Each week, Crowell & Moring’s State Attorneys General team highlights significant actions that State AGs have taken. See our State Attorneys General page for more insights. Below are the updates from December 4-11:
Multistate
- A bipartisan coalition of 51 state attorneys general launched Phase 2 of Operation Robocall Roundup, investigating major service providers Inteliquent, Bandwidth, Lumen, and Peerless for potentially facilitating illegal robocalls. The investigation will examine possible violations of state and federal laws governing consumer protection; the coalition aims to hold service providers accountable and protect consumers from fraudulent calls.
- A bipartisan coalition of 30 state attorneys general filed an amicus brief at the U.S. Supreme Court in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, arguing that states must have authority to regulate certain commerce and business practices within their borders. The coalition specifically seeks to ensure that the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act (FAAAA) does not preempt state-law tort claims.
- A coalition of 21 state attorneys general filed an amicus brief in federal court supporting the motion to quash a U.S. Department of Justice subpoena for sensitive patient records related to gender-affirming care at Children’s Hospital Colorado. The coalition argues that the subpoena threatens adolescent patient privacy, infringes on states’ rights to regulate medical care under the Tenth Amendment, and relies on a misinterpretation of the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) that could negatively impact numerous medical fields.
- A coalition of 20 state attorneys general and two governors sued The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to block changes to the Continuum of Care grant program that allegedly violate congressional intent and unlawfully restrict funding for permanent housing and project renewals. The coalition seeks injunctive relief against new rules that would allegedly reduce grants, impose barriers to access, and potentially force thousands of vulnerable individuals into homelessness.
Colorado
- Attorney General Weiser announced a settlement with PersonalTConsulting LLP, doing business as Personal Tradelines, resolving allegations of unlawful credit repair practices under the Colorado Credit Services Organization Act. The company must cease offering credit repair services in Colorado, comply with state regulations, and pay $20,000 in administrative penalties for deceptive marketing and failure to provide required disclosures.
Maryland
- Attorney General Brown secured a $400,000 settlement with Orchard Hill Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center to resolve allegations of substandard care under the Maryland False Health Claims Act. The agreement includes $75,000 in restitution to the state and a quality improvement plan, with three years of corporate oversight and third-party monitoring to ensure compliance and protect vulnerable residents.
Massachusetts
- Attorney General Andrea Campbell announced a $45 million settlement with Eversource Energy and its operating companies, resolving 16 regulatory matters under state law. The settlement provides credits and savings for electric and gas customers, including $20 million for NSTAR Electric and more than $25 million for Eversource Gas, and addresses issues related to cost recovery, pension adjustments, and integration costs.
Washington
- Attorney General Brown announced an agreement with Confluence Health following an investigation that found the hospital system failed to refund eligible charity care patients, as required by the Washington Charity Care Act. Confluence Health refunded over $1.8 million to 4,729 patients and agreed to ensure ongoing compliance with the state Consumer Protection Act regarding patient billing and financial assistance.