Latest Legislation Headlines
All the headlines from our Legislation Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Judge Voids Parts of Trump Labor Rule Limiting Coronavirus Sick Leave Eligibility
Aug 4 2020 // A U.S. judge on Monday voided parts of a Trump administration rule that restricted paid sick leave and emergency family leave for potentially millions of workers affected by the coronavirus. Ruling in a case brought by New...
VW Asks Court to Reconsider ‘Staggering’ Damages for Counties Over Diesel Emissions
Aug 3 2020 // Volkswagen AG’s wholly owned U.S. subsidiary on Thursday asked the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals to reconsider a ruling that said two counties could seek financial penalties over excess diesel emissions that...
Judge Limits Wrongful Death Lawsuit to Oregon Police
Jul 30 2020 // A federal judge says a wrongful death lawsuit stemming from the fatal shooting of a man who helped lead the armed occupation of an Oregon wildlife refuge can proceed against Oregon State Police, but allegations against...
Grant Program Now Open for Louisiana Small Businesses Harmed by Virus
Jul 29 2020 // Louisiana small businesses that have been hammered by the coronavirus outbreak and haven’t received federal aid can start applying for grants up to $15,000 to cover pandemic-related expenses, under a program created...
GOP Senator Wants to Tie Internet Firms’ Liability Immunity to Curb on Behavioral Ads
Jul 28 2020 // Republican Senator Josh Hawley on Tuesday introduced legislation that would penalize large tech companies that sell or show targeted advertisements by threatening a legal immunity enjoyed by the industry — the latest...
Court Rules New Jersey Can Shut Down Gym That Defied Closure
Jul 28 2020 // A state judge ruled that New Jersey authorities can shut down a gym that has repeatedly defied Governor Phil Murphy’s executive order to remain closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ruling held Atilis Gym of...
Judge Nixes 7% Plaintiffs Attorneys’ Fee on Opioid Settlements
Jul 28 2020 // A federal judge overseeing thousands of opioid lawsuits declined on Monday to grant a demand by plaintiffs attorneys for fees that could be worth billions of dollars, a request drug company defendants had said would...
California Governor Pledging to Support Essential Workers
Jul 27 2020 // California Gov. Gavin Newsom pledged Friday to do more to protect farm workers, grocery clerks and other essential workers – many of whom are Latino –from the health and economic harms of the coronavirus as the...
Delaware Judge Upholds Dismissal Call in Softball Injury Lawsuit
Jul 27 2020 // A Delaware judge has refused to overturn her decision to toss a lawsuit by a paralegal who said he was targeted for retaliation after being injured while playing on his law firm’s softball team and filing a...
Germany to Reform Regulation of Insurers, Banks, Payment Firms on Wirecard Scandal
Jul 27 2020 // German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz intends to unveil a reform of the government’s financial oversight, as the widening scandal over the collapse of Wirecard AG reaches the highest levels of Chancellor Angela...
Court Affirms Class Action Suit Against State Farm in Kentucky Claim Underpayment Case
Jul 27 2020 // A federal appellate court has cleared the way for a class-action lawsuit to proceed against State Farm Fire and Casualty Insurance Co. that may force the insurer to correct underpayments paid to some 65,000...
Insurers Exploring ‘New World’ of Police Officer Professional Liability
Jul 24 2020 // U.S. insurers and brokers are starting to craft professional liability coverage for police officers, spurred on by signs that policymakers in some cities and states want to use a financial stick to curb police...
Louisiana Governor Extends Mask Rule, Virus Restrictions to Aug. 7
Jul 23 2020 // Gov. John Bel Edwards has said that he’ll keep Louisiana’s mask mandate and business restrictions in place for at least two more weeks, as the number of coronavirus patients at hospitals surges in all regions...
New York ‘Bad Faith’ Bill Repeats Mistakes of California and Florida
Jul 23 2020 // The State of New York may be on the verge of making the same mistake that has driven Florida auto insurance premiums through the roof, and that did the same in California until its high court learned the error of its...
Nevada Gig Workers Should Get Stopped Benefits, Judge Rules
Jul 22 2020 // A Nevada judge said the state unemployment office has to begin paying pandemic relief benefits to out-of-work gig and independent workers who haven’t completely stopped working and were cut off from receiving...
First Charges Filed Under New York’s Cyber Reg Involve First American Data Leak
Jul 22 2020 // The New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) has filed cybersecurity charges against a title insurance provider for exposing millions of documents containing consumers’ personal information. The charges...
Vegans’ Suit Over Impossible Burger Lacks Class Action Ingredients, Judge Rules
Jul 22 2020 // A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit accusing Burger King of deceiving vegan, vegetarian and other customers into thinking it cooked the plant-based patties for its “Impossible Whopper” on different grills...
Louisiana Governor Approves New Limits on Car Accident Lawsuits
Jul 20 2020 // Gov. John Bel Edwards has signed the business lobby’s main priority of the last election cycle into law, changes to Louisiana’s civil litigation rules aimed at lessening the money people can win against...
Michigan Restaurants’ COVID-19 Business Interruption Claim Rejected by State Judge
Jul 20 2020 // A trial court judge in Lansing, Michigan, handed a victory to insurers in what may be the nation’s first final ruling on the question of whether a property insurer is liable for financial damages caused by a...
GOP’s Proposal Limits Virus Liability Claims Against Businesses, Schools, Caregivers
Jul 17 2020 // Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell wants to give federal courts jurisdiction over liability claims arising from coronavirus infections to limit the legal exposure of businesses, schools and other organizations as they...
