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Public Policy
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November 15, 2024
GOP Sens. Decry 'Lack Of Urgency' On FDIC Misconduct
Six Republican senators wrote a letter to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Inspector General Jennifer L. Fain asking for a briefing on the FDIC's progress investigating claims of widespread misconduct at the agency, asserting there has been "a shocking lack of urgency."
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November 15, 2024
Judge Doubts Wildfire Trial Plan Would Hurt Some Plaintiffs
A Colorado state judge was skeptical Friday that a single liability trial for the thousands of plaintiffs suing Xcel Energy over a 2021 wildfire would deprive some people of a fair day in court, pressing lawyers for individual plaintiffs to explain why his plan would infringe on due process.
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November 15, 2024
Calif. Justice Reformers Vow To Fight After Election Day Losses
California voters' Election Day moves to oust progressive prosecutors and enact purportedly tough-on-crime ballot measures point to a broad conservative swing in criminal justice, a movement that San Francisco's former District Attorney Chesa Boudin and other reform proponents told Law360 they intend to fight in coming years.
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November 15, 2024
Pa. Top Court Snapshot: Silent Partners, Skill Games In Nov.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court's November argument schedule will task the justices with determining whether a property owner's absentee partner is an "indispensable party," whether CBD oil is reimbursable under workers' comp, and whether operating legally gray "skill games" should disqualify someone from getting a gaming license.
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November 15, 2024
GAO Says EPA Must Act On Waste Sites' Climate Risks
Nearly 70% of the nation's hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal facilities are vulnerable to climate change impacts such as flooding, wildfires, storm surge and sea level rise, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency needs to be more proactive, a new federal report says.
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November 15, 2024
DOL Floats New Restrictions On H-2B Employer Wage Surveys
The U.S. Department of Labor on Friday proposed a rule to further limit employers' use of privately commissioned wage surveys when seeking to hire temporary foreign workers through the H-2B visa program.
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November 15, 2024
FERC Ignored Calif. Hydro Permitting Mischief, DC Circ. Told
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission turned a blind eye to clear evidence that California's water board gamed the permitting process in concluding that the state agency didn't waive its Clean Water Act permitting authority over two hydroelectric dams, the D.C. Circuit heard this week.
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November 15, 2024
GM's Cruise Accepts $500K Criminal Fine Over Robotaxi Crash
Cruise LLC, the autonomous vehicles subsidiary of General Motors Co., has agreed to pay $500,000 in criminal fines to end claims that it made false statements to federal highway investigators by omitting that one of its vehicles dragged a pedestrian over 20 feet, according to an announcement by federal prosecutors.
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November 15, 2024
Paxton Says Texas Porn Site Law 'Modest' Way To End 'Crisis'
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton told the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday that a state law requiring visitors to prove their age before accessing content on certain adult-oriented websites is tailored in the most "modest" way possible to address a "public health crisis."
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November 15, 2024
Texas Judge Won't Halt CFPB Small-Biz Rule As Banks Appeal
A Texas federal judge has declined to stay the compliance date of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's small-business lending data collection rule while a coalition of bank trade groups appeals his decision to uphold the rule's data collection requirements, saying no circumstances justify such "extraordinary relief."
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November 15, 2024
Denver Voters Reject Sales Tax Hike For Affordable Housing
Denver voters narrowly rejected a ballot measure that would have increased the city's sales and use tax by 0.5 percentage points and dedicated the anticipated $100 million in revenue to the city's affordable housing efforts.
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November 15, 2024
Cable Biz Group Doubts FCC Legal Authority On Data Caps
Independent cable providers want the Federal Communications Commission to scrap its potential clamp down on data usage limits in broadband service plans, claiming the agency lacks legal authority to move ahead.
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November 15, 2024
Feds Say 'One' DACA Kid Not Enough To Sue Over Health Reg
The Biden administration slammed North Dakota's attempt to show financial suffering from a federal rule granting health coverage to DACA recipients, saying that the state pointing to "one" unidentified DACA individual isn't enough to establish standing for a lawsuit.
