Between the Lines Blog
Arkansas's Answer to the SALT Cap for Business Owners: The Arkansas Pass-Through Entity Tax Act
January 19, 2022
by Craig R. Cockrell
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (The “TCJA”) imposes a $10,000 cap on the amount an individual may deduct for federal tax purposes for the payment of state and local income, property and sales taxes (referred to as “SALT”). The IRS issued a Notice in November 2020 (Notice 2020-75) confirming that…
Regulators in the UK and Singapore Announce Digital Asset and Virtual Currency Policies: Is the United States Next?
January 18, 2022
by Allison E. Raley
Attorneys practicing in the Digital Asset and Virtual Currency space have already said this will be the year of enforcement actions and regulation in the United States. While we wait for those policies to be announced two major governments, Singapore and the United Kingdom, have issued their…
Feds Require Insurers and Group Health Plans to Cover Cost of At-Home COVID-19 Tests Starting January 15
In an effort to expand the availability of free COVID-19 testing, the Biden-Harris Administration has announced that beginning January 15, 2022, insurance companies and group health plans will be required to cover the cost of over-the-counter (“OTC”) COVID-19 tests. This requirement is being…
Tether Again Demonstrates Cryptocurrencies Ability to Protect Users from Anti-Money Laundering Risks after it Freezes One Million Dollars
Decentralized finance still mystifies many whose only exposure to the financial industry is through traditional financial institutions. Comments heard across holiday dinner tables most likely included one or two references to “that crypto stuff only being for criminals.” While decentralized finance…
Temporary Enforcement Policy Announced on Fee Disclosure Requirements for Group Health Plan Service Providers
January 10, 2022
by Jessica Palvino
Through Field Assistance Bulletin 2021-03 (FASB 2021-03), the Department of Labor (DOL) announced a temporary enforcement policy for the new fee disclosure requirements that apply to group health plan service providers, added by Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (CAA), Section 202 of Title II…
Arkansas Environmental, Energy, and Water Law Blog
Southern Bog Turtle/Endangered Species Act: Center for Biological Diversity Petition Submitted to Fish and Wildlife Service Requesting Listing
The Center for Biological Diversity (“CBD”) submitted a Petition to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (“Service”) requesting that the southern bog turtle be designated as an endangered or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (“ESA”). The Petition also requests that the…
Arkansas Advisory Committee on Petroleum Storage Tanks: January 26th Meeting (Via Teleconference)
As noted in a previous blog post, Arkansas operates a petroleum storage tank trust fund that provides reimbursement for eligible storage tanks that suffer corrective action requirements and third party damage claims due to a release of petroleum. The Advisory Committee on Petroleum Storage Tanks…
Implications of Electric Vehicle Investments for Agriculture/Rural America: U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture Committee Hearing
The United States House of Representatives Agriculture Committee held a January 12th hearing titled: Implications of Electric Vehicle Investments for Agriculture and Rural America (“Hearing”) This was a Full Committee Hearing. The witnesses testifying included: Mr. Geoff Cooper President and CEO…
Startup, Shutdown, and Malfunction/Clean Air Act: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Federal Register Notice Addressing Arkansas State Implementation Plan
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) undertook final action published in the January 12th Federal Register finding that 12 states and local air pollution control agencies failed to submit Clean Air Act State Implementation Plan (“SIP”) revisions in a timely manner. See 87 Fed…
Environmental Justice: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Announces Acceptance of Administrative Complaint Addressing North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Title VI Violation
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) transmitted a January 13th letter to the Southern Environmental Law Center stating it was accepting for investigation an administrative complaint filed against the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (“DEQ”). See EPA Complaint…