Featured Stories
N.J. A.G. Davenport Celebrates Major Victory Blocking Unlawful Implementation of Medicaid Work Requirements for Medically Frail Individuals
TRENTON, New Jersey, Oct. 30 -- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Davenport Celebrates Major Victory Blocking Unlawful Implementation of Medicaid Work Requirements for Medically Frail Individuals
October 29, 2026
TRENTON -- Attorney General Jennifer Davenport today secured a decision by the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts finding the Trump Administration's implementation of new Medicaid work requirements under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) was unlawful.
In a lawsuit filed in June 2026, Attorney
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TRENTON, New Jersey, Oct. 30 -- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Davenport Celebrates Major Victory Blocking Unlawful Implementation of Medicaid Work Requirements for Medically Frail Individuals
October 29, 2026
TRENTON -- Attorney General Jennifer Davenport today secured a decision by the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts finding the Trump Administration's implementation of new Medicaid work requirements under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) was unlawful.
In a lawsuit filed in June 2026, AttorneyGeneral Davenport co-led a multistate coalition in challenging provisions of an interim final rule promulgated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which sought to narrow the Act's exemptions from Medicaid work requirements for "medically frail" people.
"This win will help people with complex or serious medical conditions stay on Medicaid and keep their healthcare," said Attorney General Davenport. "I will keep fighting to make sure red tape does not hurt those who are already struggling to stay well and maintain their dignity."
In today's decision, the District Court held that the Trump Administration's implementation of the "medical frailty" exemption from the Medicaid work requirements is contrary to law, vacated the language, issued a permanent injunction, and granted the plaintiff states a six-month stay of enforcement to accommodate any errors or delays resulting from the necessary changes to implementation.
The medical frailty exemption ensures that those with serious or complex conditions, mental disorders, substance abuse disorders, and other medically vulnerable individuals do not lose coverage or face interruptions in care. The court held that CMS lacked the authority to narrow the categories of medically frail individuals by also requiring states to assess whether their condition significantly impairs their ability to work.
If allowed to go into effect, the rule's unlawful interpretation of "medically frail" would have forced many thousands of vulnerable New Jerseyans to lose access to lifesaving care due to onerous bureaucratic requirements even though they are in fact eligible for Medicaid coverage.
Medicaid is the nation's safety net healthcare program for low-income Americans and is jointly funded by states and the federal government, with the federal government providing at least 50% of the cost of services. In the OBBBA, Congress created exemptions from Medicaid's work requirements to ensure that people with serious illnesses and disabilities do not lose coverage or face interruptions in care.
Yet despite months of working with states on implementation, earlier this year, CMS surprised states with an interim final rule that runs contrary to the statutory requirements for medical frailty. The rule would have made it harder for medically vulnerable individuals to be excused from the work requirements, increased administrative burdens, created unnecessary red tape, and put eligible people at risk of losing their health coverage -- including those who are already working or qualify for an exemption.
Past Medicaid work requirement programs have shown that added red tape causes eligible people to lose coverage, placing greater strain on state Medicaid programs, safety net providers, and emergency rooms, while increasing costs as more medically frail residents become uninsured.
In New Jersey, Deputy Solicitor General Shankar Duraiswamy, Senior Counsel Samuel Dolinger, Deputy Attorney General Jake Mazeitis, and Deputy Attorney General Geoffrey McGee handled the matter.
Attorney General Davenport co-led this case along with California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell. They were joined by the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin, and the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania.
View Decision (http://www.njoag.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/2026-1029_dkt-147-opinion-on-MSJ.pdf)
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Original text here: https://www.njoag.gov/attorney-general-davenport-celebrates-major-victory-blocking-unlawful-implementation-of-medicaid-work-requirements-for-medically-frail-individuals/
Miss. A.G. Fitch Announces $220 Million Settlement With GM
JACKSON, Mississippi, Oct. 30 -- Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch issued the following news release:
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October 29, 2026
AG Fitch Announces $220 Million Settlement with GM
GM convinced consumers that their Smart Driver program was designed to promote safe driving. Instead, the company sold sensitive location and driving data to third-party data brokers without consumers' consent. We will hold companies accountable when they mislead consumers and violate their trust. I'm proud to stand alongside my colleagues in this settlement.
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(Jackson, Mississippi) Today, Attorney General Lynn
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JACKSON, Mississippi, Oct. 30 -- Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch issued the following news release:
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October 29, 2026
AG Fitch Announces $220 Million Settlement with GM
GM convinced consumers that their Smart Driver program was designed to promote safe driving. Instead, the company sold sensitive location and driving data to third-party data brokers without consumers' consent. We will hold companies accountable when they mislead consumers and violate their trust. I'm proud to stand alongside my colleagues in this settlement.
