Latest Legislation Headlines
All the headlines from our Legislation Topic Page, ordered by recency.
W. Virginia Girl’s Fall Into Restaurant Grease Pit Prompts Legislation to Toughen Fines
Feb 6 2020 // Kara Cvechko recalled her heart pounding as she scrambled headfirst down into an outdoor grease pit to save her 5-year-old daughter who had fallen through an unsecured opening at a West Virginia restaurant. Kambria...
North Dakota Official: Work Injury Claims Could Rise with Recreational Pot
Feb 6 2020 // North Dakota could see a rise in workers’ compensation claims if marijuana is legalized, the state’s workplace safety agency told lawmakers on Feb. 4. Jodi Bjornson, a lawyer for North Dakota Workforce Safety...
Britain’s Insurance Sector Urged to Compete by Selectively Diverging from EU Rules
Feb 5 2020 // A senior official from Britain’s insurance sector on Wednesday laid out the case for selective divergence from EU rules to add to London’s appeal as a competitive global financial center. Britain left the...
Google, Tinder Face Irish Regulatory Inquiries Over Location Data Handling
Feb 5 2020 // Irish regulators have launched separate inquiries into Google and dating app Tinder over how they process user data, in a new round of regulatory scrutiny aimed at tech companies. Ireland’s Data Protection Commission...
U.S. Seeks Certificaton Criteria for Civilian Drones
Feb 5 2020 // Government regulators plan to review drone designs in the same way they review other aircraft, a major step toward allowing routine drone deliveries and other flights over congested cities. The Federal Aviation...
New York Governor Signs Limo Safety Bills Inspired by Deadly Crashes
Feb 5 2020 // New York’s governor signed a package of limousine safety bills Monday that was inspired by deadly crashes in 2015 and 2018. One of the bills would require that motor vehicles converted into stretch limousines by...
Judge Rejects Argument That Insurer Acted in Bad Faith by Using Automated Bill Pay
Feb 4 2020 // For the second time in a year, a federal judge rejected a plaintiff attorney’s argument that an insurance carrier acted in bad faith by using the Mitchell Decision Point program when calculating the value of a...
Judge Refuses to Dismiss Corruption Case Against North Carolina Insurance Magnate
Feb 3 2020 // A federal judge refused to dismiss conspiracy and bribery counts against a North Carolina insurance magnate and two associates, allowing the case to move toward a February trial. Lawyers for Greg E. Lindberg, John Gray and...
Judge Quashes Peloton’s Countersuit in Music Copyright Case
Feb 3 2020 // Peloton Interactive Inc.’s attempt to fire back at music publishers who sued the exercise bike maker for copyright infringement was quashed by a federal judge. U.S. District Judge Denise Cote on Wednesday dismissed...
Judge Orders J&J to Pay $344 Million Over Vaginal Mesh Implants Marketing
Feb 3 2020 // Johnson & Johnson was ordered to pay $344 million for misrepresenting the risks of vaginal-mesh implants to consumers in California, the first state to bring its claim against the company to trial after thousands of...
EU Prepares for Coming of Facial Recognition– On Its Privacy Terms
Feb 3 2020 // The European Union has accepted there is no escape from facial recognition, but is seeking to ensure any roll-out that includes U.S. and Chinese players will abide by European values like strict personal privacy. Facial...
IGI Gets Regulatory Nod from Bermuda After Merger with Tiberius Acquisition
Jan 31 2020 // International General Insurance Holdings Ltd. (IGI) announced it has received regulatory approval from the Bermuda Monetary Authority in connection with its previously announced business combination with Tiberius...
Judge Finds Ransomware Damage to Computer a ‘Direct Physical Loss’
Jan 30 2020 // State Auto Property and Casualty Insurance Co. is liable for the cost of replacing a computer server that was damaged and perhaps permanently compromised by a ransomware attack despite the carrier’s argument that the...
Brexit Impact on UK Insurers Dictated by Trade Talks, Possible Economic Hit: AM Best
Jan 30 2020 // From an operational point of view, the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union on Jan. 31, 2020 will have little immediate impact on AM Best-rated insurers in the UK or EU, according to the ratings agency...
Rhode Island Judge Says Jury Should Decide if Uber Can Be Liable for Crash
Jan 29 2020 // A jury should determine whether Uber ought to be held responsible for a passenger’s injuries, a federal judge in Rhode Island ruled. A U.S. District Court judge concluded Jan. 16 that jurors should determine whether...
Bill Would Require Extended Safety Netting at Ohio Pro Ballparks
Jan 29 2020 // An Ohio state lawmaker has introduced legislation requiring all major and minor league baseball teams in the state to install protective netting from foul pole to foul pole. State Rep. John Patterson introduced his bill in...
Insurers Say Proposed California Regs Could Axe Discounts for Millions
Jan 28 2020 // The American Property Casualty Insurance Association testified today in opposition to draft regulations they say could eliminate many affinity group insurance discount programs during a pre-notice workshop held by the...
Colorado Lawmakers Want to Toughen Workplace Harassment Protections
Jan 27 2020 // A proposal to rewrite Colorado’s rules for workplace harassment claims is expected to be introduced soon at the state capitol. It would change things for employers by limiting the use of confidentiality agreements in...
South Texas Lawmaker Appointed to Windstorm Insurance Oversight Board
Jan 27 2020 // Texas state Rep. J.M. Lozano has been appointed to the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) Legislative Oversight Board, a group of four State Representatives and four State Senators that will closely monitor TWIA...
Oklahoma State Representative’s Bill Would Regulate Peer-to-Peer Car Rentals
Jan 27 2020 // A state representative in Oklahoma has filed a bill that would set regulatory standards for the nascent peer-to-peer rental car industry. Rep. Lonnie Sims (R-Jenks) says House Bill 3655 supports both the growth and the...
