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
Addressing Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS): Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management Officials Issues Position Paper
The Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management Officials (“ASTSWMO”) issued a position paper titled: Addressing Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) (“Position Paper”). ASTSWMO describes the organization as representing the 50 States, 5 Territories and the District of…
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Permitting Authority Map: Live Data Source Established
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) announced on May 6th that it has established a “Permitting Authority Map” (“Map”). The Map is accessible via EPA’s website and identifies which regulatory agencies have the authority to issue permits covering each of the federal agencies’…
Wastewater Enforcement: Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment - Division of Environmental Quality and Baxter County Car Wash/Laundromat Enter into Consent Administrative Order
The Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment - Division of Environmental Quality (“ADEQ”) and Big Land Investments, LLC (“BLI”) entered into a January 5h Consent Administrative Order (“CAO”) addressing alleged violations of a Clean Water Act National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System…
Arkansas Permit Streamlining/Expediting Update: Ben Holden (Trinity) and Walter Wright (Mitchell Williams) Arkansas Environmental Federation Air Presentation
Ben Holden and I undertook a presentation at the Arkansas Environmental Federation (“AEF”) Air Seminar titled: Permitting Streamlining Update and Real World Bottlenecks (“Presentation”). Ben Holden, P.E. is a Managing Consultant with Trinity Consultants. Ben addressed “real world bottlenecks”…
The State of Clean Energy Manufacturing in Q1 2026: Environmental Defense Fund Report
The Environmental Defense Fund (“EDF”) released on May 5th a report titled: The State of Clean Energy Manufacturing in Q1 2026 (“Report”). The Report is authored by Tom Taylor and Katherine Shok. The Report analyzes the following: Announced investments and associated jobs for clean energy…