Public Policy

  • October 11, 2024

    Wash. DOT Settles Deadly Highway Tree Fall Suit For $775K

    The Washington State Department of Transportation will pay $775,000 to the surviving members of a family who sued the agency after a Douglas fir fell on their vehicle while they were traveling along a state highway on the Olympic Peninsula in 2017, causing two deaths and devastating injuries to the survivors.

  • October 11, 2024

    6th Circ. Blocks Work On Tenn. Pipeline For TVA Gas Plant

    A split Sixth Circuit panel on Friday temporarily blocked construction of a Kinder Morgan unit's pipeline that would serve a Tennessee Valley Authority natural gas-fired power plant in Cumberland City, as conservation groups challenge Clean Water Act permits Tennessee and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued for the pipeline.

  • October 11, 2024

    Phone Unlocking Advances Digital Equity, Civic Group Says

    Setting federal rules that dictate when mobile providers have to unlock a customer's device, allowing people to switch providers without having to buy a new phone, would improve digital equity, says a group that promotes Black civic participation.

  • October 11, 2024

    Secret Docs May Delay Foreign Agent Case, Ex-Fla. Rep Says

    A former Florida congressman told a Miami federal judge on Friday that he's requested evidence from prosecutors that may exonerate him on criminal charges of failing to register as a foreign agent while lobbying for Venezuela, saying the discovery implicates classified information that may delay proceedings in his case.

  • October 11, 2024

    Unions Say EPA Rule Contains Protective Wear Loophole

    Two major trade unions told the D.C. Circuit that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency promulgated a rule that lets the agency consider the use of personal protective equipment when conducting risk evaluations, in violation of federal law.

  • October 11, 2024

    DOD Finalizes High-Profile Contractor Cybersecurity Rule

    The U.S. Department of Defense on Friday finalized a rule implementing its sweeping Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program, which will attach a minimum cybersecurity requirement to nearly all DOD contracts.

  • October 11, 2024

    Cable Biz Says Feds Need To Remove Barriers To Broadband

    The cable industry is making its case at the Federal Communications Commission that while advanced telecom service is being deployed in a "reasonable and timely" fashion, the feds should remove regulatory barriers to hasten deployment.

  • October 11, 2024

    Google Says High Court Shouldn't Pause Ad Tech Subpoena

    Google told the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday that there's no need to pause a South Carolina agency's bid to quash a document request in a case accusing the tech giant of monopolizing key digital ad technology, saying the agency has no chance of succeeding.

  • October 11, 2024

    Dem AGs Urge Judge To Rule Now On FDA Abortion Pill Regs

    Washington and 16 other states with Democratic attorneys general are pressing a federal judge to force the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to lift restrictions on access to mifepristone, arguing that the agency is swayed by the controversy swirling around the abortion medication that has been proved to be safer than Tylenol, Viagra and insulin.

  • October 11, 2024

    Court Allows Calif. Hemp Ban To Remain In Effect

    A California state judge on Friday ruled that the Golden State's new ban on hemp products with THC will remain in effect, rejecting a bid by a leading hemp industry trade organization and the cannabis brand fronted by stoner comedians Cheech and Chong to halt the emergency rules.

  • October 11, 2024

    Parties Look To Vacate 40-Year-Old Ore. Tribal Fishing Decree

    The U.S. government, Oregon and a Native American tribe are asking a federal court to vacate a 1980 agreement that established hunting and fishing rights for the tribe, arguing that the consent decree was a product of its time and represented a distorted view on tribal sovereignty.

  • October 11, 2024

    Texan Who Sued Ex's Colleagues Over Abortion Drops Suit

    A Texas man who filed a wrongful-death suit against his ex-wife's co-workers that alleged that they helped her obtain pills to terminate her pregnancy has dropped the suit on the eve of trial, saying in a notice Friday that the parties have settled.

  • October 11, 2024

    Seattle Police Guild Tells Judge Shooting Didn't Warrant Firing

    A Seattle police officers' union argued in Washington state court on Friday a former cop acted reasonably when she shot at a suspect fleeing in a stolen vehicle, defending an arbitrator's decision to downgrade her firing to a 60-day suspension amid a challenge by the city.

  • October 11, 2024

    EB-5 Investor Urges Rollback Of Immigration Fee Hikes

    An EB-5 immigrant investor urged a Colorado federal judge to set aside controversial immigration fee increases that took effect in April, arguing that a 2022 law required a study from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security before the immigrant investor program fees could be raised.

