Bipartisan Coalition of Attorneys General Express Support for the G.U.A.R.D. VA Act
A bipartisan coalition of 44 attorneys general express support for the passage of legislative proposals included in Governing Unaccredited Representatives Defrauding (G.U.A.R.D.) Veterans Affairs (VA) Benefits Act. In a letter to congressional leaders, the attorneys general explain that the passing of the bipartisan legislation would hold unaccredited and unregulated actors accountable for targeting and preying…
The Uniform Law Commission Seeks Input for Study Committee on Cybercrime
While the Uniform Law Commission (ULC) is best known for drafting and enacting uniform state laws dealing with commercial transactions, real property, family, and trust and estates law, it has also focused on criminal law statutes in areas where uniformity is important and practicable. Recently, the ULC has drafted and enacted the Uniform Pretrial Release…
Minnesota Attorney General CID to Political Action Committee Not Preempted
Earlier this year, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit upheld the Minnesota Attorney General’s authority to investigate potential consumer violations by a federal political action committee (PAC), finding that Minnesota law was not preempted by the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA). WinRed v. Ellison, No. 22-1238 (8th Cir. Feb. 7, 2023). WinRed…
New Jersey Attorney General Relationship to County Prosecutors and the Open Public Records Act
In the context of an open records lawsuit filed by the ACLU against the County Prosecutors Association of New Jersey (CPANJ), the New Jersey Superior Court analyzed the relationship between the attorney general of New Jersey and the county prosecutors to determine whether CPANJ was a public entity. ACLU v. County Prosecutors Ass’n, 2022 N.J….
Pennsylvania Attorney General May Take Litigation Position Different from State Agency, Ethics Rules Apply
In Synthes USA HQ Inc. v. Commonwealth, 2023 LEXIS 230, (Mar. 22, 2023), Pennsylvania’s Supreme court affirmed the authority of the Pennsylvania attorney general to take a position in litigation different from that of a state agency, while also providing a rare analysis of the application of attorney ethics rules to attorney general practice. The…
Attorneys General Call on Congress to Pass the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act
Washington, D.C. – The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) today sent a letter on behalf of a bipartisan group of 39 state and territory attorneys general calling on Congressional leadership to pass the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act (H.R.1839/S.993). This Act would provide critical measures to combat the widespread illicit use and trafficking of xylazine…
Attorneys General Urge Congress to Appropriate Funding for Legal Services Corporation
Washington, D.C. – On May 8, 2023, the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) sent a letter to leaders of the U.S. House and Senate Appropriations Committees urging them to allocate robust funding for the nonprofit Legal Services Corporation (LSC) in the FY2024 budget. LSC supports equal access to justice by awarding grants to nonprofit…
Attorneys General Urge Congress to Appropriate Funding for Legal Services Corporation
A bipartisan coalition of 37 state and territory attorneys general urge leaders of the U.S. House and Senate Appropriations Committees to allocate robust funding for the nonprofit Legal Services Corporation (LSC) in the FY2024 budget. LSC supports equal access to justice by awarding grants to nonprofit organizations that provide civil legal services to those in…
DC Attorney General May Not Be Deposed
The DC Attorney General’s office (OAG) sued the National Rifle Association (NRA) and its foundation (the Foundation), alleging that the Foundation violated District laws by allowing charitable funds to be used for noncharitable purposes, failing to operate independently, and placing the NRA’s interests ahead of its own charitable purposes. The NRA and the Foundation sought…
Plain Language: Lawmakers’ Preferred Solution
Plain language requires drafting documents so readers will understand the intended message. Nationally and internationally, lawmakers are turning to plain language more often. Legislatures, regulators, and courts alike are voluntarily implementing plain language into their operations or requiring plain language from others. As a result, attorney general offices face plain language on three fronts: (1)…