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November 15, 2024
DEA Judge Nixes Vet Group's Bid To Take Part In Pot Hearings
An administrative law judge with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration on Friday denied a veterans group's bid to participate in upcoming hearings on a proposal to loosen federal restrictions on marijuana.
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November 15, 2024
Wis. Agency Issues Permits To Reroute Enbridge Pipeline
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources approved permits needed for Enbridge Energy to move forward with a proposal to reroute a 12-mile portion of its controversial Line 5 pipeline around a Native American reservation and build a new 41-mile segment outside the area.
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November 15, 2024
Detroit Riverfront Org.'s Ex-CFO Admits He Embezzled Funds
The former finance chief of a nonprofit that has helped redevelop Detroit's riverfront pled guilty Friday to stealing tens of millions of dollars from the organization and agreed to pay more than $44 million in restitution as part of his plea agreement.
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November 15, 2024
Hedge Fund Group Urges Trump To Reject 'Punitive' Policies
A leading industry group representing hedge funds and other alternative asset managers is urging President-elect Donald Trump to abandon "punitive" economic policies and instead propose tax and regulatory relief, including business-friendly priorities at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
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November 15, 2024
Now 'Back To Stability,' Mass. US Atty Office Set To Ramp Up
The incoming Trump administration's pick for Massachusetts U.S. attorney has a chance to revive the productivity of an office known for bringing complex and often high-profile cases, veterans of the district say, but new leadership and priorities at the Justice Department leave looming uncertainties.
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November 15, 2024
FERC Can't Justify Pipeline Project Extension, DC Circ. Told
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's ability to extend pipeline construction deadlines simply cannot be applied to a wholesale revision of a proposed southern spur of the Mountain Valley Pipeline, opponents of the project told the D.C. Circuit Thursday.
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November 15, 2024
Detroit 'Rain Tax' Stormwater Fees Upheld By Appellate Court
Fees that Detroit charges property owners to maintain its stormwater drainage system are not illegal taxes, a Michigan Court of Appeals panel held, finding that although the charges are effectively compulsory, they are not subject to constitutional restrictions on tax increases.
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November 15, 2024
USPTO Finalizes Adjustments In 2025 Trademark Fees
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is finalizing a proposal from earlier this year on changes to its fee structures, including adding surcharges on trademark applications lacking sufficient information and increasing the cost for paper applications.
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November 15, 2024
Ga. Attys Named Co-Class Counsel In BioLab Fire Suit
The judge overseeing a proposed class action filed against chemical manufacturer BioLab Inc. in the aftermath of an industrial fire at its Conyers, Georgia, plant gave four firms the green light to take the helm of the plaintiffs' case, clearing the way for the filing of a consolidated amended complaint.
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November 15, 2024
FCC Passes New Satellite Spectrum Sharing Rules
The Federal Communications Commission on Friday released new rules covering the sharing of spectrum by non-geostationary orbit fixed satellites that commissioners say will encourage industry growth but also protect existing systems.
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November 15, 2024
Texas Judge Strikes Down DOL Overtime Rule
The U.S. Department of Labor lacked the authority to raise the salary threshold for a Fair Labor Standards Act overtime exemption, a Texas federal judge ruled Friday, striking down a hotly contested rule that has been in effect since July.
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November 15, 2024
Pennsylvania AG Can't Stop Glass Plant From Moving To Ohio
A Pennsylvania federal judge denied the Keystone State attorney general's bid to stop a private equity firm from shutting down a Pyrex plant it purchased and moving its operations to Ohio, ruling that "there is simply insufficient evidence presented" to show that the move will be anticompetitive.
Expert Analysis
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Use The Right Kind Of Feedback To Help Gen Z Attorneys
Generation Z associates bring unique perspectives and expectations to the workplace, so it’s imperative that supervising attorneys adapt their feedback approach in order to help young lawyers learn and grow — which is good for law firms, too, says Rachael Bosch at Fringe Professional Development.
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Opinion
Congress Can And Must Enact A Supreme Court Ethics Code
As public confidence in the U.S. Supreme Court dips to historic lows following reports raising conflict of interest concerns, Congress must exercise its constitutional power to enact a mandatory and enforceable code of ethics for the high court, says Muhammad Faridi, president of the New York City Bar Association.
