August 13, 2025

Proposed Credit Property Insurance Rate Cuts in SC

SC Proposes Rate Cuts for Some Credit Property Insurance South Carolina’s Department of Insurance plans to cut the rates for some credit property insurance, which lenders sometimes require to protect personal property put up as collateral for loans. The department issued a bulletin stating that it was proposing “to hold the rate for household goods—single interest coverage at the 2025 level and to...

August 13, 2025

State Efforts to Make Data Centers Pay More for Energy, Veto of Gig Worker Portable Benefits Bill in WI & More

States Eying Higher Electricity Rates for Data Centers At least a dozen states are considering ways to make data centers pay more for their power, with evidence mounting that data center demand is driving up rates for other commercial, industrial and residential customers. Lawmakers in Oregon, a data center hot spot , passed legislation in June calling for state regulators to establish new power rates for data centers...

August 13, 2025

WI Gov’s Veto of Insurance Reg Exemption for Direct Primary Care Doctors

Evers Vetoes Insurance Reg Exemption for Direct Primary Care Doctors Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) vetoed a bill ( SB 4 ) that would have exempted primary care doctors who provide care to patients who are billed directly and pay a monthly membership fee from regulation as part of the insurance industry. Evers said in his veto message that the measure failed to provide sufficient protections for patients receiving care...

August 13, 2025

State Lawmakers Seek to Regulate AI Pricing

A few months ago we reported on state legislation targeting “predictive pricing,” the use of “data analytics, machine learning and algorithms to anticipate market demand and adjust prices in real time.” Some of those measures are progressing through the legislative process, while new ones have also been introduced, suggesting that algorithmic pricing legislation may have become a new frontier in...

July 30, 2025

CA Completes Review of First Wildfire Risk Model

CA Regulators Complete Review of Wildfire Risk Model California’s Department of Insurance has completed a review of the state’s first wildfire catastrophe model, which property/casualty insurers can now begin using to assess wildfire risk when setting rates. The major change to the ratemaking process is part of a new regulatory framework created to address a homeowners insurance crisis in the state, with...

July 30, 2025

Trump Administration’s State Regulation-Unfriendly ‘AI Action Plan’ & More

Trump Administration’s ‘AI Action Plan’ Targets State AI Regulation The Trump administration released an “AI Action Plan,” aimed at speeding the development of artificial intelligence in the United States, including by removing “red tape and onerous regulation.” Among other things the plan recommends that federal agencies with “AI-related discretionary programs...consider...

July 29, 2025

More States Grant Unemployment Benefits to Striking Workers

In the span of just 36 days this spring and summer, the number of states offering unemployment benefits to striking workers doubled—to four. New Jersey was the first to offer such benefits, beginning in 2018 . New York followed in 2020 . Then Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson (D) signed SB 5041 by Sen. Marcus Riccelli (D) on May 19, establishing unemployment insurance benefits for striking workers in the Evergreen...

July 23, 2025

New Front in ESG War & CA’s First Fine for Violation of Crypto Law

Developing Anti-‘Debanking’ Trend in Red States? A new front appears to have opened in the ongoing battle over environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing. In March Idaho Gov. Brad Little (R) signed the Transparency in Financial Services Act ( SB 1027 ), prohibiting financial institutions with over $100 billion in assets from denying services for ideological reasons, a practice known as “debanking...

July 23, 2025

FL’s Bid to Expand Health Workforce with Medicaid Funding

FL Requests Medicaid Waiver to Bolster Health Workforce Florida is seeking a federal waiver to use Medicaid funding to expand its health care workforce, a plan that could be adopted by other states. The Sunshine State aims to use up to $3 billion in federal and state money over five years for training and loan repayments of health care workers who care for Medicaid patients in underserved areas. ( PLURIBUS NEWS ) ...

July 23, 2025

Four-Day Workweek Proposals Return to State Capitols

A couple of years ago, the idea of switching to a four-day workweek seemed to be catching on in state legislatures . As many as six states, including Maryland , Massachusetts and Pennsylvania , considered it, although no state has actually mandated it for all workers. But the proposal has made a bit of a comeback this year. In Maine, Sen. Rick Bennett (R) is carrying a resolution ( SB 735a ) calling for a pilot...

July 16, 2025

PA’s New Crypto Transmitter Licensing Law

PA Enacts Crypto Transmitter Licensing Requirements Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) signed legislation requiring cryptocurrency and other virtual monetary transmitters to be licensed by the state. The new law will also require licensees to submit annual reports on their operations. ( STATE AFFAIRS , LEXISNEXIS STATE NET) —Compiled by SNCJ Managing Editor KOREY CLARK Visit our webpage to connect with a LexisNexis®...

July 16, 2025

Repeal of MO’s Paid Sick Leave Law

MO Lawmakers Repeal Voter-Approved Paid Sick Leave Law Eight months after Missouri voters approved Proposition A, mandating paid sick leave and a $13.75 minimum wage, Gov. Mike Kehoe (R) signed legislation ( HB 567 ) repealing the law. Voters in Alaska and Nebraska also approved paid sick leave ballot measures in November but Alaska’s is the only one that hasn’t been changed by state lawmakers. ( ASSOCIATED...

July 16, 2025

ME’s New Click-to-Cancel Law & Frontier AI Bill in CA

ME Makes it Easier to Cancel Subscriptions Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) signed a bill ( SB 650 a ) last month intended to make it easier for Mainers to cancel subscriptions, from gym memberships to mobile apps and online software. Providers of such products and services will now have to give consumers clear information about renewals and consumers will have to provide consent for such renewals and will be able to cancel...

