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Flurry of Legislative Action on Wildfires in CA In response to the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles last month, California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara (D) and several state lawmakers have proposed a 10-bill package of legislation aimed at...

TX, NY & VA Target DeepSeek Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) launched an investigation into the privacy practices of the Chinese artificial intelligence app DeepSeek. The state claims the company violated the Texas Data Privacy and Security...

AR Lawmakers Considering Aggressive PBM Regulation A bill ( HB 1150 ) under consideration in the Arkansas House may be the most aggressive effort to regulate pharmacy benefit mangers yet. The measure would bar PBMs from owning pharmacies, potentially...

These are heady days for enthusiasts of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies and digital assets. President Trump has declared himself the “ crypto president ,” unleashing a surge of crypto-friendly proposals at the state and federal levels...

CA Urges Insurers to Make Things Easier for LA Wildfire Victims California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara (D) issued a notice to residential property insurance companies in the state urging them to go beyond their legal obligation and pay policyholders...

Legislative Backlash Against AI Regulation A bill introduced in Montana ( SB 212 ) and a proposed constitutional amendment in New Hampshire ( CACR 6 ) would establish a right to compute, guaranteeing access to the hardware, software, networks and algorithms...

More PBM Regulation Under Consideration in IA After passing pharmacy benefit manager regulations last year, Iowa lawmakers are considering a pair of bills ( HSB 99 and SSB 1074 ) that would require all prescription drug contracts to use a pass-through...

In late September, California became one of the first states to establish some ground rules for the use of artificial intelligence in healthcare when Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed into law AB 3030 and SB 1120 . The first of those bills, by Sen. Josh...

IN Senate Passes Under-16 Social Media Ban Indiana’s Senate passed a bill ( SB 11 ) that would prohibit social media companies from allowing those under the age of 16 from accessing their platforms without parental consent. A provision that would...

Bipartisan Bill to Ban Noncompete Clauses Introduced in OH Ohio Sens. Bill Blessing (R) and Bill DeMora (D) have introduced legislation ( SB 11 ) that would ban employers from enforcing noncompete clauses in worker contracts. Blessing said the bill...

Lawsuit Accuses GoodRX, PBMs of Price-Fixing A proposed class action lawsuit filed in federal court in California alleges online prescription drug price comparison platform GoodRx and several pharmacy benefit managers, including CVS Caremark and Express...

The wildfires in Los Angeles this month have done more than just upended lives and destroyed millions of dollars’ worth of property . They’ve also wreaked havoc with an insurance market that was already precariously situated, as we reported...

NY to Weigh AI Companion Chatbot Liability New York Assemblyman Clyde Vanel (D) is drafting a bill that would make developers of AI companion chatbots liable for harm those chatbots cause to minors. The first-in-the-nation proposal comes after a 14...

AR Looks to Bar PBMs from Owning Pharmacies Arkansas Rep. Jeremiah Moore (R) has introduced a bill ( HB 1150 ) that would prohibit pharmacy benefit managers from owning pharmacies. Moore said the noncompetitive practice raises drug prices. ( ARKANSAS...

Just five months ago , we wrote about state legislators’ growing interest in pharmacy benefit managers . The issue is vital, as pharmacy benefit managers, also known as PBMs, contract with health insurers and employers to manage the prescription...

Cost of LA Wildfires Could Reach $150B J.P. Morgan said last week that insured losses from the wind-driven wildfires in Los Angeles could reach $10 billion, according to reporting by Reuters. AccuWeather initially estimated the total damage and economic...

More Kids’ Online Safety Measures Expected in 2025 Despite legal challenges that have blocked new state laws aimed at protecting kids from the potential harms of social media from taking effect, lawmakers in multiple states, including Indiana...

New MA Law Increases Oversight of Private Equity Investment in Healthcare Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey (D) signed a bill ( HB 5159 ) expanding oversight of private equity investment in the healthcare sector. The law is the first in the nation to...

Just a couple of weeks into the new year, state legislators appear to be watching and waiting to see how things shake out with the new Trump administration. But despite the uncertainty, one issue— as expected —has already emerged as a priority...

MI’s Minimum Wage Rising Most Next Year Twenty-three states’ minimum wages are increasing in 2025, typically by about 3%. But Michigan’s minimum wage will rise 21% by the end of February, as a result of a ruling by the state’s...

A year ago, when we published our annual forecast of the top issues likely to come before state legislators in the new year, we wrote that the world was full of “ uncertainty and tension ” headed into 2024, citing “Wars in Israel and...

Telemedicine Still ‘Critical Focus’ for State Lawmakers: This year states passed at least 176 bills that adjust existing laws to accommodate the higher demand for telehealth services since the Covid-19 pandemic. That total roughly equals the...

The financial services company Payactiv offers wage earners an enticing pitch. “Live the life you earned,” reads a headline on the company’s homepage. “With Payactiv, you can access your wages as you earn them before payday....

TX Lawmaker Targeting Pornographic Deepfake Tools Accessible by Minors Texas Rep. Mary González (D) has prefiled a package of bills for next year’s session targeting minors’ access to artificial intelligence-generated sexually explicit...

Nursing Home Industry Pushing for Repeal of Nurse Staffing Mandate With President-elect Donald Trump returning to the White House next year, the nursing home industry has been ramping up its efforts to kill the Biden administration’s new nurse...