  • October 11, 2024

    Cornell Case Gives Justices Chance To Curb ERISA Litigation

    The U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision to hear a retirement fee suit from Cornell workers means new precedent is coming that could harmonize an uneven set of circuit standards for what it takes to pursue a prohibited transaction claim under federal benefits law, attorneys say.

  • October 11, 2024

    FTC's Republicans Take Aim At Agency Merger Data

    The Federal Trade Commission's two Republican members criticized a long-standing agency policy of reporting "abandoned" transactions that were never notified to the antitrust agencies as wins, while dissenting from an annual congressional report on merger reviews.

  • October 11, 2024

    US Law 'Wins,' Judge Says, Nixing Treaty Challenge To Duties

    The U.S. Court of International Trade has rejected a steel importer's arguments that U.S. antidumping duties need reworking to comply with the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, stating that U.S. law "wins" when in conflict with an international treaty.

  • October 11, 2024

    Feds Designate 3rd-Largest Marine Sanctuary Off Calif. Coast

    The Biden administration on Friday said the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is designating more than 4,500 square miles of ocean off California's central coast as the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary.

  • October 11, 2024

    Cornel West's Ballot Bid Too Late For Pennsylvania

    A Pennsylvania federal judge has denied third-party presidential candidate Cornel West's bid to be added to the Keystone State's election ballots, ruling Thursday that the court's concerns about the constitutionality of stricter rules for minor parties were outweighed by the likely disruption of adding new candidates after voting was already underway.

  • October 11, 2024

    Judge Doubts FTX Alum Needs Further Dog Bite Recovery

    A Manhattan federal judge has denied a bid from former FTX executive Ryan Salame to further postpone the start of his 7½-year prison sentence, saying he had already benefited from "extremely generous" delays, and agreeing with prosecutors that Salame appeared to have largely recovered from a dog bite that he said he suffered in June.

  • October 11, 2024

    Swiss Officials Clear Novartis IP Suits As 'Common Practice'

    Swiss authorities have dropped their antitrust probe into patent suits Novartis lodged against rival Eli Lilly and others over psoriasis treatment Cosentyx, saying Novartis' actions were aboveboard.

  • October 11, 2024

    DOI Defends Offshore Lease Schedule At DC Circ.

    The U.S. Department of the Interior defended its scaled-back offshore leasing program for 2024-2029 from dueling challenges at the D.C. Circuit, arguing it relied on "extensive quantitative and qualitative analyses" that it prepared over several years to reach its decision.

  • October 11, 2024

    FCC Pressed To Revisit Local Network Unbundling Rules

    An organization representing schools and libraries is once again urging the Federal Communications Commission to restore unbundling rules for local telecom incumbents, telling the agency that the FCC's Trump-era move to loosen the regulations has reduced competition among E-rate providers.

  • October 11, 2024

    FERC Defends Keeping Calif. In Hydro Permitting Role

    The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission defended its conclusion that California's water board didn't waive its Clean Water Act permitting authority over two hydroelectric dams, telling the D.C. Circuit there's nothing to suggest there was a coordinated effort to string out the permitting process.

  • October 11, 2024

    DOJ Tells Judge Boeing Plea Is 'The Best The Gov't Could Do'

    The federal government told a Texas federal judge Friday that its proposed deal with The Boeing Co. over allegations that it lied to safety regulators about the 737 Max 8's development is "the best the government could do," pushing back against vehement objection from crash victims' families, who called the deal "rotten" and "morally reprehensible."

Expert Analysis

  • Calif. Bill, NTIA Report Illustrate Open-Model AI Safety Debate

    Author Photo

    The National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s balanced recommendations for preventing misuse of open artificial intelligence models, contrasted with a more aggressive California bill, demonstrate an evolving regulatory debate about balancing democratic access to this powerful new technology against potential risks to the public, say Stuart Meyer and Fredrick Tsang at Fenwick.

  • Commerce Proposal Could Ease Trade Remedy Administration

    Author Photo

    Recently proposed international trade enforcement regulations could help the U.S. Department of Commerce more easily administer antidumping and countervailing duty remedies, in turn maximizing relief to American companies adversely affected by unfair trade, says Natan Tubman at Buchanan Ingersoll.

  • What To Know About Ill. Employment Law Changes

    Author Photo

    Illinois employers should review their policies in light of a number of recent changes to state employment law, including amendments to the state’s Human Rights Act and modifications to the Day and Temporary Labor Services Act, say attorneys at Kilpatrick.

