Troutman Pepper State Attorneys General Monitor – June 23, 2023

State attorneys general increasingly impact businesses in all industries. Our nationally recognized state AG team has been trusted by clients for 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.

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

Regulatory Oversight Podcast

A Conversation With Judge Lawrence VanDyke of the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

By Ketan Bhirud, Michael Yaghi, and Stephen Piepgrass

In this episode of the Regulatory Oversight Podcast, Judge VanDyke joins Troutman Pepper RISE attorneys Ketan Bhirud, Mike Yaghi, and Stephen Piepgrass for an informative discussion on his background and path to becoming a judge, including his time working in several state attorneys general offices. Additionally, Judge VanDyke shares insightful information about the Ninth Circuit, some expected and unexpected experiences on the bench, and advice for people who want to become a judge.

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State AG Updates

Senators Urge State AGs to Protect Consumers From Cash Homebuying Companies

By Troutman Pepper State Attorneys General Team

On June 13, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director Rohit Chopra provided the CFPB’s semiannual report to Congress, which included concerns about predatory house-flipping practices by companies like HomeVestors. Afterwards, Senate Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development Chair Tina Smith (D-MN) and Senate Ranking Member Lummis (R-WY) sent a letter to the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG), requesting a coordinated effort to prevent cash homebuyers from entrapping sellers into unfair contracts.

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Are FOIA Laws in Need of Updating?

By Abbey Thornhill and Ketan Bhirud

The federal government, the District of Columbia, and each of the 50 states have Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) laws that allow individuals to file requests for specific public documents with government agencies and quickly receive them unless the documents are subject to statutory exemptions. As most federal and state FOIA statutes were originally passed in the late 1960s, they impose some duties upon government agencies that many believe no longer make sense in the digital era.

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Twenty-Three State AGs Urge NTIA to Prioritize AI Regulation

By Troutman Pepper State Attorneys General Team

On June 12, a bipartisan group of 23 attorneys general wrote a letter to the chief counsel for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), recommending a risk-based approach to a regulatory framework for using and deploying AI technology. Driven by their “extensive experience enforcing data privacy and consumer protection laws,” the AGs noted that states, such as Colorado, California, Connecticut, Tennessee, and Virginia, already regulated AI through their respective state data protection and privacy laws.

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Stephanie Kozol, Senior Government Relations Manager – State Attorneys General, also contributed to this newsletter.