June 30, 2023

New Abortion Restrictions Could Trigger Medical Malpractice Suits, MO Responds to Cancer Drug Shortage & More

Abortion-Related Medical Malpractice Suits Ahead? Doctors in states with new abortion restrictions who refuse to end the pregnancies of women whose health is at risk, out of fear of criminal prosecution, could soon be facing a different legal risk: being sued...
June 30, 2023

Paid Leave Continues to Be Big Issue for State Lawmakers Post-Pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, paid leave emerged as a critical policy issue in state legislatures all over the country. Now, with the pandemic retreating in the rearview mirror, the paid leave landscape is changing, but the issue remains just as popular with state...
June 23, 2023

Tougher Federal Rules for Banks, Consumer Protections for Alternative Home Financing & More

Stricter Rules Could be Coming for Banks with Over $100B in Assets The heads of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Federal Reserve said last week that bank regulators are considering applying a set of tougher capital rules to banks that have over...
June 23, 2023

Tougher Federal Rules for Banks, Consumer Protections for Alternative Home Financing & More

Stricter Rules Could be Coming for Banks with Over $100B in Assets The heads of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Federal Reserve said last week that bank regulators are considering applying a set of tougher capital rules to banks that have over...
June 23, 2023

FTC’s Lawsuit against Amazon, OR’s Effort to Lure Semiconductor Makers & More

FTC Sues Amazon over ‘Dark’ Prime Practices The Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit against Amazon, alleging the online retailer tricked millions of consumers into signing up for its Prime subscription program and made it difficult for them to...
June 23, 2023

Precision Problem with Pay Transparency Laws, ME Paid Leave Bill & More

Pay Transparency Laws Followed More Loosely in Some Industries Thanks to pay transparency laws enacted in states like California, Colorado, Illinois and Washington, as well as in a handful of cities like New York, many job advertisements now include a pay range...
June 23, 2023

CA Gov’s Push for $5B More in Mental Healthcare, NY Bill Blocking Reporting of Medical Debt & More

CA Gov Wants $5B More for Mental Healthcare California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced his support for two bills that would add treatment beds for homeless people suffering from mental illness or substance abuse ( SB 326 ) and pay for that additional treatment...
June 23, 2023

State Lawmakers Continue to Grapple with Gender Pay Gap

For more than half a century, we’ve been talking about equal pay for women. Sixty years ago, the U.S. Congress passed the Equal Pay Act of 1963 , which required employers to pay men and women equally for equal work. (For more on this see Equal Pay Act:...
June 16, 2023

Another Insurer Aims to Lower Its Risk, Continuing Surge in Cyber Insurance Premiums & More

Nationwide Follows Other Insurers in Looking to Reduce Risk Nationwide announced last week that it would begin taking actions “to mitigate risk and manage the personal and commercial lines portfolios in the current environment.” “Strong headwinds...
June 16, 2023

AI Regulation Advancing in EU, TX’s $1.4B Effort to Lure Microchip Industry & More

EU Lawmakers Advance Landmark AI Rules The European Union’s Parliament approved the AI Act, which could become the first comprehensive regulations for the artificial intelligence industry in the West. Among other things, the act would require generative...
June 16, 2023

More States Pass Health Data Privacy Bills, Big Post-Pandemic Medicaid Disenrollments & More

CT, NV Legislatures Pass Health Data Privacy Measures This month the legislatures of Connecticut ( SB 3 ) and Nevada ( SB 370 ) have both passed and sent to their respective governors measures aimed at protecting the privacy of consumer health data, including...
June 15, 2023

States Explore Array of Proposals to Bolster Healthcare Workforces

Healthcare, generally, is considered a growing industry in the United States. Yet headlines constantly scream about a healthcare workforce crisis—not enough nurses, doctors or home-health workers to meet the nation’s demands. How can that be? America...
June 02, 2023

TX on Verge of Becoming 6th State to Enact Comprehensive Data Privacy Law, Existential Threat of AI & More

TX Legislature Passes Comprehensive Consumer Data Privacy Law Texas was poised last week to become the sixth state to enact a comprehensive consumer data privacy bill, after state lawmakers approved the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act ( HB 4 ). If signed...
June 02, 2023

Protection for Purdue Pharma Owners in Opioid Bankruptcy, Spike in Health Insurance Claim Denials & More

Court Allows Purdue Pharma to Shield Sacklers in Opioid Bankruptcy The New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that members of the Sackler family who own bankrupt Oxycontin manufacturer Purdue Pharma could be shielded from current and future civil...
June 01, 2023

Battle Over Abortion Pill Spreads from Courthouses to Statehouses

It’d be understandable if you’re confused about the legal status of the abortion pill these days. A lot has happened with the drug mifepristone in the last few months. In early April, U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk of Texas – an appointee...