Ohio’s recent legalization of recreational marijuana has solicited questions regarding its potential impact on the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation’s (BWC) Drug-Free Safety Program (DFSP). The Frantz Ward’s Labor & Employment Group has previously written on the topic, specifically addressing the BWC’s stance on marijuana in the DFSP after the 2016 legalization of medical marijuana. Historically,…
As legal professionals, be aware of the important alterations the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is pondering towards current consent policies. The FCC announced on November 22nd that new rules, potentially requiring what it refers to as “one-to-one consent,” are set to be discussed on December 13. This change could bring a significant disruption to the…
As the world of corporate law evolves to meet changing international regulatory demands, legal professionals must stay abreast of the latest legislation, one of which includes the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). Coming into effect on January 1, 2024, this Act will significantly affect entities which are exempt or excluded from reporting company status. With its…
In a step signalling change, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) gave green light to a pilot program addressing construction loans. This approval followed an application submitted by a community banking trade organization indicating a significant shift in the existing regulatory landscape. The application, prepared under the CFPB’s trial policy programs that fall under Section…
On November 1, 2023, the National Information Security Standardization Technical Committee (全国信息安全标准化技术委员会) or “TC260,” introduced a public consultation on the draft Practice Guidelines for Cybersecurity Standards. This policy-making body from the Cyberspace Administration of China (“CAC”) is focusing on requirements for Cross-Boundary Personal Information Protection within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (“GBA”) for this…
In a move that is significant for environmental conservation efforts in the U.S., the United States Department of Transportation/Federal Highway Administration (DOT) has promulgated a final rule focusing on the tracking of transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). The rule is described as providing several key government organizations a national framework to follow up with GHG…
In a decision that is sending ripples through the legal community, the Court of Appeal ruled that courts have the authority to order parties to engage in non-court-based dispute resolution processes. This was evident in the recent case of James Churchill v. Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council. This decision implies that courts can hold proceedings…
In a significant regulatory development, the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Office of Prescription Drug Promotion has issued a Final Rule related to direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertisements for human prescription drugs in television or radio format. Let’s delve into what this entails. Arnall Golden Gregory LLP provided insights on this development. This Final Rule follows half…
Legal Language Models (LLMs) have become an indispensable tool for companies involved in the legal sector in recent years. The first wave of these AI-powered solutions emerged in 2022, with the likes of CoCounsel becoming early adopters of OpenAI’s GPT-4, the largest and most powerful generative AI model of the time. However, the AI landscape…
In an amendment to the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) regulations, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has announced extensions to the beneficial ownership filing deadlines specific to companies formed or created in the year 2024. This amendment is a decision by FinCEN, a part of the U.S. Treasury Department tasked with safeguarding financial systems from…
On November 17, 2023, the Division of Corporation Finance of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) unveiled a series of new and revised proxy-related compliance and disclosure interpretations (“CDIs”). This legal maneuver, as detailed in an update provided by Venable LLP, offers critical guidance on the treatment of overvoted and undervoted universal proxy cards and…
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently proposed a significant restructure of the country’s fiduciary rule. According to details released by JD Supra, the proposed rule could have implications for advisers currently subject to the traditional five-part test to determine if they are acting in a fiduciary capacity. The details of the proposal suggest that…
In early November, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) unveiled the contract year 2025 proposed rulemaking for Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D sponsors. A wide array of potential substantive and technical amendments are under consideration, which are likely to bring about significant shifts in the legal landscape for stakeholders in the healthcare…
In a notable decision issued on November 30, 2023, the Illinois Supreme Court addressed a certified question over the protection of biometric information collected from health care workers under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA). The case, Mosby v. The Ingalls Memorial Hospital, revolved around whether biometric data used for health care treatment, payment,…
On November 16, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) disseminated a list of fresh enforcement actions directed at national banks, federal savings associations, and persons presently and previously affiliated with these institutions. This significant piece of information was announced by Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP. Among these enforcement actions, a prominent feature…
In the ever-evolving world of digital finance, lawmakers are fervently working to keep pace with new regulations. This is especially true in the state of California, which has recently passed significant laws regarding digital financial assets. An important change to note is that from July 1, 2025, any individual or entity that carries out any…
In a significant development in North Carolina’s employment law landscape, recent changes have seen limitations placed on the grounds for reviewing issues related to the denial of noncompete injunctions. The local Court of Appeals has contributed significantly to how these issues are to be handled moving forward. For clarification, a noncompete injunction can be issued…
The United States Supreme Court has agreed to examine an intricately woven issue pertaining to labor law on the question: Is a lateral job transfer with no change in pay or benefits considered an adverse employment action under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964? In the coming months, the Court will weigh…
The European Union recently published its European Green Bonds Regulation (the “EuGB Regulation”) in the Official Journal. This introduces the “European Green Bond Standard” (the “EuGBS”), a designation that bond issuers can use on a voluntary basis. The introduction of the EuGBS signals a significant development in the European Union’s pursuit of a sustainable economy,…
Changes are on the horizon for the Canadian Competition Act, highlighted by an expanded scope for private enforcement and a broader reach for merger reviews, among other amendments. Following a proposal by the Canadian Government on November 28, 2023, these far-reaching updates were hinted on the governmental Fall Economic Statement. From this proposal, several key…
In recent cybercrime news, Ardent Health Services, a Nashville-based healthcare corporation, has announced a severe ransomware attack that significantly affected 30 of its hospitals, leading several emergency rooms to temporarily shut down across at least three states. This unfortunate news was declared on November 27, 2023; it adds yet another chapter to the alarming increases…
In a decisive move, the Supreme Court has clarified the limits of injunctive relief against ‘persons unknown’ in cases of trespassing. As reported by JD Supra, this development provides a valuable lens into the complex interplay between property rights and individual liberties. Injunctive relief against unidentified individuals have been called into service in a wide…
In the face of the intricate patchwork of U.S. state privacy laws, legal professionals and corporations are dealing with increasing uncertainty regarding their obligations and timelines for compliance. However, by adhering to certain best practices, businesses can achieve broad compliance. In targeting the steps laid out in a newly published data privacy compliance checklist in…
In a significant development for motor carriers and responsible freight intermediaries, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced a final rule on November 16, 2023. Under this rule, freight brokers and surface freight forwarders must demonstrate sufficient financial means to compensate the carriers they make use of. Read more here. This final ruling aims…
Recent studies have unveiled intriguing results regarding US carbon emissions, indicating a decrease by the end of 2023 despite an anticipated economic expansion of about 2.5 percent. Indeed, the United States Energy Information Administration has confirmed that US energy-related emissions are on track to fall by 3 percent this year, a positive outcome primarily driven…