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
Waste Disposal Agreement/30-Year Term: Mississippi Appellate Court Addresses Dispute Regarding Ability to Extend
The Court of Appeals of Mississippi (“App. Ct.”) addressed in a May 19th Opinion an issue arising under a Waste Disposal Agreement (“Agreement”). See Waste Management of Mississippi, Inc., v. Chickasaw County, Mississippi, et al., 2026 WL 1393598. The question addressed was whether the Agreement…
Transportation/Hazardous Materials: U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration Interpretive Letter Addressing Shipping Paper/Non-Hazardous Information
The United States Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (“PHMSA”) addressed in an April 27th interpretive letter the application of Hazardous Materials Regulations (“HMR”) to shipping paper requirements. See Reference No. 26-0003. PHMSA was responding to a Maryland Department of…
Wastewater Enforcement: Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment - Division of Environmental Quality and City of Tillar Enter into Consent Administrative Order
The Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment - Division of Environmental Quality (“ADEQ”) and the City of Tillar, Arkansas entered into a January 19th Consent Administrative Order (“CAO”) addressing alleged violations of a Clean Water Act National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System…
Underground Injection Control/Safe Drinking Water Act: Eco-Justice Collaborative U.S. EPA Environmental Appeals Board's Petition Challenging Putnam County, Illinois Sequestration Project
Eco-Justice Collaborative (“EJC”) filed a May 7th Petition for Review (“Petition”) before the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) Environmental Appeals Board challenging a Safe Drinking Water Act Underground Injection Control (“UIC”) Class VI Permit issued to Marquis Carbon…
Arkansas Advisory Committee on Petroleum Storage Tanks: May 27th 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…