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(Jackson, Mississippi) Today, Attorney General LynnFitch and a coalition of 36 attorneys general announced a settlement with GM that requires the company to obtain affirmative express consent from consumers before collecting or disclosing consumer driving and location data. In addition to privacy protections, the states secured $220 million and Mississippi will receive $3,607,640.00 through the settlement.
"GM convinced consumers that their Smart Driver program was designed to promote safe driving. Instead, the company sold sensitive location and driving data to thirdparty data brokers without consumers' consent," said Attorney General Lynn Fitch.
"We will hold companies accountable when they mislead consumers and violate their trust. I'm proud to stand alongside my colleagues in this settlement."
From 2016 to 2024, GM enrolled millions of drivers in their Smart Driver program, which tracked their driving habits. GM pitched this tool as a way for drivers to improve their own driving safety and told drivers that they would not share their data with insurers without express consent.
However, the attorneys general found that GM sold this information to data brokers under contracts that specified the data was to be used for insurance products. The data brokers sold the data to insurance companies, who could then change the driver's premium based on their driving habits. GM did not disclose to drivers that their data would be sold for this purpose.
Additionally, the OnStar app mistakenly told over 370,000 drivers that they were not enrolled in Smart Driver, when they actually were enrolled and GM was collecting and selling their data. GM later quietly unenrolled these over 370,000 drivers without telling them about the mistake and left their data with the data brokers and insurance companies.
The settlement also requires GM to limit the driving data it collects from consumers and protect their personal information going forward as part of a comprehensive data privacy program. The terms mandate internal and external data protection and privacy program assessments. GM also agreed to oversight and training requirements at their dealerships to protect consumers against being enrolled in data collection schemes without their consent.
Attorney General Fitch is joined in this settlement by the attorneys general of Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, Utah, and Vermont, Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, the District Of Columbia, Florida, Hawai'i, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Read the settlement HERE (https://files.constantcontact.com/6b6ea99f701/eec6d62f-ca4a-4c0e-9298-b84b1faf5d5d.pdf).
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Original text here: https://attorneygenerallynnfitch.com/2026/10/29/ag-fitch-announces-220-million-settlement-with-gm-october-29-2026/
Del. Gov. Meyer Takes Fight to Defend Gun Safety Laws to U.S. Supreme Court
DOVER, Delaware, Oct. 30 -- Gov. Matt Meyer, D-Delaware, issued the following news release:
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Governor Meyer Takes Fight to Defend Gun Safety Laws to The U.S. Supreme Court
October 28, 2026
DOVER, Del. -- Governor Matt Meyer today announced that he has joined governors from across the country in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court urging the Court to uphold state and local laws regulating assault weapons and preserve states' authority to protect their residents from gun violence.
The brief, filed through the Governors Action Alliance's Safer Communities Initiative in the
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DOVER, Delaware, Oct. 30 -- Gov. Matt Meyer, D-Delaware, issued the following news release:
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Governor Meyer Takes Fight to Defend Gun Safety Laws to The U.S. Supreme Court
October 28, 2026
DOVER, Del. -- Governor Matt Meyer today announced that he has joined governors from across the country in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court urging the Court to uphold state and local laws regulating assault weapons and preserve states' authority to protect their residents from gun violence.
The brief, filed through the Governors Action Alliance's Safer Communities Initiative in theconsolidated cases Viramontes v. Cook County and Grant v. Higgins, calls on the Supreme Court to preserve states' ability to enact gun safety measures that protect families and communities from deadly mass shootings.
"As a Delaware teacher, I had students and families whose lives were devastated by gun violence," said Governor Matt Meyer. "After a shooting, the death toll tells us how many people were killed, but it doesn't tell us how many lives were changed. No family should have to experience that kind of loss before their government takes action. We must protect every family and every community, and states must retain the authority to enact and enforce commonsense gun safety laws that save lives."
The brief argues that states have broad constitutional authority to enact laws protecting public health and safety, including restrictions on military-style assault weapons. The governors warn that striking down these protections would undermine states' ability to respond to the unique public safety challenges facing their communities.
The filing comes as the Supreme Court considers challenges to state and local assault weapons restrictions. Congress enacted a federal assault weapons ban in 1994, but the law expired in 2004. Since then, 12 states and the District of Columbia have enacted their own restrictions on assault weapons.
The governors also emphasize the devastating and lasting consequences of mass shootings, including the strain on emergency responders, hospitals and public resources, as well as the trauma experienced by survivors, families and entire communities long after the immediate tragedy.
Governor Meyer has made gun violence prevention a priority of his administration. In May 2025, he established Delaware's Office of Gun Violence Prevention and Community Safety to strengthen coordination across state agencies and support sustained efforts to prevent violence. The office has since been made permanent through legislation.
