Each week, Crowell & Moring’s State Attorneys General team highlights significant actions that State AGs have taken. Here are this week’s updates.
Multistate
- A coalition of 26 state attorneys general sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) emphasizing the potential harm in the use of artificial intelligence by telemarketers and asking the FCC to strongly resist such usage.
- A coalition of 12 attorneys general submitted a comment letter supporting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed revisions to the Safer Choice Standard program. The proposed revisions will strengthen requirements that products and their ingredients must meet to use EPA’s Safer Choice Label or Design for the Environment logo.
- The lawsuit against National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) filed by a seven-state coalition in December 2023 has now been joined by the District of Columbia, Minnesota, Mississippi, Virginia, and the United States Department of Justice. The lawsuit challenges the NCAA’s transfer policy, arguing that it is flawed and fails to maintain a consistent and defensible transfer rule. The coalition contends that the connection between the rule and academic well-being or athletic amateurism is weak, and the harm it does to college athletes outweighs any potential benefits.
- A coalition of seven state attorneys general and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau filed a lawsuit against Strategic Financial Solutions and related entities for allegedly running an illegal debt-relief scheme and collecting hundreds of millions of dollars in illegal fees from unsuspecting people through various sham law firms.
Illinois
- The Illinois Supreme Court issued a ruling in Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s lawsuit against Elite Staffing Inc., Metro Staff Inc., and Midway Staffing Inc. Agreeing with Attorney General Raoul, the court ruled that the Illinois Antitrust Act does not exempt Illinois labor markets from antitrust scrutiny.
Iowa
- Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird sued TikTok for deceiving Iowans, particularly parents, by lying about children’s widespread access to “inappropriate content” on its social-media app.
Pennsylvania
- Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry, in collaboration with the state Department of Agriculture, filed a complaint against Miller’s Organic Farm, its owners, and related businesses. The alleged violations include failing to obtain licenses and permits, selling illegal raw milk products, and selling raw milk and raw milk products outside of Pennsylvania.
Washington
- Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced that Allianz, the world’s largest insurance company, must pay $1.5 million for discriminating against 560 Washingtonians with mental or nervous health disorders.