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What To Make Of Dueling Corporate Transparency Act Rulings
Although challenges to the Corporate Transparency Act abound — as highlighted by recent federal court decisions from Alabama and Oregon taking opposite positions on its constitutionality — the act is still law, so companies should comply with their filing requirements or face the potential consequences, say attorneys at Lowenstein Sandler.
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Perspectives
The Pop Culture Docket: Justice Lebovits On Gilbert And Sullivan
Characters in the 19th century comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan break the rules of good lawyering by shamelessly throwing responsible critical thought to the wind, providing hilarious lessons for lawyers and judges on how to avoid a surfeit of traps and tribulations, say acting New York Supreme Court Justice Gerald Lebovits and law student Tara Scown.
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California's AI Safety Bill Veto: The Path Forward
California Gov. Gavin Newsom's veto of a bill that sought to impose stringent regulations on advanced artificial intelligence model development has sparked a renewed debate on how best to balance innovation with safety in the rapidly evolving AI landscape, say Bobby Malhotra and Carson Swope at Winston & Strawn.
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Staying Off The CFPB's Financial Services Offender Registry
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's soon-to-launch registry of financial services companies that have faced public enforcement orders is designed to ratchet up long-term scrutiny of entities that could become repeat offenders, so companies should take their new compliance and filing requirements seriously, say Andrea Mitchell and Chris Napier at Mitchell Sandler.
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New TCPA Rule Faces Uncertain Future Post-Loper Bright
The Federal Communications Commission's new rule aiming to eliminate lead generators' use of unlawful robocalls is now in doubt with the U.S. Supreme Court's Loper Bright decision, and the Eleventh Circuit's Insurance Marketing Coalition v. FCC is poised to be a test case of the agency's ability to enforce the Telephone Consumer Protection Act post-Chevron, say attorneys at Baker McKenzie.
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A Look At Calif.'s New AI Law For Health Insurers
A newly enacted California law prohibits artificial intelligence tools from making medical necessity determinations for healthcare service plans or disability insurers, addressing core questions that have arisen around AI's role in coverage decisions, say attorneys at DLA Piper.
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New HHS Research Misconduct Rules Bring Seismic Changes
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' new rule regarding research misconduct investigations brings significant changes that focus on remediation, appeals and confidentiality, while other changes could result in institutions causing undue harm to scientists accused of such misconduct, say attorneys at Cohen Seglias.
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To Report Or Not To Report Others' Export Control Violations
A recent Bureau of Industry and Security enforcement policy change grants cooperation credit to those that report violations of the Export Administration Regulations committed by others, but the benefits of doing so must be weighed against significant drawbacks, including the costs of preparing and submitting a report, says Megan Lew at Cravath.
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Earned Wage Access Laws Form A Prickly Policy Patchwork
Conflicting earned wage access laws across the country, including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's recently issued rule, mean providers must adopt a proactive compliance approach and adjust business models where needed, say attorneys at Sheppard Mullin.
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What FDIC Expansion Of Change In Bank Control Could Mean
A recent Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. proposal pertaining to the Change in Bank Control Act has the potential to create uncertainty around investments by mutual fund complexes in banking organizations, which represent a stable source of capital for the banking industry, say attorneys at Sullivan & Cromwell.
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HSR Amendments Intensify Merger Filing Burdens, Data Risk
The antitrust agencies' long-awaited changes to premerger notification rules under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act stand to significantly increase the time and cost involved in preparing an initial HSR notification, and will require more proactive attention to data issues, says Andrew Szwez at FTI Technology.
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Deadline Extension Highlights PFAS Reporting Complexities
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's recent extension of reporting and recordkeeping timelines for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances under the Toxic Substances Control Act offers relief to the regulated community, but the unprecedented volume of data required means that businesses must remain diligent in their data collection efforts, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.
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Can SEC's Consolidated Audit Trail Survive Post-Chevron?
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is currently in a showdown at the Eleventh Circuit over its authority to maintain a national market system and require that the industry spend billions to maintain its consolidated audit trail, a case that is further complicated by the Loper Bright decision, says Daniel Hawke at Arnold & Porter.