July 16, 2025

CT’s Unique Bid to Lower Cost of GLP-1 Drugs

CT to Seek Federal Approval to Make Generic GLP-1 Weight Loss Drugs Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) signed legislation ( HB 7192 ) allowing the state to seek to hire a generic drug-manufacturer to make cheap versions of Ozempic, Wegovy and other GLP-1 drugs the state could then provide to those covered by Medicaid or the state employees’ health plan. No other state has a law in place for such drugs ( NEW HAVEN...

July 16, 2025

States Look to Rein in AI in Insurance

With Congress punting on artificial intelligence regulation during budget negotiations this year, states remain key watchdogs of the technology as it continues to be embraced throughout American society. One area of particular concern to the states: insurance, a historically state-regulated industry . Colorado became the first state to formally regulate the use of AI in insurance in 2023, although other states before...

June 24, 2025

Support for Small Pharmacies in Multiple States, Support for 340B Program in RI & More

States Passing Laws to Aid Small Pharmacies States including Colorado ( HB 1094 ), Georgia ( HB 196 ), Indiana ( SB 140 ), Iowa ( SB 383 ) and Montana (HB 740) have passed laws this year setting minimum prescription drug reimbursement rates for pharmacies. The laws are coming in response to complaints from independent pharmacies that contracts with pharmacy benefit managers aren’t covering their costs for obtaining...

June 24, 2025

How Immigration Enforcement Could Affect Child Labor Laws

Child labor may evoke Dickensian images of young children in dirty, oversized clothes laboring in dusty, dangerous workshops. But this year legislators in Florida considered a bill ( SB 918 ) that would have eliminated certain employment restrictions on 16-and 17-year-olds and allowed minors as young as 14 to work overnight shifts . Rep. Jay Collins (R), the measure’s sponsor, dismissed criticism that it would...

June 17, 2025

Nation’s First Social Media Warning Label Requirement & Passage of Frontier AI Bill in NY

MN Enacts Nation’s First Social Media Warning Label Requirement Minnesota enacted a first-in-the-nation provision ( HB 2 a / SB 6 a ) requiring social media platforms to display mental health warning labels each time users access the platforms. Warning label legislation is also under consideration in California and New York. ( CBS17 , LEXISNEXIS STATE NET) NY Lawmakers Pass Frontier AI Bill The New York Legislature...

June 17, 2025

CA’s Investigation of State Farm over LA Wildfire Claims

CA to Investigate State Farm over LA Wildfire Claims California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara (D) announced a “market conduct examination” of State Farm over consumer complaints about the insurer’s handling of claims from the Los Angeles wildfires in January. One common complaint against the insurer is that it has been passing homeowners off from one adjuster to another, forcing the homeowners...

June 17, 2025

OR’s Tough New Corporate Health Care Law, PBM Restrictions in IA & More

OR Enacts Nation’s Strongest Corporate Health Care Law Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek (D) signed a bill ( SB 951 ) imposing the toughest regulations on private and corporate control of medical practices in the country. The measure limits the amount of control health management companies can have over medical practices, with the aim of closing what supporters say is a loophole in state law allowing companies to get around...

June 17, 2025

Will Genetic Privacy Concerns Raised by 23andMe’s Collapse Last?

When the genetic testing company 23andMe announced it had entered the federal bankruptcy process in March, concern quickly turned to what would happen to customers’ genetic data . The California biotech company said the bankruptcy would not change how it protected sensitive customer information. And its buyer , Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, has promised to use 23andMe’s data ethically. “As a world leader...

June 10, 2025

CA’s AI Companion Chatbot Safety Bill & Dueling Internet Age Verification Bills in OH

CA Senate Approves AI Companion Chatbots Safety Bill California’s Senate passed a bill ( SB 243 ) that would require artificial intelligence-powered companion chatbot platforms to remind users every three hours that their chatbot isn’t human, as well as implement protocols to address suicidal thoughts of users. The measure is now in the Assembly’s Privacy and Consumer Protection and Judiciary committees...

June 10, 2025

Unemployment for Striking Workers Bill Advancing in OR

OR Lawmakers Close to Approving Unemployment for Striking Workers The Oregon House passed a bill ( SB 916 ) that would allow striking workers to receive unemployment benefits for up to 26 weeks. The Senate passed the measure in March but will have to vote on it again because it was amended by the House. New York, New Jersey and Washington have already authorized unemployment benefits for striking workers. ( OREGONIAN...

June 10, 2025

CO’s Aggressive Overhaul of PBM Payment

CO Changes Way PBMs Paid Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) signed a bill ( HB 1094 ) that, among other things, will allow pharmacy benefit managers, starting in 2027, to only be paid a flat service fee instead of earning income from rebates or other price-based fees. The new law will also set the amount that PBMs can reimburse pharmacies for prescription drugs. ( PLURIBUS NEWS , LEXISNEXIS STATE NET) —Compiled by...

June 10, 2025

LA Fire Victims Sue Homeowners Insurers & NC Nears Allowing State Investment in Crypto

LA Homeowners Sue Insurers over Inadequate Fire Coverage Victims of the Los Angeles wildfires in January have filed a pair of lawsuits claiming USAA, a Texas-based insurer that serves members of the military, and two insurers affiliated with AAA underestimated the replacement cost of their homes for years, leaving them without enough coverage to rebuild their homes. The plaintiffs accuse the insurers of fraud and negligence...