Latest Legislation Headlines
All the headlines from our Legislation Topic Page, ordered by recency.
New Law Forces Shell Companies to Disclose Owners, Expands Whistleblower Awards
Jan 11 2021 // For years as a federal prosecutor in New York, Daniel R. Alonso led teams that had to search through a maze of anonymously owned corporate entities to expose criminal activity. “It required all kinds of shoe-leather...
Massachusetts Lawmakers Pass Sweeping Climate Change Bill
Jan 11 2021 // Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker said last week he is reviewing legislation passed by lawmakers that would overhaul the state’s climate laws, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, create renewable energy jobs and...
Oklahoma Lobbyists to Pay $115K in Ethics Settlement
Jan 8 2021 // Two Oklahoma lobbyists have agreed to pay $115,000 in penalties as part of a settlement announced by the Oklahoma Ethics Commission. The settlements by the commission were reached with lobbyists James Milner and James...
Keen Named Oregon Financial Regulation Administrator
Jan 7 2021 // T.K. Keen has been named administrator for the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation. The division licenses and regulates banks, credit unions, investments, debt resources and insurance in the state. Keen has served as...
Judge OKs $20M Student Fee Refund Lawsuit Against University of Kentucky
Jan 5 2021 // A Kentucky judge has ruled that a lawsuit seeking refunds for University of Kentucky students who had to vacate campus because of the COVID-19 pandemic could continue, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported. Franklin County...
Judge Rules Former Viacom Shareholders Can Sue Over ViacomCBS Merger
Jan 5 2021 // A Delaware judge ruled this week that former Viacom shareholders may pursue a lawsuit accusing Shari Redstone of engineering a “patently unfair” merger that created ViacomCBS Inc. so she could become a media...
Trump’s EPA Institutes Curb on ‘Secret’ Science Used in Formulating Regulations
Jan 5 2021 // The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) chief said on Monday he has finalized a rule to limit what scientific research the agency can use to formulate regulations, in a concession to big business weeks before...
Tyson not Shielded by Order Keeping Meatpackers Open, Iowa Judge Rules
Jan 4 2021 // A federal judge has rejected an argument by Tyson Foods that is not liable in the death of a worker in Iowa because it was following federal guidance when it kept meatpacking plants open during the coronavirus...
Judge Throws Out Apple Copyright Claims Against Security Software Startup Corellium
Dec 30 2020 // A federal judge in Florida on Tuesday dismissed Apple Inc.’s copyright infringement claims against a Florida startup whose software helps security researchers find vulnerabilities in Apple products including the...
Judge: Government Must Pay Lower Missouri River Landowners for Flood Damage
Dec 23 2020 // The federal government must pay some landowners along the lower Missouri River for flooding damage caused by changes the Army Corps of Engineers made to the river to protect endangered species, a judge has ruled. The...
Indiana Lawmakers to Push for Coronavirus Liability Shield
Dec 23 2020 // Indiana’s governor and legislative leaders are lining up in favor of giving a legal shield to businesses from COVID-19 lawsuits when the General Assembly returns to action next month. Supporters argue the liability...
Judge Dismisses Excessive Ticketing Lawsuit Against Georgia City
Dec 22 2020 // A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit claiming that an Atlanta suburb improperly relied on fines and fees to finance its budget. U.S. District Judge Richard Story last week dismissed a case brought against the city of...
Judge Gives Oklahoma Bars, Restaurants Temporary Curfew Reprieve
Dec 21 2020 // Oklahoma bars and restaurants have effectively won a temporary reprieve from a curfew that has been forcing them to close early since November to minimize the spread of the coronavirus. A state judge sided with a group of...
Oregon Judge Allows Suit Filed by 29 Women to Proceed Against Ex-Doctor
Dec 18 2020 // A judge has denied a request by a former suburban Portland, Ore. doctor to put a two-year hold on a civil case filed against him by 29 patients who allege he sexually abused them. Multnomah County Circuit Judge Melvin...
S. African Insurer Guardrisk Will Not Challenge Court Ruling on COVID-19 Claims
Dec 18 2020 // JOHANNESBURG – South African insurer Guardrisk will not further challenge a court process that has found it liable to pay clients’ rejected coronavirus-related claims, it said late on Thursday. Guardrisk, the...
9 Appeals Court Judges Recuse Themselves in Louisiana Church Sex Abuse Suit
Dec 17 2020 // All nine judges in Louisiana’s Second Circuit Court of Appeal have recused themselves from a sexual abuse lawsuit against the Catholic Diocese of Shreveport and a late priest. Following the full court recusal, the...
Lawmakers: Insurance Disputes, Slow Response Hinder Louisiana Storm Recovery
Dec 17 2020 // Southwest Louisiana lawmakers on Dec. 16 criticized the insurance industry’s handling of claims from Hurricanes Laura and Delta, describing slow responses, low-balled damage estimates and drones used to assess...
Judge OKs Plan for Settling Hurricane Damage Lawsuits Against Insurers in Louisiana
Dec 15 2020 // A federal judge in western Louisiana has approved a plan on how to settle thousands of lawsuits expected to be filed against insurance companies over damage from a pair of hurricanes that hit the region six weeks...
Nevada Judge Says Gig Workers Must Get Pandemic Benefits
Dec 8 2020 // A state court judge held the Nevada unemployment office in contempt and gave it until the end of the month to comply with his July court order to resume paying pandemic relief benefits to almost 9,500 out-of-work gig...
Lawmaker Calls FCC’s Spectrum Auction Danger to Aviation Band
Dec 8 2020 // A senior U.S. House lawmaker on Monday urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to delay the auction of portions of a key spectrum band, warning it could impact a nearby aviation frequency band. House Committee on...
