Recent Developments in Florida Energy and Environmental Legislation
State AG Pulse | The Laboratories of Democracy
The Arizona Supreme Court recently held in Roundtree v. City of Page that the circumstances under which citizens can place a local initiative measure on the ballot are very broad, so long as they propose something that may be...more
The Ohio and U.S. Constitutions require that the power of eminent domain can only be exercised when necessary for a public use. In the 2005 case of Kelo v. City of New London, the U.S. Supreme Court took an expansive view...more
On July 30, 2025, a divided California Court of Appeal issued its long-awaited opinion in Patz v. City of San Diego, affirming the trial court’s judgment that the City’s tiered residential water rates violated Proposition 218...more
On December 18, 2024, the Montana Supreme Court ruled in the case of Held v. Montana, finding that the Montana Environmental Policy Act ("MEPA") violated the state's constitution. In the midst of great change to the federal...more
Gambling has long held a tight grasp on Ohio and its citizens. From state lotteries to sports betting, Ohio has established itself as a leader in the regulated world of gambling. But how does this impact local governments?...more
On March 20, 2025, a New York Supreme Court Justice in Albany County issued a decision and order declaring the New York State Department of Health (NY DOH)’s August 2024 implementation of an administrative rate reimbursement...more
The Michigan Supreme Court released an opinion yesterday holding that a municipality may not disguise a tax by imposing a utilities franchise fee upon consumers through a utilities franchise agreement when that agreement...more
On January 30, 2025, the Appellate Division Second Department handed down a decision regarding the constitutionality of the New York State Voting Rights Act. The case, Clarke v. Town of Newburgh, concerned a challenge under...more
The 2024 North Carolina General Assembly session ended last Friday after members overrode a veto, proposed a change to the state constitution, and supported a constitutional convention to set term limits for members of the US...more
With election day behind us, Ohio legislators have gone full throttle into a lame duck session, focusing their efforts on wrapping up the 135th Ohio General Assembly before the end of 2024. With less than five voting sessions...more
While Georgia did not hold an election for governor or any other statewide offices, there were ballot measures and legislative races to consider. The status quo will remain in place with Republicans having control of the...more
In this episode of our "Florida Capital Conversations" podcast series, policy advisor Jon Steverson and attorney Lawrence Sellers discuss significant legislative developments affecting the energy and environmental sectors in...more
On July 18, 2024, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court decided that environmental groups were entitled to intervene in a case challenging the lawfulness of a greenhouse gas regulation because the state’s attorneys failed to raise...more
The Washington Supreme Court recently denied review of a key decision from the Washington Court of Appeals, Division II, upholding the authority of local governments to regulate solid waste generated and collected within...more
City of Los Angeles - Increase to Planning Applications and Affordable Housing Linkage Fees - On July 1, 2024, the fee for planning and land use applications increased by 3.5% based on the Consumer Price Index for All Urban...more
When drafting and reviewing local government contracts, it’s imperative that legal counsel understand what language to focus on. There are a number of terms and conditions which political subdivisions cannot agree to under...more
Several cities in California successfully petitioned for a writ of mandate seeking the invalidation of California Senate Bill 9 (the HOME Act)....more
Omnibus Policy Bills on the Move - Prior to the March 22nd legislative deadline for policy bills, most committees created omnibus policy bills. Starting this week, both the House of Representatives and the Senate engaged...more
Virginia’s Constitution automatically disqualifies all persons convicted of any felony from voting unless their civil rights are restored by the Governor. See Va. Const. art. II, § 1. In a recent case, two plaintiffs...more
Where is the Governor’s Supplemental Budget? With legislators racing toward the first and second bill deadline on March 22, the Walz Administration spent the week behind closed doors putting the finishing touches on its...more
The Virginia Supreme Court ruled in favor of a high school teacher, finding that the circuit court wrongly dismissed the teacher’s claims against his former employer, who had terminated the teacher after he refused to use a...more
Recently, the City of Denver’s Department of Public Health and Environment (DDPHE) ordered, among other things, the destruction of Titan Health LLC’s (Titan Health) marijuana plants that it deemed to “hav[e] evidence of...more
On November 1, 2023, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court held that the rulemaking entering Pennsylvania into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative ("RGGI") violated the state constitution. The decision upends regulatory...more
The 2023 Ohio General Election reached an unusually high turnout for an odd-numbered election year, thanks to two statewide ballot issues. Issue 1 garnered national attention, as Ohio became the latest state to enshrine...more
On November 7, 2023, Ohio voters passed Issue 1, the Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety, to establish the constitutional right to certain reproductive decisions. The new right will be...more