Troutman Pepper Locke State Attorneys General Monitor – January 24, 2025

State attorneys general increasingly impact businesses in all industries. Our nationally recognized state AG team has been trusted by clients for more than 20 years to navigate their most complicated state AG investigations and enforcement actions.

State Attorneys General Monitor analyzes regulatory actions by state AGs and other state administrative agencies throughout the nation. Contributors to this newsletter and related blog include attorneys experienced in regulatory enforcement, litigation, and compliance. Also visit our State Attorneys General Monitor microsite.

Contact our State AG Team at StateAG@troutman.com.

Troutman Pepper Locke Spotlight

Behind the Scenes: The Role of Senior Staff in AG Offices

By Stephen C. Piepgrass and Chuck Slemp

In this episode of Regulatory Oversight, Chuck Slemp welcomes Lacey Mase, the chief deputy attorney general (AG) of Tennessee, to explore the inner workings of an AG’s office and the pivotal role of its senior staff in driving legal and policy outcomes.

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The Growing Role of State AGs in AI Regulatory & Enforcement Issues

By Brett Ashton Mason, Christopher Carlson, and Michael Yaghi

In this installment of The Good Bot, Brett Mason is joined by partners Chris Carlson and Michael Yaghi to discuss the growing role of state attorneys general in regulatory and enforcement issues around AI. They discuss the recent first-of-its-kind settlement that gives a first glimpse into what state AGs will be focusing on regarding companies’ use of this novel technology.

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State AG Updates

Missouri AG Announces New Rule for Big Tech

By Troutman Pepper Locke State Attorneys General Team and Jeff Johnson

Missouri’s attorney general (AG) announced on X.com (formerly Twitter) that he is “issuing a rule requiring Big Tech to guarantee algorithmic choice for social media users.” [X.com post (January 17, 2025, roughly 3:35 p.m. EST)] He intends to use his authority “under consumer protection law,” known as the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act in that state, “to ensure Big Tech companies are transparent about the algorithms they use and offer consumers the option to select alternatives.” [x.com post] The Missouri AG touts this rule as the “first of its kind” in an “effort to protect free speech and safeguard consumers from censorship.”

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New Jersey AG Platkin Announces New Guidance on AI Use

By Troutman Pepper Locke State Attorneys General Team

On January 9, New Jersey Attorney General (AG) Matthew J. Platkin and the Division on Civil Rights (DCR) launched a new Civil Rights and Technology Initiative aimed at addressing the potential for discrimination and bias associated with artificial intelligence (AI) and other decision-making technologies. The announcement is one of many recent examples of AG’s leading the development of AI regulation. The New Jersey initiative is informed by recommendations from Governor Phil Murphy’s Artificial Intelligence Task Force, which emphasized the need for public education on bias and discrimination related to AI deployment.

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West Virginia AG Reaches $17M Settlement With Pfizer and Ranbaxy Over Antitrust and Consumer Protection Violation Claims

By Troutman Pepper Locke State Attorneys General Team, Melissa O’Donnell, and Kyara Rivera Rivera

West Virginia Attorney General (AG) Patrick Morrisey announced a total $17 million settlement agreement with pharmaceutical companies, Pfizer and Ranbaxy after more than a decade of litigation regarding the companies’ alleged “pay-for-delay” antitrust violations related to the cholesterol drug, Lipitor.

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AG of the Week

William Tong, Connecticut

William Tong is the 25th AG to serve Connecticut. He first took office in 2019, becoming the first Chinese American to be elected AG nationwide, and is currently serving his second term.

Under Tong’s leadership, Connecticut resolved two of the most challenging, longest-running state lawsuits — committing to historic investments in educational opportunities for Hartford students to end more than 30 years of litigation and court oversight in the Sheff v. O’Neill case, and ending court oversight of the Department of Children and Families following documented, significant improvement on behalf of our state’s most vulnerable children.

Tong was recently unanimously elected to serve as president-elect of the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) in 2025, before assuming the role of NAAG president in 2026.

Before his tenure as AG, Tong practiced for 18 years as a litigator in both state and federal courts, first at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP in New York City and then at Finn Dixon & Herling LLP in Stamford. He served for 12 years as a state representative in the Connecticut General Assembly, where he was House chairman of the Judiciary Committee as well as the Banking Committee. In 2006, he became the first Asian American elected to any state office in Connecticut history.

Connecticut AG in the News:

• On January 17, Tong led a coalition of 18 AGs filing an amicus brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit defending a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rule establishing nationwide drinking water standards for certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) “forever chemicals” under the Safe Drinking Water Act.

• On January 16, Tong announced a coordinate crackdown on bootleg disposable e-cigarettes used by youth.

• Last month, Tong was unanimously elected president-elect of the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG).

Upcoming AG Events

• January: RAGA | Winter National Meeting | Austin, TX
• February: DAGA | Los Angeles Policy Conference | Los Angeles, CA
• February: RAGA | Victory Fund Ski Retreat | Big Sky, MT

For more on upcoming AG Events, click here.