On January 24, Assistant Attorney General of the Antitrust Division Jonathan Kanter delivered remarks to the New York State Bar Association Antitrust Section. In his speech, Kanter expressed serious concerns over the recent increase in the concentration of industries and decrease in competition. Kanter believes that the “only way” to continue promoting competition is by
Twenty-one Democratic state attorneys general claim that many Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-approved mortgage servicers have routinely flouted the agency’s mandated COVID-19-related relief options, including its loan modification program. In a December 21 letter to the FHA , the state attorneys general asked the FHA to ensure that all FHA lenders are implementing and fully complying
In December, cryptocurrency executives testified before the House Financial Services Committee that they would like clearer guidance because the lack of a federal framework is causing uncertainty and inconsistent oversight at both the federal and state levels. These comments are not unique to cryptocurrency[1] executives, but mirror recent ones from cannabis[2] and data
On December 7, the Senate voted to confirm Jessica Rosenworcel as the permanent chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), making her the first woman to hold that title.
Rosenworcel faced a term expiration at the end of the year after serving on the commission since 2012. This confirmation avoids a Republican majority at the
As routinely covered at Regulatory Oversight, state attorneys general have assumed an ever-more prominent role in driving national regulatory policy through advocacy and enforcement activities.[1] Underlying many of these efforts is an aggressive focus on environmental justice by the state attorneys general that reaches further than federal efforts. Most recently in U.S. EPA
Hidden “resort fees” will soon be a thing of the past for Marriott International, Inc. after a recent settlement between the company and Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro. Hotels like Marriott routinely advertise nightly rates that do not include mandatory fees, such as resort fees. Those fees are then added later — usually on
On October 13, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued over 700 “Notice of Penalty Offenses” to a broad swath of businesses, warning them that using endorsements that deceive customers could result in significant civil penalties.
Overview
Through a press release,[1] the FTC issued the warnings to a large, diverse group of companies, covering almost
Data breaches and ransomware attacks are on the rise. On October 7, Oregon Attorney General Rosenblum announced an increase in data breaches reported to his office. The first nine months of 2021 involved 131 reported breaches, exceeding the 2020 total of 110. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) also announced an increase in ransomware-related activities in
2021 NAAG Eastern Region Meeting
The Surveillance Economy: How Attorneys General Protect
Privacy, Safety, and Equality in the Information Age
October 7-8, 2021 | Burlington, VT
Conference Summary
The speakers at this conference discussed how regulators and law enforcement could help protect privacy and safety — while preventing discrimination — in an ever-increasing digital world.
In early September, a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) advisory committee endorsed rule changes to increase disclosure regulations for special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs). For almost a year now, the SEC has signaled that there may be a need to beef up rules around SPAC mergers, and this recent move all but confirms its