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
Perchlorate/Safe Drinking Water Act: Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies Comments on EPA Proposed Primary Drinking Water Regulation
The Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (“AMWA”) submitted March 9th comments to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) regarding the agency’s proposed Safe Drinking Water Act National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (“NPDWR”) for perchlorate. EPA published in the…
Battery Collection Best Practices: United States Environmental Protection Agency Report to Congress
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) has issued an April 2026 report to the U.S. Congress titled: Battery Collection Bets Practices (“Report”). EPA was mandated to produce the Report by Section 70401 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. See Public Law 117-58. The…
Stormwater Enforcement: Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment - Division of Environmental Quality and Faulkner County Construction Site Operator Enter into Consent Administrative Order
The Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment - Division of Environmental Quality (“ADEQ”) and JJR Construction, LLC (“JJR”) entered into a February 19th Consent Administrative Order (“CAO”) addressing alleged violations of the Clean Water Act regulations. See Case #: CAO-25-0018. The CAO…
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…