California Attorney General (AG) Rob Bonta has settled with StubHub, Inc. (StubHub) for alleged violations of the Unfair Competition Law and False Advertising Law. The complaint accuses StubHub of making misleading statements to induce the public to purchase tickets on its platform. Specifically, the complaint highlights StubHub’s “FanProtect” guarantee, which promised full refunds for canceled events — a promise that StubHub allegedly failed to honor during the COVID-19 pandemic.Continue Reading Ticketing Company Agrees to COVID-19 Customer Refunds

On July 29, the attorney general (AG) for Washington, D.C. sued StubHub, Inc. (StubHub) for violations of the district’s Consumer Protection Procedures Act. The complaint accuses StubHub of employing “dark patterns,” including the use of hidden fees that mislead consumers and inflate ticket prices.Continue Reading District of Columbia AG Sues StubHub for Alleged “Dark Patterns” and Hidden Fees

In 2024, the landscape of state attorneys general (AGs) is poised for significant change, with numerous elections and regulatory actions reshaping priorities and enforcement strategies. This dynamic environment reflects the critical role AGs play in addressing key issues across various sectors, from environmental regulations and consumer protection to health care and privacy. As state AGs continue to influence policy and legal frameworks, their actions will have far-reaching implications for businesses and consumers alike. Troutman Pepper’s State AG team is pleased to provide you with this mid-year review summarizing the activities in this regulatory space over the past six months.Continue Reading 2024 Mid-Year Review: State AGs Shaping Regulatory Landscapes

We have previously reported on the proliferation of tobacco product flavor bans imposed by localities and subsequent legal challenges throughout the U.S. See Oregon Court Upholds Local Tobacco Product Flavor Ban; Troutman Pepper Tobacco Team Featured in Vapor Voice Post on Ninth Circuit’s Holding that L.A. County’s Flavor Ban Is Not Preempted; Philadelphia

On April 12, New York Attorney General (AG) Letitia James announced that her office has reached a settlement with Northwell Health, New York’s largest health care network, related to allegations of misleading billing practices involving COVID-19 testing.Continue Reading New York Secures $1M Settlement With Northwell Health Related to COVID-19 Testing Charges

North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein led a bipartisan coalition of eight state AGs, including Arkansas, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, and Texas, in requesting the District Court in the Southern District of Texas to amplify measures against John Caldwell Spiller, a repeat offender of federal and state telemarketing and telephone privacy laws.Continue Reading Eight AGs Urge Court to Intensify Measures Against Repeat Telemarketing Violator

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) recently upheld, in a unanimous decision, the town of Brookline’s ordinance banning the sale of tobacco and e-cigarette products to anyone born after Jan. 1, 2000 (the Tobacco Sales Ban). Brookline is the first U.S. locality to impose a tobacco sales ban based on a specific date.Continue Reading Massachusetts High Court Upholds Local Tobacco Sales Ban

New York Attorney General (AG) Letitia James is suing JBS USA Food Company and JBS USA Food Company Holdings under New York’s consumer protection laws for allegedly attempting to boost consumer sales by making sustainability claims in its advertising that it had “no viable plan” for achieving.Continue Reading New York AG Sues Top Beef Producer for Alleged False “Net-Zero” Claims and Deceptive Trade Practices

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) most recent regulatory agenda, it plans to finalize a proposed rule that would make significant changes to requirements applicable to educational institutions that enroll students utilizing VA benefits, such as under the extremely popular Chapter 33 Post-9/11 GI Bill and Chapter 31 Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) programs, both of which pay tuition and fees directly to schools. The new regulations, which are expected to become final in April and go into effect shortly thereafter, will implement the Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018. As the Congressional Research Service explained, that bill made “a number of changes to educational benefits.”Continue Reading VA to Revise Educational Institution Requirements Under the 2018 Veterans Benefits and Transition Act