Between the Lines Blog
The LEARNSing Curve: Navigating Arkansas Education Law
A Short Survey of The LEARNS Act Three years later, the Literacy, Empowerment, Accountability, Readiness, Networking, and Safety Act (“LEARNS Act” or the “Act”) continues to reshape Arkansas education law. This article surveys the Act’s major provisions: (1) the Education Freedom Account program…
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…
Arkansas Environmental, Energy, and Water Law Blog
Waters of the United States/Clean Water Act: National Environmental Banking Association Comments on U.S. EPA Supplemental Proposed Rule
The National Environmental Banking Association (“NEBA”) submitted September 21st comments addressing the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s: Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Updated Definition of “Waters of the United States” (“Supplemental Proposed Rule”). See Docket No…
OSHA Enforcement: New Jersey Car Wash Cited for Alleged Violations
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) issued a September 23rd news release stating that it had cited ModWash LLC (“MW”) for allegedly willfully exposing workers to safety hazards. OSHA states that MW is an express car wash service operating in multiple locations throughout the…
Air Enforcement: Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment - Division of Environmental Quality and El Dorado Chemical Manufacturing Facility Enter into Consent Administrative Order
The Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment - Division of Environmental Quality (“ADEQ”) and LSB Chemical L.L.C. (“LSB”) entered into a June 24th Consent Administrative Order (“CAO”) addressing alleged violations of an Air Permit. See Case # CAO-25-0100. The CAO provides that LSB operates a…
Wastewater Treatment Unit Exemption/RCRA: U.S. EPA Interpretive Letter Addressing Applicability to Wood Treatment Facilities
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery addressed in a September 23rd letter the applicability of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (“RCRA”) wastewater treatment unit (“WWTU”) exemption at a wood treatment facility in the State…
Concerns Regarding the Effectiveness and Timeliness of LDEQ's Clean Air Act Compliance/Enforcement in the Lake Charles Region: Environmental Integrity Project Letter
The Environmental Integrity Project (“EIP”) sent a September 23rd letter to the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality’s (“LDEQ”) Secretary Courtney J. Burdette with the subject: Concerns Regarding the Effectiveness and Timeliness of LDEQ’s Clean Air Act Compliance and Enforcement in the…