From Banks to FinTech: The Evolution of Small Business Lending — The Consumer Finance Podcast
From Banks to FinTech: The Evolution of Small Business Lending — Payments Pros – The Payments Law Podcast
State AG Pulse | A FAIR Go For NY Consumers
NYS Gov. Hochul’s 2025 State of the State – Legislative Recap
Florida’s Equine Landscape
Unveiling Gender-Affirming Care: Why It Matters and What’s at Stake – Diagnosing Health Care
AI Law in the Commonwealth of Virginia - Recent Developments
Proof in Trial: Moore v. Harper
Video: Things to Remember in Q1 when Preparing 2024 Federal Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) Reports
Podcast: Discussing Florida’s 2024 Legislative Session
33rd Annual Legislative Seminar - Senator Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va.
33rd Annual Legislative Seminar - Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill
Orrick Public Policy Podcast #23 – A Conversation with Virginia Delegate Schuyler VanValkenburg
Overview of 87th Texas Legislature
Labor & Employment Law: Vermont and Federal Legislative Update
Lowndes Client Corner Podcast Episode 5 - Winter Park Distilling Company Brews One-Of-A-Kind Facility in Winter Park
Minnesota employers need to prepare for a number of changes beginning this fall, including increased financial penalties for misrepresenting unemployment benefits information. The changes are the result of amendments to...more
First effective in 2024, the Act bans the sale or distribution of various products that contain intentionally added PFAS chemicals. On January 1, 2026, as part of the product phase-out timeline, the new law bans the sale or...more
Over the past two years, at least 15 states have enacted laws requiring manufacturers of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) to certify the status of their federal premarket tobacco product applications (PMTAs) in...more
Pole attachment legislation is moving through the state legislatures of both Pennsylvania and New York. In Pennsylvania, House Bill 825 would direct the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission ("PUC") to conduct a rulemaking...more
Illinois Senate President Don Harmon faces potential $9.8 million fine for improperly accepting campaign cash - “State election officials have informed Senate President Don Harmon that he will face more than $9.8 million in...more
Recent events around the country indicate that online sweepstakes are facing increasing scrutiny and concerns from legislatures, regulators and others. “Montana just criminalized everyday digital promotions with a law so...more
RECENT LOBBYING, ETHICS & CAMPAIGN FINANCE UPDATES Campaign Finance & Lobbying Compliance The Federal Election Commission (FEC) concluded in Advisory Opinion 2025-07 that the Libertarian Party organizations in Idaho,...more
At Ward and Smith, we are closely monitoring these developments to help our clients with the potential impacts on their businesses. Below is an overview of what stakeholders in the hemp industry need to know about this...more
As the federal government works to roll back climate regulations and climate-focused initiatives, states have developed avenues to fill in the gaps left behind. Modeled in part after California's Climate Corporate Data...more
On March 25, the governor of Utah signed into law HB 279, titled the “Earned Wage Access Services Act,” (the “Act”), which establishes regulations for earned wage access services that involve the payment of funds to consumers...more
On November 3, 2022, Governor Wolf signed into law Act 122 of 2022. Among the many changes made by this legislation, Act 122 created an annual reporting requirement (like that imposed by most states) for most Pennsylvania...more
On June 18, 2024, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas announced a tentative deal to reform a number of aspects of California’s Private Attorneys...more
The 2024 Minnesota legislative session did not produce nearly as many significant pieces of employment legislation as the 2023 session. Still, this legislature passed multiple new employment laws this year and amended several...more
While all eyes are on proposed federal and European climate disclosure rules, the California legislature passed two climate-related bills that overlap somewhat with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)’s proposed...more
Many people have long viewed Colorado as a reflection of the Wild West, where rugged individualism and free-spiritedness reign. While this image certainly has some truth to it, it is important to remember that we are still...more
Introduction In the absence of comprehensive federal legislation, states have started to regulate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food packaging. This Update provides an overview of the current regulatory...more
To close out the 2021 legislative season, Governor Gavin Newsom signed dozens of bills into law, many of which directly affect California employers. In addition to the coverage in prior blog posts, which are linked below,...more
In what could be a harbinger of the future regulation of artificial intelligence (AI) in the United States, the European Commission published its recent proposal for regulation of AI systems. The proposal is part of the...more
As travel begins to resume in California, the Legislature has imposed additional stringent requirements on employers in the travel and hospitality industries. Beginning April 16, 2021, Senate Bill 93 will require employers in...more
During the eleventh hour of the 2020 legislative session, the California Legislature approved 2 significant bills in response to the COVID-19 pandemic with the potential to have far-reaching ramifications for mortgage...more