Clayton Friedman

In a significant development for state unclaimed property programs, Wisconsin has joined a bipartisan coalition of 30 states in reaching a settlement with Delaware, effectively concluding a long-standing dispute over unclaimed official checks issued by MoneyGram Payment Systems, Inc. (MoneyGram). This settlement follows a unanimous 2023 U.S. Supreme Court decision that ruled these checks are governed by the Federal Disposition Act.

A recent conference led by Connecticut Attorney General (AG) William Tong discussed the alleged problems and potential solutions associated with plastics use and waste. Conference attendees included nearly two dozen representatives from state AG offices, medical and public health researchers, and leaders in the recycling and reclamation industry. Conversations focused on plastics’ tendency to break down in the environment and, as a result, expose people and the environment to harmful chemicals. The concerns surrounding plastics in many ways parallel the concerns surrounding PFAS, an industry targeted recently by civil and criminal enforcement actions in multiple states. Businesses up and down the plastics supply chain should take note and prepare for potential state actions that put plastics in the crosshairs.

Illinois Attorney General (AG) Kwame Raoul entered a settlement with Teleperformance Colombia SAS, TPUSA Inc., and Teleperformance SE (collectively,...

Of the 43 elected State AGs, 10 states held elections in 2024. Below are the current results of the elections for each of the 10 races. These elections have resulted in new attorneys general in North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Washington, and West Virginia.

On October 25, Pennsylvania Attorney General (AG) Michelle Henry announced a court order requiring the pastor and founder of Peniel Christian Fellowship International to pay $305,704 in restitution for allegedly misusing ministry funds for personal expenses. The AG took action alleging that charitable donations to the church were diverted into the pastor’s personal accounts to pay for rent, vehicles, and other private expenses.

On October 11, Connecticut Attorney General (AG) William Tong announced a $5 million settlement against bankrupt solar installation firm Vision Solar, LLC to resolve an unfair trade practices suit. Hartford Superior Court Judge Daniel Joshua Klau granted the state’s motion for the judgment, which was executed with a trustee for the company and previously approved by a U.S. bankruptcy court. In addition to the $5 million civil penalty, the company also agreed in the stipulation to certain changes in its business practices. However, the changes to its business practices are largely theoretical given that the company is in a liquidation bankruptcy.

On November 8, Illinois Attorney General (AG) Kwame Raoul and DoorDash, Inc. (DoorDash) reached a settlement to resolve a lawsuit accusing DoorDash of violating Illinois consumer protection law related to alleged misrepresentations regarding tips for delivery drivers. The tipping policy in question was in place between 2017 through 2019.

On November 12, the Kentucky attorney general (AG) issued a formal opinion, concluding that the Kentucky Board of Pharmacy lacks the authority to regulate nonresident pharmacists beyond what is specified in KRS Chapter 315. The board cannot mandate Kentucky licensure for nonresident pharmacists, except for the pharmacist-in-charge per KRS 315.0351(1)(g). Therefore, the board’s proposed amendment to 201 KAR 2:030, which would require all out-of-state pharmacists filling prescriptions for Kentucky residents to be licensed in Kentucky, exceeds the board’s statutory authority.

New York Attorney General (AG) Letitia James and global movie theater operator National Amusements, Inc. (National) settled a lawsuit stemming from a 2022 data breach reported by National, which affected 82,128 National employees. As part of its settlement, National agreed to pay $250,000 in penalties to the state and to “improve existing cybersecurity infrastructure to prevent future data breaches.”

Connecticut Attorney General (AG) William Tong announced a $2 million settlement with Pike Fuels to resolve allegations that the company violated Connecticut environmental protection laws by, among other things, falsifying monthly leak inspection records for a New Haven petroleum distribution facility.