
| An act to amend Title 26 of the Delaware Code relating to the Public Service Commission and certifi… | Current | Delaware | in chamber | D | Requires facilities using more 30+MW of electricity to obtain certificates from Public Service Comm… | View |
| Nuclear-ready communities; comprehensive plans. (HB 2456, AZ) | Current | Arizona | passed both chambers | R | Adds data centers as facilities for which county comprehensive plans should determine suitable loca… | View |
| Enterprise data center construction labor act. (HB 5786, MI) | Current | Michigan | in committee | D | Requires data center construction contracts to make good-faith efforts to: prioritize local union l… | View |
| A joint resolution to prohibit governmental entities of this state, counties, municipalities, or po… | Current | South Carolina | in committee | D | Establishes a moratorium on accepting or processing applications and permits for data centers until… | View |
| Local government: financing; requirements for enterprise data centers; modify. (HB 5790, MI) | Current | Michigan | in committee | D | Tightens conditions for qualifying for a data center tax break, mainly by changing environmental mi… | View |
| Use tax: other; requirements for enterprise data centers; modify. (HB 5791, MI) | Current | Michigan | in committee | D | Tightens conditions for qualifying for a data center tax break, mainly by changing environmental mi… | View |
| Sales tax: exemptions; compliance with enterprise data center construction labor act; require. (HB… | Current | Michigan | in committee | D | Limits tax break for new data centers that comply with the proposed enterprise data center construc… | View |
| Use tax: exemptions; compliance with enterprise data center construction labor act; require. (HB 57… | Current | Michigan | in committee | D | Limits tax break for new data centers that comply with the proposed enterprise data center construc… | View |
| Large-scale data center life cycle financial responsibility act (HB 5777, MI) | Current | Michigan | in committee | D | Requires data centers to, before commencing operations: register with the department of environment… | View |
| Resolution to authorize the introduction of a nonappropriation bill to amend the requirements for a… | Current | Arkansas | died | R | Requires crypto mining and blockchain operators to pay all applicable taxes and fees and to not cau… | View |
| Resolution to authorize the introduction of a nonappropriation bill to amend the Arkansas Data Cent… | Current | Arkansas | died | R | Removes an exemption for crypto miners and regulates then as money transmitters. (Preliminary autho… | View |
| Resolution to authorize the introduction of a nonappropriation bill to regulate the impact on water… | Current | Arkansas | died | R | Directs Natural Resources Commission to monitor impact of crypto on water and electric grid and aut… | View |
| Resolution to authorize the introduction of a nonappropriation bill to require a digital asset mini… | Current | Arkansas | died | R | Requires crypto miners to pay a fee dependent on electricity usage. Fees to fund crypto oversight b… | View |
| Resolution to authorize the introduction of a nonappropriation bill to require a digital asset mini… | Current | Arkansas | died | R | Requires those seeking to purchase or lease land or buildings or commence construction for the oper… | View |
| An Act to Exclude Data Centers from the Business Equipment Tax Exemption and the Dirigo Business In… | Current | Maine | passed both chambers | D | Excludes new data centers from two tax breaks. Directs the Department of Economic and Community Dev… | View |
| An Act to Establish the Maine Data Center Coordination Council and Place a Temporary Limitation on… | Current | Maine | passed both chambers, vetoed | D | Establishes moratorium on accepting applications for large data center permits etc. until November… | View |
| To promote the creation of data center load queues and data center-specific rate classes to mitigat… | Current | Federal | in committee | D | Directs Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to require interconnection entities to create a data c… | View |
| Pennsylvania Ratepayer Protection Act (HB2372, PA) | Current | Pennsylvania | in committee | R, D | Requires data center companies to pay their costs for building electricity infrastructure and conne… | View |
| Data Center Water and Energy Transparency Act of 2026 (S.4213, US) | Current | Federal | in committee | D | Requires prospective, existing and expanding data centers to submit reports on energy and water use… | View |
| An act relating to energy; establishing a moratorium on new data centers; requiring the Public Util… | Current | Minnesota | in committee | D | Directs Public Utility Commission to publish report on scenarios for data center development by Jul… | View |
| An act relating to data centers; modifying the criteria for preapplication evaluations of water app… | Current | Minnesota | in committee | R | Relaxes a number of regulations regarding data centers, including: environmental review, tax on ele… | View |
| A BILL to amend and reenact §64-10-1 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to a… | Current | West Virginia | enacted | R | Reauthorizes a tax break for data centers and microgrids with a rule package that requires applican… | View |
| An act relating to environment; requiring certain users of large amounts of groundwater to apply fo… | Current | Minnesota | in committee | D, R | Requires large water use projects apply for new permits rather than relying on modification of muni… | View |
| Safeguarding American veteran empowerment (SAVE) act (HB 2626, KS) | Current | Kansas | passed both chambers | cttee only | Prohibits businesses advising, assisting or consulting on veterans’ benefits matters for a fee from… | View |
| Energy Affordability Act (H 5484, SC) | Current | South Carolina | in committee | D | Requires electric utilities to develop contract and other terms to ensure data centers cover all co… | View |
| An act … relative to data centers; to provide for water use permitting and reporting requirements… | Current | Louisiana | in committee | D | Requires certain data centers to get permits from Department of Conservation and Energy based on ab… | View |
| Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium Act (S.4214, US) | Current | Federal | in committee | I, D | Imposes a moratorium on construction or upgrading of new AI data center projects until Congress pas… | View |
| An act relating to local government; requiring public hearings and certain disclosures prior to app… | Current | Minnesota | in committee | D | Requires municipalities to hold at least two public hearings prior to the approval of a rezoning pe… | View |
| An act relating to environment; requiring rulemaking to require environmental impact statement for… | Current | Minnesota | in committee | D | Directs Environmental Quality Board to require environmental impact statements for data center cons… | View |
| Protect American AI Act of 2026 (H.R.8037, US) | Current | Federal | in committee | R | Determines that environmental litigation regarding data centers or supporting infrastructure will n… | View |
| To enact sections 9.484 and 1521.301 of the Revised Code to require data centers to report monthly… | Current | Ohio | in committee | D | Prohibits NDAs with data centers that conceal water consumption information. Requires data centers… | View |
Tim Bernard
Tim Bernard is an independent tech policy analyst. He has consulted broadly, written extensively for Tech Policy Press, with articles cited in The Atlantic, Bloomberg’s Tech Daily and a Supreme Court amicus brief, and also published a white paper for Stanford University’s Program on Platform regulation. Tim has particular expertise with reviewing legislation related to online safety and data centers. He lives in New York City, where he studied at Cornell Tech and is currently adjunct teaching at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA).
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