Alerts

“Hand made in Austin, Texas” may sound like a charming selling point, but the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) isn’t convinced. On July 6, the FTC issued warning letters to seven companies for questionable domestic-origin claims, covering products from drums and industrial lasers to coordinate measuring machines and e-cigarettes.

On July 7, the DC Council passed the Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Support Act (BSA) of 2026, the annual legislative vehicle through which the Council enacts the legal and policy changes required to carry out the District’s budget.

While it may seem like there are fewer calls of late to “electrify everything,” the legal debate over whether “gas bans” — local ordinances that prohibit use of fossil fuel-powered appliances in new construction — continues.

A notable trend is emerging in the fashion and beauty industry: professional hair and makeup stylists are increasingly requesting that companies sign agreements designating the stylists’ work as protectable intellectual property. While this is not yet the industry norm, these requests are becoming more common and merit careful attention when negotiating event-related contracts.

On June 29, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) voted to rescind decades-old guidance on affirmance action. In so voting, the EEOC took the position that the documents ran afoul of Title VII’s text as well as case law that has developed in the intervening years since the guidance was published.

Every July, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) publishes two proposed rules, the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) proposed rule and the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (HOPPS) proposed rule, that set Medicare reimbursement and shape the administration of the Medicare Part B program for the upcoming calendar year.

In the last year, the Massachusetts Attorney General (AG) adopted two sets of sweeping consumer protection regulations directly impacting assisted living residence (ALR) operators. These regulations significantly expand ALR obligations regarding disclosures, billing, tenancy protections, resident rights, and pricing transparency.

In this episode of Five Questions, Five Answers, Birgit Matthiesen, David Hamill, James Kim, and Antonio J. Rivera break down the June 3, executive order, Strengthening Customs Enforcement — not a tariff, but potentially one of the year’s most consequential trade actions for US importers. 

Data centers have become a central focus of national security oversight. Their role in storing sensitive information and providing critical computing capacity places them squarely within regulatory frameworks governing foreign investment, cybersecurity, and critical infrastructure.

Headlines that Matter for Companies and Executives in Regulated Industries

Prop 65 Counsel: What To Know

There are new proposed amendments to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 45(c) giving federal courts nationwide subpoena power to compel remote trial testimony.

The permitting process plays a central role in projects ranging from clean energy to data centers. No longer just a regulatory hurdle, it is often the main forum in which broader disputes over growth, resources, fairness, and community acceptance play out.

The first half of 2026 has continued to see radical shifts in the energy space on issues ranging from data centers to affordability.

Products and packaging manufactured for sale or distribution in California after October 4 must either meet recyclability criteria or remove recyclability claims, including the popular “chasing arrows” symbol.

Headlines that Matter for Companies and Executives in Regulated Industries

Welcome to the June 2026 issue of “As the (Customs and Trade) World Turns,” our monthly newsletter where we compile essential updates from the customs and trade world over the past month. We bring you the most recent and significant insights in an accessible format, concluding with our main takeaways — aka “And the Fox Says…” — on what you need to know.

Beginning July 1, the State of Washington will require all assisted living facilities that operate memory care units — or market themselves as providing specialized dementia care — to obtain a new state certification or face state Consumer Protection Act liability. Here is what current operators and prospective applicants need to know.

On June 24, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) announced that it is planning to delay the first-year reporting deadline for Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under SB 253 (the Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act) from August 10 to November 10.

On June 22, a group of California plaintiffs filed a putative class action against various owners and franchisors of gas stations, alleging violations of antitrust law based on their use of algorithmic pricing software.

Making good on promises to lift US sanctions on Iranian oil, a new license lifts virtually all sanctions restrictions for two months on the production, sale, delivery, or offloading of Iranian crude oil, petroleum products, and petrochemical products.

Making good on promises to lift US sanctions on Iranian oil, a new license lifts virtually all sanctions restrictions for two months on the production, sale, delivery, or offloading of Iranian crude oil, petroleum products, and petrochemical products.

As noted in a recent article in The New York Times, generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools are fundamentally transforming the landscape of pro se litigation.

Headlines that Matter for Companies and Executives in Regulated Industries

For thousands of federal prisoners who received lengthy mandatory sentences under laws that US Congress has since reformed, compassionate release offered a potential path to relief. But on May 28, the US Supreme Court significantly narrowed that path.