Alerts

On May 16, Maryland amended its Clean Indoor Air Act by prohibiting vaping in indoor places of employment. The amendments go into effect on July 1.

On April 26, the US Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR) published a Final Rule that adds protections under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule designed to support the privacy of reproductive health care.

On May 17, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed into law the Colorado Artificial Intelligence Act (SB 205), making the state the first to enact a comprehensive legislative framework to regulate artificial intelligence (AI) tools.

On May 14, Outfox Hospitality LLC, the parent company of the retail chain Foxtrot Market, along with its affiliates, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection in the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, with the leading bankruptcy case titled In re Outfox Hospitality LLC, Case Number 1:24-bk-11008 (TMH).

Headlines that Matter for Companies and Executives in Regulated Industries

Following last week’s long-awaited report on the statutory four-year review of the Section 301 tariffs, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) issued a Federal Register notice on the proposed modifications to the existing tariffs on imports from China under Section 301.

Climate change decisions continue to heat up as we head into summer 2024.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is an emerging technology with the potential to effect profound changes in all areas of society, including dispute resolution.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been a major issue across industries including cosmetics and personal care products, furniture, clothing, and food and beverages.

This latest Federal Communications Commission (FCC) action addressing artificial intelligence (AI) would, if adopted, aim to protect voters against deceptive information, including “deep fakes,” in political ads.

In an unprecedented, but anticipated, move last Friday, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) expanded the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Entity List with the addition of 26 new Chinese textile companies in one single action.

Runaway verdicts against large corporations are on the rise. Recently, ExxonMobil was hit with a $725 million verdict in a single-plaintiff case when the jury found that the company failed to warn consumers about the potential health risks of benzene in its products.

A recent decision in the Federal District Court, Baker v. CVS Health Corp., highlights a related peril: using interview technology to evaluate job candidates could run afoul of the Massachusetts Lie Detector Statute.

Welcome to the May 2024 issue of “As the (Customs and Trade) World Turns,” our monthly newsletter where we compile essential updates from the customs and trade world over the past month.

Connected vehicles, and concerns about the data they collect, are making headlines.

Headlines that Matter for Companies and Executives in Regulated Industries

The US Senate’s Bipartisan AI Policy Roadmap is a highly anticipated document expected to shape the future of artificial intelligence (AI) in the United States over the next decade.

For copyright infringement lawsuits timely filed by plaintiffs availing themselves of the “discovery rule” — to determine when their infringement claims accrued — the US Supreme Court has issued a decision concerning the extent to which damages are recoverable.

In September 2023, we covered the Rules (Rule) published by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), developed to promote transparency for investors by increasing visibility into compensation schemes, sales practices, and conflicts of interest.

In Naranjo v. Spectrum Security Services, Inc., Case No. S279397, the California Supreme Court held that if an employer in good faith believed it was providing an accurate wage statement with the requirements of Labor Code section 226, then the employer has not failed to comply with the law.

Disputes between 340B Drug Pricing Program-covered entities and the drug manufacturers required to sell outpatient drugs to those entities at discounted prices will be governed by an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) process under a Final Rule published on April 19, by the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

On April 23, the US Department of Labor (DOL) released a final rule significantly expanding the definition of who qualifies as a fiduciary under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) (the Retirement Security Rule or Final Rule).

Mining companies operate in many countries where the risks related to the presence in the supply chain of forced and child labor tend to be high.

In the latest episode of Five Questions, Five Answers, Birgit Matthiesen sits down with Stephen Hanley, senior writer at CleanTechnica.com, to discuss the electric vehicle (EV) revolution and the concept of the “S curve.”  

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has begun the process of informing over 70,000 taxpayers that their confidential tax information was leaked in a widespread breach by a former IRS contractor.