China
New State Council rules on exit and entry administration took effect in China on 15 September. The Ministry of Justice said when announcing the 19-article regulation that its purposes include standardising exit and entry administration, protecting the lawful rights and interests of travellers, and safeguarding national security and interests. Reuters reported on 15 September that the rules place exit restrictions involving technology and industrial security, among other circumstances, within a more explicit administrative framework. Whether a restriction applies to a particular person remains dependent on the circumstances specified by law and a decision made by the competent authority under that framework.
Australia
On 15 September, Australia’s Department of Industry, Science and Resources updated the process for reforms to offshore decommissioning and financial assurance. The Commonwealth is conducting targeted consultation on the practical operation of the proposed regulatory design. The reforms concern responsibility for decommissioning offshore petroleum infrastructure after production ends and the arrangements intended to ensure that those obligations have adequate financial backing. The department said the consultation will inform the regulatory design; the announcement is an update on the reform and consultation process, rather than notice that every proposed final rule is already in force.
United States
On 15 September, the United States Senate did not advance comprehensive legislation on the market structure for digital assets. Reuters reported that the procedural vote fell 10 votes short of the 60 required to move forward, with four Republican senators voting against it. The measure therefore did not proceed to its next stage following this vote. The legislation sought to further define regulatory responsibilities and market rules for digital assets, but the Senate vote did not enact it into law.
On 14 September, the US Supreme Court declined to allow the Postal Service to implement a new set of mail-ballot rules before the November 2026 midterm elections, leaving a lower-court injunction in place. The Supreme Court docket identifies the matter as Postal Service v. California, No. 26A305. Reuters reported that the decision allows the affected states to continue using existing mail-ballot procedures while the underlying litigation continues. The Court was deciding whether the new rules could take effect during the litigation, not issuing a final merits judgment on every question in the case.
Editorial framework: This briefing uses Sustenesis as an editorial framework for selecting facts, organising relationships and structuring information, with attention to differences and constraints in rules, responsibilities, resources, risks and social relations. Sustenesis functions here as a method of organisation rather than a position or commentary; the body remains limited to verifiable facts.
Sources
Ministry of Justice of the People’s Republic of China, State Council rules on exit and entry administration to take effect on 15 September
https://www.moj.gov.cn/pub/sfbgw/gwxw/xwyw/202607/t20260731_538116.html
Reuters, China’s new tech, national security exit rules take effect
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/chinas-new-tech-national-security-exit-rules-take-effect-2026-09-15/
Australian Government Department of Industry, Science and Resources, Update on offshore decommissioning and financial assurance reforms
https://www.industry.gov.au/news/update-offshore-decommissioning-and-financial-assurance-reforms
Reuters, US Senate fails to advance sweeping cryptocurrency bill in blow for industry
https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/us-senate-vote-advancing-landmark-crypto-bill-2026-09-15/
Supreme Court of the United States, Opinions Relating to Orders — Postal Service v. California, 26A305
https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/relatingtoorders.aspx?Term=04
Reuters, In loss for Trump, US Supreme Court won't let Postal Service restrict mail ballots
https://www.reuters.com/world/loss-trump-us-supreme-court-wont-let-postal-service-restrict-mail-ballots-2026-09-14/
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