Latest Legislation Headlines
All the headlines from our Legislation Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Judge Upholds Conviction of North Carolina Insurance Magnate in Bribery Case
Aug 10 2020 // A federal judge has upheld the convictions of two men found to be trying to bribe North Carolina’s top insurance regulator with large political contributions so that scrutiny of a defendant’s businesses would...
Nevada Passes COVID-19 Liability and Worker Protection Deal
Aug 7 2020 // Nevada lawmakers voted to shield certain industries from coronavirus-related legal liability and require hotels and casinos to enact worker protection measures after days of complicated negotiations with Gov. Steve...
D.C. Judge Rules For Insurer, Dismisses Restaurants’ Business Interruption Claims
Aug 7 2020 // The insurance industry has notched another victory in its defense of its commercial insurance policies against claims for business interruption due to the coronavirus. In a case brought by the owner of several restaurants...
Judge May Not Grant Injunction Forcing Uber, Lyft to Classify Drivers as Employees
Aug 7 2020 // A California judge signaled on Thursday he might be leaning against a request for a preliminary injunction forcing Uber Technologies Inc and Lyft Inc. to classify drivers as employees rather than contractors. In a hearing...
Tennessee Gov Calls Special Session to Address COVID-19 Liability
Aug 5 2020 // Gov. Bill Lee on Monday announced he’s calling lawmakers back to the Capitol to address legislation that would provide health care providers, schools and businesses broad protections against coronavirus lawsuits. Lee...
Nebraska Lawmakers Reject Bid for More Safety Restrictions at Meatpacking Plants
Aug 4 2020 // Nebraska’s meatpacking plants won’t have to worry about any new safety restrictions this year, despite outbreaks of the coronavirus among their workers, after a state lawmaker on July 29 failed to secure enough...
Judge Voids Parts of Trump Labor Rule Limiting Coronavirus Sick Leave Eligibility
Aug 4 2020 // A U.S. judge on Monday voided parts of a Trump administration rule that restricted paid sick leave and emergency family leave for potentially millions of workers affected by the coronavirus. Ruling in a case brought by New...
VW Asks Court to Reconsider ‘Staggering’ Damages for Counties Over Diesel Emissions
Aug 3 2020 // Volkswagen AG’s wholly owned U.S. subsidiary on Thursday asked the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals to reconsider a ruling that said two counties could seek financial penalties over excess diesel emissions that...
Judge Limits Wrongful Death Lawsuit to Oregon Police
Jul 30 2020 // A federal judge says a wrongful death lawsuit stemming from the fatal shooting of a man who helped lead the armed occupation of an Oregon wildlife refuge can proceed against Oregon State Police, but allegations against...
Grant Program Now Open for Louisiana Small Businesses Harmed by Virus
Jul 29 2020 // Louisiana small businesses that have been hammered by the coronavirus outbreak and haven’t received federal aid can start applying for grants up to $15,000 to cover pandemic-related expenses, under a program created...
GOP Senator Wants to Tie Internet Firms’ Liability Immunity to Curb on Behavioral Ads
Jul 28 2020 // Republican Senator Josh Hawley on Tuesday introduced legislation that would penalize large tech companies that sell or show targeted advertisements by threatening a legal immunity enjoyed by the industry — the latest...
Court Rules New Jersey Can Shut Down Gym That Defied Closure
Jul 28 2020 // A state judge ruled that New Jersey authorities can shut down a gym that has repeatedly defied Governor Phil Murphy’s executive order to remain closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ruling held Atilis Gym of...
Judge Nixes 7% Plaintiffs Attorneys’ Fee on Opioid Settlements
Jul 28 2020 // A federal judge overseeing thousands of opioid lawsuits declined on Monday to grant a demand by plaintiffs attorneys for fees that could be worth billions of dollars, a request drug company defendants had said would...
California Governor Pledging to Support Essential Workers
Jul 27 2020 // California Gov. Gavin Newsom pledged Friday to do more to protect farm workers, grocery clerks and other essential workers – many of whom are Latino –from the health and economic harms of the coronavirus as the...
Delaware Judge Upholds Dismissal Call in Softball Injury Lawsuit
Jul 27 2020 // A Delaware judge has refused to overturn her decision to toss a lawsuit by a paralegal who said he was targeted for retaliation after being injured while playing on his law firm’s softball team and filing a...
Germany to Reform Regulation of Insurers, Banks, Payment Firms on Wirecard Scandal
Jul 27 2020 // German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz intends to unveil a reform of the government’s financial oversight, as the widening scandal over the collapse of Wirecard AG reaches the highest levels of Chancellor Angela...
Court Affirms Class Action Suit Against State Farm in Kentucky Claim Underpayment Case
Jul 27 2020 // A federal appellate court has cleared the way for a class-action lawsuit to proceed against State Farm Fire and Casualty Insurance Co. that may force the insurer to correct underpayments paid to some 65,000...
Insurers Exploring ‘New World’ of Police Officer Professional Liability
Jul 24 2020 // U.S. insurers and brokers are starting to craft professional liability coverage for police officers, spurred on by signs that policymakers in some cities and states want to use a financial stick to curb police...
Louisiana Governor Extends Mask Rule, Virus Restrictions to Aug. 7
Jul 23 2020 // Gov. John Bel Edwards has said that he’ll keep Louisiana’s mask mandate and business restrictions in place for at least two more weeks, as the number of coronavirus patients at hospitals surges in all regions...
New York ‘Bad Faith’ Bill Repeats Mistakes of California and Florida
Jul 23 2020 // The State of New York may be on the verge of making the same mistake that has driven Florida auto insurance premiums through the roof, and that did the same in California until its high court learned the error of its...