Business In MA The MASSACHUSETTS Senate approves SB 2033, legislation that would expand the scope of workplace disfigurement injuries covered under workers' compensation policies to include injuries anywhere on a person's body. The measure is now in the House (BOSTON GLOBE). Also in MASSACHUSETTS...

MASSACHUSETTS Gov. Charlie Baker (R) signs HB 3922, which extends a Bay State law that requires 35 percent of employees eligible for a group home or auto insurance marketing discount, or credit, to participate in that plan within two years of the plan being organized by an employer, union or other organization...

Business in WV The WEST VIRGINIA Senate approves SB 1, so-called “right-to-work” legislation that would allow employees in unionized workplaces to opt out of paying union dues while still requiring a union to represent all workers. The measure moves to the House (CHARLESTON GAZETTE-MAIL...

Business In CA The CALIFORNIA Senate gives final approval to SB 7b, which would raise the legal smoking age in the Golden State to 21. It moves to Gov. Jerry Brown (D) for consideration (SACRAMENTO BEE). Also in CALIFORNIA , the Senate endorses SB 5b, which would require that electronic cigarette...

TN Gov Signs SB 2109 TENNESSEE Gov. Bill Haslam (R) signs SB 2109 , which makes the Volunteer State the third to legalize and regulate daily fantasy sports games. The law establishes a regulatory framework for the industry, including a licensing process, security data protection requirements and a...

Business In NJ The NEW JERSEY Supreme Court rules that employers may not terminate or discriminate against workers simply for getting divorced or separated from their spouse. The suit stemmed from the case of an employee who was terminated after revealing to his supervisor that he was involved in...

Business In CT The CONNECTICUT Supreme Court rules that state regulators can limit what tow truck operators charge motorists when police summon them to clear highway accidents. The ruling came in two cases where tow operators claimed the state could limit only the cost of the actual tow and not charges...

MA Approves SB 2394, SB 2409 and SB 2119 The MASSACHUSETTS Senate approves SB 2394 , which would bar Bay State employers from running credit checks on job applicants. The measure, which makes exceptions for positions where the employee would handle more than $6,000 in funds or which require national...

House and Senate Reach Final Agreement on MA SB 2119 The MASSACHUSETTS House and Senate reach final agreement on SB 2119 , gender pay equity legislation which requires men and women to be paid the same for similar work. The measure, which also bars employers from requiring applicants to reveal their...

The MASSACHUSETTS House and Senate endorse HB 4570 , legislation that would establish a 20-cent-per-ride surcharge on ridesharing companies like Uber and Lyft. The measure, which also requires the companies to perform background checks on drivers they hire, moves to Gov. Charlie Baker (R) for consideration...

Business In NJ The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rules that a 2014 NEW JERSEY law allowing sports betting at casinos and racetracks violated the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, a 1992 federal law prohibiting the practice in all states other than NEVADA, DELAWARE, MONTANA and OREGON...

Massachusetts Approves SB 2473 The MASSACHUSETTS House and Senate each gives final approval to SB 2473 , which would impose new safety requirements on so-called “duck boats,” amphibious sight-seeing vehicles commonly used for tourist excursions. The measure is now with Gov. Charlie Baker...

Business in Washington DC The WASHINGTON D.C. Council approves a proposal that would grant workers eight weeks of time off to care for a newborn or adopted child. The measure, which would also grant employees six weeks of paid leave to help ailing relatives and two weeks of personal sick leave per...

Missouri Approves HB 91 The MISSOURI House approves HB 91 , so-called right-to-work legislation that would bar union workplaces from requiring workers to pay union dues as a condition of employment. It moves to the Senate (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH). Massachusetts Signs SB 2505 MASSACHUSETTS Gov...

Massachusetts Endorses SB 2093 The MASSACHUSETTS Senate unanimously endorses SB 2093 , which would bar Bay State employers from discriminating against an employee or prospective employee due to pregnancy or a condition related to the pregnancy, such as lactation or the need to express breast milk...

Business In Massachusetts The MASSACHUSETTS House and Senate agree on a bill that would impose significant changes in the voter-approved law legalizing recreational marijuana sales in the Bay State. Under the legislation, the maximum tax on retail marijuana sales would go from 12 percent to 20 percent...

Gov. Charlie Baker Signs HB 3680 Gov. Charlie Baker (R) signs HB 3680 , legislation that requires Bay State employers to offer “reasonable accommodations” to pregnant workers and makes it illegal to fire or refuse to hire a worker because of her pregnancy. The measure also mandates that...

MA Senate Approves SB 2546 The MASSACHUSETTS Senate approves SB 2546 , which would allow the Bay State attorney general to file civil actions and issue stop work orders in wage theft cases. The measure, which also would create a trust fund to repay stolen wages when other recovery options have been...

MA Governor Vetoes Section of HB 4732 MASSACHUSETTS Gov. Charlie Baker (R) vetoes a section of a $1.1 billion economic development package ( HB 4732 ) that would have barred “bad faith” allegations of patent infringement by so-called “patent trolls,” who contact companies to...

MA House Endorses HB 3904 The MASSACHUSETTS House endorses HB 3904 , a bill that would establish a framework for licensing and regulating appraisal management companies in the Bay State. It is now in the Senate (STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE [BOSTON]. NJ Governor Signs AB 5321 NEW JERSEY Gov....

MASSACHUSETTS Senate Approves SB 2410 The MASSACHUSETTS Senate approves SB 2410 , a bill that would prohibit the distribution of single-use plastic bags and require customers to pay a fee of at least 10 cents for recyclable or reusable bags. The ban, which would not apply to plastic bags used to hold...