Latest Legislation Headlines
All the headlines from our Legislation Topic Page, ordered by recency.
U.S. Permits Startup Nuro to Deploy Up to 5,000 Driverless Delivery Vehicles
Feb 7 2020 // In a first-of-its-kind approval by U.S. regulators, a federal agency on Thursday gave permission for autonomous vehicle startup Nuro Inc. over the next two years to deploy up to 5,000 low-speed electric delivery vehicles...
Daughter of Duck Boat Victim Slams Missouri Tort Reform Bill
Feb 7 2020 // Speaking before a Missouri legislative panel, a woman whose father was among the 17 people who died after a tourist duck boat sank in a Missouri lake condemned a bill that would limit when companies can be sued over...
PG&E Clears Another Bankruptcy Hurdle with Debt Refinancing
Feb 6 2020 // A federal judge has approved a settlement that moves Pacific Gas & Electric closer to getting out of bankruptcy, but the troubled utility still must navigate nettlesome obstacles being put up by the state of...
South Carolina Lawmakers Consider Relief Fund for Farmers
Feb 6 2020 // The South Carolina House is considering a bill that would create a relief fund for farmers that could be used before federal aid is granted or if help from the U.S. government never comes. The House Agriculture Committee...
W. Virginia Girl’s Fall Into Restaurant Grease Pit Prompts Legislation to Toughen Fines
Feb 6 2020 // Kara Cvechko recalled her heart pounding as she scrambled headfirst down into an outdoor grease pit to save her 5-year-old daughter who had fallen through an unsecured opening at a West Virginia restaurant. Kambria...
North Dakota Official: Work Injury Claims Could Rise with Recreational Pot
Feb 6 2020 // North Dakota could see a rise in workers’ compensation claims if marijuana is legalized, the state’s workplace safety agency told lawmakers on Feb. 4. Jodi Bjornson, a lawyer for North Dakota Workforce Safety...
Britain’s Insurance Sector Urged to Compete by Selectively Diverging from EU Rules
Feb 5 2020 // A senior official from Britain’s insurance sector on Wednesday laid out the case for selective divergence from EU rules to add to London’s appeal as a competitive global financial center. Britain left the...
Google, Tinder Face Irish Regulatory Inquiries Over Location Data Handling
Feb 5 2020 // Irish regulators have launched separate inquiries into Google and dating app Tinder over how they process user data, in a new round of regulatory scrutiny aimed at tech companies. Ireland’s Data Protection Commission...
U.S. Seeks Certificaton Criteria for Civilian Drones
Feb 5 2020 // Government regulators plan to review drone designs in the same way they review other aircraft, a major step toward allowing routine drone deliveries and other flights over congested cities. The Federal Aviation...
New York Governor Signs Limo Safety Bills Inspired by Deadly Crashes
Feb 5 2020 // New York’s governor signed a package of limousine safety bills Monday that was inspired by deadly crashes in 2015 and 2018. One of the bills would require that motor vehicles converted into stretch limousines by...
Judge Rejects Argument That Insurer Acted in Bad Faith by Using Automated Bill Pay
Feb 4 2020 // For the second time in a year, a federal judge rejected a plaintiff attorney’s argument that an insurance carrier acted in bad faith by using the Mitchell Decision Point program when calculating the value of a...
Judge Refuses to Dismiss Corruption Case Against North Carolina Insurance Magnate
Feb 3 2020 // A federal judge refused to dismiss conspiracy and bribery counts against a North Carolina insurance magnate and two associates, allowing the case to move toward a February trial. Lawyers for Greg E. Lindberg, John Gray and...
Judge Quashes Peloton’s Countersuit in Music Copyright Case
Feb 3 2020 // Peloton Interactive Inc.’s attempt to fire back at music publishers who sued the exercise bike maker for copyright infringement was quashed by a federal judge. U.S. District Judge Denise Cote on Wednesday dismissed...
Judge Orders J&J to Pay $344 Million Over Vaginal Mesh Implants Marketing
Feb 3 2020 // Johnson & Johnson was ordered to pay $344 million for misrepresenting the risks of vaginal-mesh implants to consumers in California, the first state to bring its claim against the company to trial after thousands of...
EU Prepares for Coming of Facial Recognition– On Its Privacy Terms
Feb 3 2020 // The European Union has accepted there is no escape from facial recognition, but is seeking to ensure any roll-out that includes U.S. and Chinese players will abide by European values like strict personal privacy. Facial...
IGI Gets Regulatory Nod from Bermuda After Merger with Tiberius Acquisition
Jan 31 2020 // International General Insurance Holdings Ltd. (IGI) announced it has received regulatory approval from the Bermuda Monetary Authority in connection with its previously announced business combination with Tiberius...
Judge Finds Ransomware Damage to Computer a ‘Direct Physical Loss’
Jan 30 2020 // State Auto Property and Casualty Insurance Co. is liable for the cost of replacing a computer server that was damaged and perhaps permanently compromised by a ransomware attack despite the carrier’s argument that the...
Brexit Impact on UK Insurers Dictated by Trade Talks, Possible Economic Hit: AM Best
Jan 30 2020 // From an operational point of view, the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union on Jan. 31, 2020 will have little immediate impact on AM Best-rated insurers in the UK or EU, according to the ratings agency...
Rhode Island Judge Says Jury Should Decide if Uber Can Be Liable for Crash
Jan 29 2020 // A jury should determine whether Uber ought to be held responsible for a passenger’s injuries, a federal judge in Rhode Island ruled. A U.S. District Court judge concluded Jan. 16 that jurors should determine whether...
Bill Would Require Extended Safety Netting at Ohio Pro Ballparks
Jan 29 2020 // An Ohio state lawmaker has introduced legislation requiring all major and minor league baseball teams in the state to install protective netting from foul pole to foul pole. State Rep. John Patterson introduced his bill in...
