Latest Legislation Headlines
All the headlines from our Legislation Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Amazon Asks Judge to Dismiss FTC Lawsuit, Says No Consumer Harm Shown
Dec 11 2023 // Amazon.com asked a federal court on Friday to dismiss a U.S. government antitrust lawsuit which accuses the company of using illegal strategies to boost profits at its online retail empire, including an algorithm that...
With Differing Court Rulings on Pre-Suit Notice of Intent, Florida Insurers Left Guessing
Dec 11 2023 // On October 27, 2023, Florida’s 5th District Court of Appeal ruled that a personal injury protection pre-suit demand letter needs to include only a billing ledger and does not need to state the exact amount that the...
Boy Scout Abuse Claims Fund Shouldn’t Pay $21M in Lawyers’ Fees, Judge Says
Dec 8 2023 // The judge presiding over the Boys Scouts of America’s bankruptcy has rejected a $21 million fee request from attorneys hired by law firms representing survivors of child sexual abuse. A group of personal injury firms...
Judge Gives Early Nod to GEICO’s $5M Settlement in Georgia Class Action
Dec 8 2023 // GEICO Indemnity Co. has agreed and a federal court in Georgia has given approval to a preliminary settlement of $5.1 million in a class-action lawsuit in which plaintiffs said the insurer had shorted them on ad valorem...
Regulatory Battles In Personal Lines Ahead; Allstate May Drop Customers
Dec 8 2023 // Analysts from Standard & Poor’s predicted this week that while personal auto results are starting to stabilize, the continued push for rate in 2024 will set the stage for more faceoffs between regulators and...
EPA Finalizes Regulation Requiring Oil and Gas Operators in Texas to Reduce Methane Emissions
Dec 5 2023 // The Environmental Protection Agency on Saturday finalized a long-anticipated climate regulation that will require oil and gas operators to dramatically reduce how much methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is escaping from...
New Hampshire Roofing Contractor Lied to Beat OSHA Penalties, Judge Says
Dec 5 2023 // A New Hampshire contractor has been accused of lying and being evasive in an attempt to avoid responsibility for safety hazards for roofers at his worksite. A federal administrative law judge has determined that Barry...
Federal Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Alleging Environmental Discrimination in Louisiana Parish
Dec 4 2023 // NEW ORLEANS (AP) – A federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit that accused a south Louisiana parish of using land use policies to guide industries that pollute into communities with majority-Black populations. U.S....
Texas Judge Orders Houston Attorney to Reimburse Insurer $137,000 for “Frivolous” Lawsuit
Nov 28 2023 // A Texas judge has ordered a Houston plaintiffs’ attorney to reimburse an insurer $137,000 for the legal fees it expended to defend itself against a “frivolous” and “groundless” lawsuit that...
California Can Share Gun Owners’ Personal Information With Researchers, Court Rules
Nov 28 2023 // A state appeals court ruled that California can continue providing personal information of gun owners to researchers to study gun violence, reversing last year`s decision by a lower court judge who said such data sharing...
Judge Finds Evidence That Tesla, Musk Knew About Autopilot Defect
Nov 22 2023 // A Florida judge found “reasonable evidence” that Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk and other managers knew the automaker’s vehicles had a defective Autopilot system but still allowed the cars to be driven...
Bill Cosby Accuser Files New Lawsuit Under Expiring New York Survivors Law
Nov 22 2023 // A woman who said Bill Cosby sexually assaulted her when she was a young comedy writer more than 50 years ago filed a lawsuit against the actor Thursday under a soon-to-expire New York law that gave victims of sexual abuse...
New Law Lets New York Auto Insurers Waive Photo Mandate Starting Next May
Nov 21 2023 // New York finally has a law on the books that allows insurance companies to waive pre-insurance photo inspections. Bills to permit inspection waivers have been introduced since 2009. Gov. Kathy Hochul recently signed one...
White House Proposes Transportation, Commerce Agencies Handle Space Regulations
Nov 16 2023 // The Biden administration on Wednesday released a long-awaited proposal to split regulatory powers over emerging private-sector space activities between the U.S. transportation and commerce departments, according to a draft...
Judge Says Hair Relaxer Claims Against L’Oreal, Revlon Can Proceed
Nov 14 2023 // A federal judge on Monday allowed the majority of claims to move forward in sprawling litigation that claims chemical hair relaxer products made by L’Oreal USA, Revlon and others cause cancer and other...
Banks, Insurers May Escape EU’s Toughest ESG Regulation So Far
Nov 14 2023 // Banks, asset managers and other financial firms have won a reprieve from Europe’s most consequential ESG regulation to date, as a wave of intense industry lobbying pays off. Spain, which holds the European...
Judge Upholds $24M Award in Suit by Employee With Social Anxiety Disorder
Nov 14 2023 // A federal district court judge in Massachusetts has upheld a $24 million jury award for a woman who sued her employer for retaliation and discrimination because of her social anxiety disorder. The employer, PPD...
Fed Judges Ask Florida Supreme Court to Decide if Insurers Can Sue Auto-Glass Shops
Nov 9 2023 // The Florida Legislature earlier this year struck a mighty blow for auto insurers in their years-long fight against windshield repair shops, ending assignment-of-benefits and the practice of offering gifts to insureds. Now,...
Judge Trims U.S. Lawsuit Accusing Drug Distributor of Fueling Opioid Epidemic
Nov 9 2023 // A federal judge on Monday pared back a U.S. government lawsuit accusing drug distributor Cencora, formerly called AmerisourceBergen, of fueling the nation’s deadly opioid epidemic by failing to report hundreds of...
Florida Lawmakers Fund Home Hardening Program, Idalia Recovery in Special Session
Nov 8 2023 // The Florida House of Representatives and Senate moved quickly this week to approve more funding for the state’s popular home-hardening program, along with grants, loans and tax breaks for areas hit by Hurricane...
