The California legislature passed a new law this week that, if signed by the Governor, would impose campaign contribution limits on city and county elections in the state. Under current law, cities and counties may adopt their own contribution limits, but most have not. According to the legislature, this has led to a situation where
September 2019
MyPayrollHR Scandal Serves as Reminder to Verify Employment Tax Deposits
Although the facts are still unfolding, recent developments surrounding the collapse of payroll firm MyPayrollHR serve as a reminder to employers to regularly verify the actions of payroll service providers. This should be a routine practice, regardless of the provider’s reputation and the longevity of the relationship. In particular, employers should open their own EFTPS…
Will an Unappealing Trend in Battlefield Contractor Suits Continue? Following A Pattern of Appellate Indecision—Fueled by the Government’s Equivocal Litigation Stances—the Fourth Circuit Mulls En Banc Review
It’s often said that hard cases make bad law. In the realm of contractor-on-the-battlefield lawsuits, hard cases seem to be making no law—at least at the appellate level.
As detailed in an amicus brief submitted by Covington on behalf of KBR last week in CACI Premier Technology Inc. v. Al Shimari, No. 19-1328 (4th Cir.),…
NIST Releases Preliminary Draft of Privacy Framework
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (“NIST”) now has released the preliminary draft of the “NIST Privacy Framework: A Tool for Improving Privacy through Enterprise Risk Management.” NIST is seeking comments on the preliminary draft of the Privacy Framework and plans to use these comments to develop version…
White House Seeks Input from Biotech Stakeholders on Bioeconomy
Last week, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (“OSTP”) issued a request for information (“RFI”) to learn how the Government can more effectively “support scientific discovery, the development of technological advances, and increase the impact of a vibrant bioeconomy on the Nation’s vitality and our citizens’ lives.” 84 Fed. Reg. 47561 (Sep.
California Legislature Passes CCPA Amendments and Privacy Bills
Last week, after months of negotiation and speculation, the California legislature passed bills amending the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”). This marked the last round of CCPA amendments before the legislature adjourned for the year—and before the CCPA takes effect on January 1, 2020. California Governor Gavin Newsom has until October 13 to sign the…
UK Court upholds police use of automated facial recognition technology
R (on the application of Edward Bridges) v The Chief Constable of South Wales [2019] EWHC 2341 (Admin)
Case Note
Introduction
In Bridges, an application for judicial review, the UK High Court (Lord Justice Haddon-Cave and Mr. Justice Swift) considered the lawfulness of policing operations conducted by the South Wales Police force (“SWP”) which utilised…
The New European Commission 2019-2024
On September 10, Ursula von der Leyen, President-elect of the European Commission, presented her new team. If approved by the European Parliament, they will take over from the Juncker Commission on November 1, 2019.
This blog outlines the proposed structure of the new Commission, each Commissioner’s portfolio, and the key regulatory priorities that the President…
Business Roundtable Proposes Framework for Consumer Privacy Legislation
On September 10, 2019, 51 members of the Business Roundtable sent a letter to congressional leaders advocating principles for a national consumer data privacy law. The Business Roundtable’s Framework for Consumer Privacy Legislation offers a guide for potential federal legislation that would harmonize existing privacy regulations and preempt existing state and local data privacy laws.…
Margrethe Vestager re-appointed as Competition Commissioner and given a broader digital mandate
By Johan Ysewyn & Kevin Coates
On 10 September 2019, Margrethe Vestager was proposed as the European Commissioner for Competition, a post which she has held since November 2014. The appointment is still subject to the confirmation of the European Parliament.
Vestager has also been given the role of Executive Vice President, with the mandate of making “Europe Fit for the…