Between the Lines Blog
NAIC Reciprocal Exchanges (E) Working Group Advances Proposed Amendments to Model 440 and Model 450
On July 22, 2026, the NAIC Reciprocal Exchanges (E) Working Group met virtually to discuss proposed amendments to the Insurance Holding Company System Regulatory Act (Model #440) and the Insurance Holding Company System Model Regulation (Model #450). Formed in November 2025 under the Financial…
The NAIC Data Breach: A Turning Point for Data Collection and Privacy in the Insurance Industry
On June 17, 2026, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) publicly disclosed that it had identified unauthorized access to its PeopleSoft systems. The breach—attributed to the threat actor group ShinyHunters and part of a broader campaign exploiting a zero-day vulnerability in…
Essential Employment Documents and Procedures for Growing Businesses
As your business grows and you begin hiring employees, the excitement of expansion can sometimes overshadow the critical need for proper employment documentation and procedures. Yet the foundation you lay during this stage of growth can make the difference between a thriving workplace and costly…
The Non-Compete Playbook: Everything Arkansas Employers Should Have in their Arsenal
A crucial employee leaves for a competitor. A promising candidate shows up carrying a non-compete from their former employer. Either way, the questions hit quickly: What can we do? What should we avoid? And what paperwork should we have in place to handle this sort of thing? What employers should…
NAIC Discloses Unauthorized Access to PeopleSoft Systems
Cybersecurity Incident at the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Overview On June 17, 2026, the NAIC publicly disclosed that it identified unauthorized access to its PeopleSoft systems on or about June 11, 2026. The NAIC activated its incident response procedures and is working…
Arkansas Environmental, Energy, and Water Law Blog
New Source Review/Minor Sources: National Asphalt Pavement Association Comments Addressing U.S. EPA Proposed Rule to Streamline State and Local Permitting Process
The National Asphalt Pavement Association (“NAPA”) submitted August 17th comments to the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (“EPA”) proposed rule that the federal agency describes as streamlining: … the New Source Review (“NSR”) permitting process for minor sources by eliminating the…
Transportation/Hazardous Materials: U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration Interpretive Letter Addressing Battery Energy Storage System
The United States Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (“PHMSA”) clarified in a July 29th Interpretive Letter the federal Hazardous Materials Regulations (“HMR”) applicable to hazmat registration for lithium batteries that comprise a battery energy storage system (“BESS”). See…
Wastewater Enforcement: Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment - Division of Environmental Quality and City of Stuttgart Enter Into Consent Administrative Order
The Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment - Division of Environmental Quality (“ADEQ”) and the City of Stuttgart, Arkansas entered into a May 22nd Consent Administrative Order (“CAO”) addressing an alleged violation of a Clean Water Act National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System…
Application of the RCRA to Telecommunications Cables: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Interpretive Letter
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery addressed in a July 23rd interpretive letter: … the application of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) to telecommunications cables that "remain[] in their original place of…
Arkansas Advisory Committee on Petroleum Storage Tanks: August 28th Meeting
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…