US Lawmaker Proposes Data Center Bill of Rights to Give Communities a Say

On August 6, 2026, US Representative Ro Khanna, a Democrat from California, introduced H. Res. 1471, the Data Center Bill of Rights, in the US Congress. The resolution aims to give local communities more control over the construction and operation of AI data centers, at a time when the rapid expansion of this infrastructure has fueled growing friction with residents across the country.

What the Proposal Would Do

According to CNBC, the measure would give local governments the authority to block the construction of AI data centers and would shield those decisions from state preemption, the mechanism by which a state can override a local government's decision. CNBC notes this would be the first federal measure to directly address that conflict between local and state authority. The bill would also ban data centers from being built within 2,500 feet, about 760 meters, of homes, schools, daycare centers, hospitals or nursing homes, and would guarantee communities the right to reject a data center proposal through a transparent process. The resolution has been referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Judiciary Committee.

Public Opposition Already Has the Numbers

Opposition to AI data centers is no longer a scattered phenomenon. A March 2026 Gallup poll found that 71% of Americans oppose having a data center built near where they live, a higher rejection rate than the one recorded for nuclear power plants. According to research firm Data Center Watch, community opposition already blocked or delayed data center projects worth 98 billion dollars between March and June 2025.

States Are Moving on Their Own

While Congress debates Khanna's proposal, states are already acting independently. In 2026, lawmakers in more than 30 US states introduced over 300 data center related bills, including moratoriums, tax incentives and new energy policies, according to figures cited by Quartz and CNBC.

The Midterm Calendar Weighs on the Debate

Khanna said he expects bipartisan support for the Data Center Bill of Rights. According to Quartz and CNBC, opposition to these projects has become a strong bipartisan concern nationwide, as the 2026 midterm elections approach and voters grow frustrated with higher electricity bills tied to data center expansion.

A Pattern That Was Already Forming

The proposal follows months of local clashes between major tech companies and communities concerned about energy, water and quality of life, cases MaxAssistant has already been covering. The Data Center Bill of Rights is, so far, the most direct federal legislative response to this kind of tension, an attempt to turn scattered local complaints into national rules.

Why It Matters for Brazilian Agencies and SMBs

Khanna's proposal is a US legislative initiative and still needs to move through House committees before any vote. But it is a relevant signal for anyone relying on artificial intelligence in Brazil: the cost and availability of the infrastructure behind the AI models used by agencies and small and medium businesses can be affected by political and regulatory friction in the United States, where much of the processing capacity that sustains these services is concentrated. Restrictions on new data center construction, delays caused by community resistance, or new state and federal requirements tend to influence, directly or indirectly, the price and stability of the AI APIs used daily by these companies. Following this kind of regulatory signal helps Brazilian agencies and SMBs anticipate possible impacts before they show up in invoices or in the usage limits of the services they rely on.