  • Complying With FTC's Final Rule On Sham Online Reviews

    Author Photo

    The Federal Trade Commission's final rule on deceptive acts and practices in online reviews and testimonials is effective Oct. 21, and some practice tips can help businesses avert noncompliance risks, say Airina Rodrigues and Jonathan Sandler at Brownstein Hyatt.

  • 7 Takeaways For Investment Advisers From FinCEN AML Rule

    Author Photo

    With a new FinCEN rule that will require covered investment advisers to implement anti-money laundering programs and comply with extra recordkeeping requirements by 2026, companies should begin planning necessary updates to their policies and procedures by focusing on seven of the rule’s key requirements, identified by attorneys at Simpson Thacher.

  • What VC Fund Settlement Means For DEI Grant Programs

    Author Photo

    An unexpected settlement in American Alliance for Equal Rights v. Fearless Fund, based on specific details of an Atlanta venture capital fund's challenged minority grant program, leaves the legal landscape wide open for organizations with similar programs supporting diversity, equity and inclusion to chart a path forward, say attorneys at Moore & Van Allen.

  • Opinion

    A Fuzzy Label With Bite: FTC Must Define Surveillance Pricing

    Author Photo

    The Federal Trade Commission recently issued orders to eight companies — including Mastercard, McKinsey and Chase — seeking information on "surveillance pricing," but the order doesn't explain the term or make the distinction between legal and illegal practices, leaving any company that uses personalized pricing in the dark, says Chris Wlach at Huge.

  • Opinion

    CMS' New 'Breakthrough' Device Policy Shows Little Promise

    Author Photo

    The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ recent procedural notice outlining a new Medicare coverage pathway for breakthrough medical devices will, at best, be a failed experiment and, at worst, result in Medicare beneficiaries denied access to innovative treatments, say attorneys at King & Spalding.

  • Missouri Injunction A Setback For State Anti-ESG Rules

    Author Photo

    A Missouri federal court’s recent order enjoining the state’s anti-ESG rules comes amid actions by state legislatures to revise or invalidate similar legislation imposing disclosure and consent requirements around environmental, social and governance investing, and could be a blueprint for future challenges, say attorneys at Paul Hastings.

  • An Overview Of New Export Controls On Advanced Tech

    Author Photo

    With a new rule that took effect this month, the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security continues to expand export controls on advanced technologies, including semiconductor, additive manufacturing and quantum computing, in coordination with international partners, say attorneys at Arnold & Porter.

  • Nuclear Waste Storage Questions Justices May Soon Address

    Author Photo

    The petition for the U.S. Supreme Court to review U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission v. Texas stands out for a number of reasons — including a deepening circuit split regarding the NRC's nuclear waste storage authority under the Atomic Energy Act, and broader administrative law implications, say attorneys at MoloLamken.

  • How States Are Approaching AI Workplace Discrimination

    Author Photo

    As legislators across the U.S. have begun addressing algorithmic discrimination in the workplace, attorneys at Reed Smith provide an overview of the status, applicability and provisions of 13 state and local bills.

  • SBA Proposal Materially Alters Contractor Recertification

    Author Photo

    The Small Business Administration's new proposed rule on recertification affects eligibility for set-aside contracts, significantly alters the landscape for mergers and acquisitions in the government contracts industry, and could have other unintended downstream consequences, says Sam Finnerty at PilieroMazza.

  • Series

    After Chevron: Conservation Rule Already Faces Challenges

    Author Photo

    The Bureau of Land Management's interpretation of land "use" in its Conservation and Landscape Health Rule is contrary to the agency's past practice and other Federal Land Policy and Management Act provisions, leaving the rule exposed in four legal challenges that may carry greater force in the wake of Loper Bright, say Stacey Bosshardt and Stephanie Regenold at Perkins Coie.

  • A Preview Of AI Priorities Under The Next President

    Author Photo

    For the first time in a presidential election, both of the leading candidates and their parties have been vocal about artificial intelligence policy, offering clues on the future of regulation as AI continues to advance and congressional action continues to stall, say attorneys at Mintz.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here
Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the Public Policy archive.
Hello! I'm Law360's automated support bot.

How can I help you today?

For example, you can type:
  • I forgot my password
  • I took a free trial but didn't get a verification email
  • How do I sign up for a newsletter?
Ask a question!