Capitol Comments

A growing number of states are shortening the leash on fake service animals. At present, approximately 20 states have enacted laws aimed at deterring individuals from fraudulently misrepresenting their pets as service animals. These laws are in addition to those that exist to deter harassment of or...

States have recently been taking a closer look at noncompete agreements and their impacts on the workforce. This year, the Idaho Legislature strengthened its noncompete laws while the South Dakota Supreme Court issued an opinion only partially enforcing a noncompete. According to Peter Steinmeyer, a member of the law firm Epstein Becker Green, these actions are part of the national trend of...

Single-use plastic straws have recently come under fire, much like single-use plastic shopping bags and plastic microbeads. This year, Seattle became the largest U.S. city to ban the use of plastic straws and...

In June 2017, Oregon became the first state to pass legislation requiring retail, hospitality, and food service employers with more than 500 employees to give workers their schedules at least one week in advance. The legislation also requires workers to be given a 10-hour break between shifts or receive extra pay. After passage of the bill, Gov. Kate Brown stated on ...

On Thursday, March 22, 2018, Atlanta’s municipal computer systems fell victim to a ransomware attack. As a result, the city began executing a large proportion of its business on paper, or not at all, and postponing court dates. With customer and employee data potentially compromised, the municipal government encouraged anyone who had ever done business with the city to take precautions such as checking their bank accounts and credit reports. The ransom was approximately $51,000.

Ransomware is a form of malware that blocks...