Between the Lines Blog
When Selling Annuities Becomes Investment Advice: A Guide for Insurance Providers
For insurance companies and agents, the distinction between selling annuities and providing investment advice can blur unexpectedly. When annuity sales involve discussions about a client's securities portfolio or recommendations to liquidate investments to fund purchases, agents may inadvertently…
ANRC Takes Next Step Toward Implementing Arkansas's New Water and Sewer Grant Program
The Arkansas Natural Resources Commission voted unanimously on April 2, 2026, to recommend new finance rules that will govern how millions of dollars in water and sewer infrastructure funding are distributed, and the implications for utilities, municipalities, and water authorities across the state…
Final Rulemaking Package Submitted for California Intervenor and AHB Fairness and Accountability Regulations
April 21, 2026
by Jerry Zimmerman
On April 20, 2026, California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara submitted the final rulemaking package for the Intervenor and Administrative Hearing Bureau (AHB) Fairness and Accountability regulations (REG-2025-00006) to the Office of Administrative Law for final review. These regulations…
Trademark Scams: How to Spot Them and Protect Yourself
Trademark scams are on the rise, leading to confusion amongst trademark owners. In fact, in August 2025, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) took the extraordinary step of sanctioning a foreign filing firm and terminating over 52,000 trademark applications and registrations…
Understanding Patient Safety Organizations: A Practical Guide
If you work in the healthcare industry, you have likely heard about Patient Safety Organizations (PSOs) and the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 (PSQIA). This article breaks down what these frameworks mean and how they can protect sensitive safety information from disclosure in…
Arkansas Environmental, Energy, and Water Law Blog
Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies: Connecticut Appellate Court Addresses Challenge to Gasoline Station Construction
A Connecticut Appellate Court (“Court”) addressed in a May 12th Opinion an issue arising out of a challenge to the construction of a gasoline service station in Stonington. See Charles A. Caldwell v. Jannat, LLC, (AC 48754). The issue considered was whether the plaintiff was required to exhaust his…
Class II Pastoral State Scenic River: Tennessee Legislation Enacted Classifying Duck River and Certain Tributaries
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed legislation last week designating the Duck River and some of its tributaries as a Class II Pastoral State Scenic River. The designation was accomplished by amending Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 11-13-104. The Duck River travels 269 miles through Middle…
Wastewater Enforcement: Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment - Division of Environmental Quality and Ouachita County School District Enter Into Consent Administrative Order
The Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment - Division of Environmental Quality (“ADEQ”) and Harmony Grove School District 1 (“HG”) entered into a January 9th Consent Administrative Order (“CAO”) addressing alleged violations of a Clean Water Act National Pollutant Discharge Elimination…
Streamlining Clean Air Act Title V Operating Permit Process to Expedite Approvals: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Issues Guidance
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) issued on May 11th a guidance document titled: Guidance on Streamlining Title V Operating Permit Reviews (“Guidance”). The Guidance is transmitted from the Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation Aaron Szabo to the EPA Regional…
Permitting and Inspections/How to Survive the Process: Md Mursalin Rahman Khandaker (ECCI) Arkansas Environmental Federation Air Seminar Presentation
Md Mursalin Rahman Khandaker undertook a presentation at the Arkansas Environmental Federation Air Seminar titled: Permitting and Inspections: How to Survive the Process (“Presentation”). Mr. Khandaker is an Environmental Scientist with ECCI. The Presentation initially addressed inspection…