Free subscription to the Capitol Journal keeps you current on legislative and regulatory news.
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...
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...
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...
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...
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 views expressed in externally authored materials linked or published on this site do not necessarily reflect the views of LexisNexis Legal & Professional.
Florida lawmakers swiftly enacted legislation loosening COVID-19 workplace vaccination requirements in special session last week. The legislation (HB 1 b) provides new exemptions from such mandates for workers with health issues, a religious conflict with vaccination, or proof of immunity, or who are willing to submit to “periodic testing” or wear PPE provided by their employer. The state’s lawmakers weren’t due to consider any more legislation until January, but Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) called them back to challenge the rule from the Biden administration requiring businesses with more than 100 employees to ensure their employees are vaccinated against COVID-19. (TAMPA BAY TIMES, MIAMI HERALD, STATE NET)
Idaho’s House Committee on Business referred two bills to the floor dealing with COVID-19 vaccination mandates. HB 415 would add vaccine exemptions, including natural immunity, to state law, and HB 419 would prohibit employers from requiring COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment. (IDAHO STATESMAN [BOISE], STATE NET)
Amazon has agreed to pay California $500,000 for failing to disclose COVID-19 case numbers to its workers and local health agencies. The judgement is the first in connection with the state’s new “right to know” law (AB 685), enacted in September 2020. (LOS ANGELES TIMES)
The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear a consolidation of 34 lawsuits challenging the Biden administration’s COVID-19 workplace vaccination rule. Although chosen randomly, the Cincinnati-based court is the preferred venue for opponents of the federal mandate, with 10 of its members having been appointed by Republican presidents and five appointees of Democratic presidents. (INSURANCE JOURNAL)
Tesla is seeking a new trial and reconsideration of the damage award in the workplace racial bias case that concluded on Oct. 4. The jury in that case found that the company failed to take appropriate steps to protect an employee from racial bias at its facility in northern California in 2015 and 2016, awarding the employee, Oscar Diaz, $6.9 billion in compensatory damages and $130 million in punitive damages. (INSURANCE JOURNAL)
-- Compiled by KOREY CLARK