Troutman Pepper Locke State Attorneys General Team

West Virginia Attorney General (AG) Patrick Morrisey announced a total $17 million settlement agreement with pharmaceutical companies, Pfizer and Ranbaxy after more than a decade of litigation regarding the companies’ alleged “pay-for-delay” antitrust violations related to the cholesterol drug, Lipitor.

Missouri’s attorney general (AG) announced on X.com (formerly Twitter) that he is “issuing a rule requiring Big Tech to guarantee algorithmic choice for social media users.” [X.com post (January 17, 2025, roughly 3:35 p.m. EST)] He intends to use his authority “under consumer protection law,” known as the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act in that state

On January 9, New Jersey Attorney General (AG) Matthew J. Platkin and the Division on Civil Rights (DCR) launched a new Civil Rights and Technology Initiative aimed at addressing the potential for discrimination and bias associated with artificial intelligence (AI) and other decision-making technologies. The announcement is one of many recent examples of AG’s leading the development of AI regulation. The New Jersey initiative is informed by recommendations from Governor Phil Murphy’s Artificial Intelligence Task Force, which emphasized the need for public education on bias and discrimination related to AI deployment.

The U.S. Supreme Court closed out 2024 by confirming states’ authority to regulate internet service providers. On December 16, 2024, the Court denied certiorari in New York State Telecommunications Association, Inc., et al. v. Attorney General Letitia James, Case No. 21-1975, allowing New York’s Affordable Broadband Act (ABA) to stand.

As one of her last acts in office, on December 24, 2024, Oregon Attorney General (AG) Ellen Rosenblum issued guidance for businesses deploying artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. The guidance highlights the risks associated with the commercial use of AI, and underscores that, despite the absence of a specific AI law in Oregon, a company’s use of AI must still comply with existing laws.

The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) recently held its annual Capital Forum in Washington, D.C., where noteworthy leadership changes were announced. This year’s forum marked the transition of leadership within the organization, reflecting its ongoing commitment to addressing important issues through bipartisan collaboration.

On November 14, a coalition of 18 states, led by Utah Attorney General (AG) Sean Reyes, the outgoing chairman of the Republican AGs Association, filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and its chair, Gary Gensler. DeFi Education Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, also joined the states in this legal action. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, challenges the SEC’s regulatory approach toward digital assets, asserting that the agency has overstepped its authority and infringed upon state sovereignty.