The U.S. District Court of Washington decided all bets are off for Maverick Gaming LLC regarding its challenge to tribal casinos. Last week, Judge David Estudillo dismissed Maverick’s suit, which challenged a state law permitting sports betting at tribal casinos and subsequent amendments to Washington’s tribal compacts effectuating the new bill’s provisions. As grounds for dismissal, the court cited Maverick’s failure to join Shoalwater Tribe — a necessary party — to the lawsuit.
On February 1, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein announced that his Medicaid Investigations Division reached a $500,000 settlement with Joint Active Systems, Inc. (JAS). The AG’s Medicaid Investigations Division “investigates and prosecutes health care providers that defraud the Medicaid program, patient abuse of Medicaid recipients … and misappropriation of any patients’ private funds in nursing homes receiving Medicaid funds.”
On February 9, Attorney General William Tong sued five Connecticut retailers for violating the state’s Unfair Trade Practices Act (UTPA) by selling allegedly illegal delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) products, many of which mimicked snack foods and candies popular among youth.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Magellan Terminals Holdings LP settled Texas Clean Air Act violations claims, resulting from an alleged explosion and fire at the company’s Corpus Christi bulk petroleum facility. Magellan agreed to pay Texas $588,000 in civil penalties and $12,000 in attorney’s fees as part of the settlement.
On January 27, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced an “investigative sweep” of businesses with mobile applications for allegedly failing to comply with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). This ongoing sweep targets popular mobile applications in the retail, travel, and food service industries that fail to offer a mechanism for consumers to opt out of data sales or that fail to process consumer opt-out requests, including requests submitted via an authorized agent like Permission Slip.
In January 2023, New York Attorney General Letitia James sent a letter to Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corporation (MSG), seeking information about its use of facial recognitional technology to prohibit ticketholders from entering its venues, such as Madison Square Garden and Radio City Music Hall. New York’s biometric identifier law requires companies using facial recognition technology to disclose the use to consumers. Madison Square Garden started using this technology in 2018 to identify security threats — a practice under prior scrutiny.
‘One-of-a-Kind’ Practice Celebrates Milestone Year, Launches New Client-Centered Site, troutmanpepperstateag.com
NEW YORK – Troutman Pepper’s nationally recognized State Attorneys General practice celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. The practice has become a go-to for clients seeking assistance with state attorneys general enforcement, litigation, and compliance matters, and is one of only five ranked nationwide by Chambers USA in the category. View an interactive site showcasing what makes it one of a kind.
In recognition of National Human Trafficking Month, state attorneys general nationwide took steps in January to raise awareness about human trafficking, educate the public about how to identify and prevent this crime, and utilize their offices’ resources and expertise to prosecute and prevent human trafficking. While numerous state and U.S. AGs take action year-round to rid the country of human trafficking, below find highlights of a few significant initiatives announced this month.
On January 26, Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita issued a press release, endorsing Indiana House Bill 1008, which codifies Indiana Public Retirement System (INPRS) policy to prioritize the financial returns of public retirement funds ahead of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) corporate policies. While still in the House, legislators expect the bill to pass by its effective July 1 date.
On January 24, Attorney General Ken Paxton announced an investigation of California-based title security company Home Title Lock for potential violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. In its civil investigative demand (CID), the AG alleged the company may have misled consumers by making deceptive statements regarding its “home title monitoring and/or home title resolution services.”