Governor Meyer joined the Safer Communities Initiative alongside Governors Gavin Newsom of California, Jared Polis of Colorado, JB Pritzker of Illinois, Wes Moore of Maryland, Kathy Hochul of New York, Tina Kotek of Oregon, Dan McKee of Rhode Island and Bob Ferguson of Washington.
The Governors Action Alliance's Safer Communities Initiative brings governors together to share strategies, coordinate policy approaches and defend states' ability to protect residents through gun violence prevention measures.
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Original text here: https://news.delaware.gov/2026/10/28/governor-meyer-takes-fight-to-defend-gun-safety-laws-to-the-u-s-supreme-court/
Arizona Supreme Court Rules Homeowners Entitled to Attorney Fees in Nuisance Dispute
PHOENIX, Arizona, Oct. 30 -- The Arizona Supreme Court issued the following news release:
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Oct. 28, 2026
Arizona Supreme Court Rules Homeowners Entitled to Attorney Fees in Nuisance Dispute
PHOENIX - The Arizona Supreme Court unanimously ruled that John and Anita Dryja are entitled to reasonable attorney fees after successfully defending a neighbor's lawsuit over noise from their air conditioning unit. The Court held that their community's recorded covenants require the losing party to pay reasonable attorney fees in this enforcement dispute.
The case, Burkett v. Dryja, involved adjoining
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PHOENIX, Arizona, Oct. 30 -- The Arizona Supreme Court issued the following news release:
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Oct. 28, 2026
Arizona Supreme Court Rules Homeowners Entitled to Attorney Fees in Nuisance Dispute
PHOENIX - The Arizona Supreme Court unanimously ruled that John and Anita Dryja are entitled to reasonable attorney fees after successfully defending a neighbor's lawsuit over noise from their air conditioning unit. The Court held that their community's recorded covenants require the losing party to pay reasonable attorney fees in this enforcement dispute.
The case, Burkett v. Dryja, involved adjoininghomes in Moondance Estates, a Tucson subdivision. Stephanie Burkett sued the Dryjas and the homeowners association, alleging that noise and vibrations from the Dryjas' replacement air conditioning unit violated the community's covenants, conditions, and restrictions, commonly called CC&Rs.
The trial court ruled against Burkett on every claim. It found that the noise did not amount to an actionable nuisance or violate the CC&Rs. The court awarded attorney fees to the association but denied fees to the Dryjas. The court of appeals upheld that denial, reasoning that the duty not to create a nuisance existed under law apart from the CC&Rs.
The Supreme Court disagreed. It explained that the CC&Rs create enforceable contractual duties between homeowners. A promise not to create a nuisance remains enforceable even when the law independently prohibits the same conduct. The Court also noted that these covenants impose obligations beyond the general legal duty to avoid creating a nuisance.
The Court said the Dryjas' right to attorney fees depends on the wording of the CC&Rs, rather than the separate statute that allows courts to award fees in contract cases. Here, the CC&Rs require an award of reasonable attorney fees to the winning party in court proceedings connected with enforcing the covenants. Burkett sued to enforce those covenants, and the Dryjas won.
The Supreme Court vacated the court of appeals' opinion, reversed the trial court's denial of attorney fees to the Dryjas, and sent the case back for the trial court to determine the reasonable amount.
Justice William G. Montgomery wrote the opinion for a unanimous Court.
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Original text here: https://www.azcourts.gov/Portals/0/201/Press%20Releases/2026/News%20Release%20-%20Arizona%20Supreme%20Court%20Rules%20Homeowners%20Entitled%20to%20Attorney%20Fees%20in%20Nuisance%20Dispute.pdf?ver=ItBQODJjdcFBgluHxlUDuA%3d%3d
Ala. Commerce Dept.: SEUS-Japan Event Strengthens, Furthers Alabama Economic Bonds With Economic Partner
MONTGOMERY, Alabama, Oct. 30 -- The Alabama Department of Commerce issued the following news:
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SEUS-Japan event strengthens, furthers Alabama economic bonds with economic partner
Montgomery, Alabama - An Alabama delegation that included Governor Kay Ivey Chief of Staff Liz Filmore and leadership from the Alabama Department of Commerce participated this week in the 2026 Southeast U.S.-Japan Annual Joint Meeting in Nashville, Tennessee.
Now in its 48th year, the meeting offers Alabama a premier opportunity to strengthen its longstanding economic and cultural ties with Japan. The high-profile
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MONTGOMERY, Alabama, Oct. 30 -- The Alabama Department of Commerce issued the following news:
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SEUS-Japan event strengthens, furthers Alabama economic bonds with economic partner
Montgomery, Alabama - An Alabama delegation that included Governor Kay Ivey Chief of Staff Liz Filmore and leadership from the Alabama Department of Commerce participated this week in the 2026 Southeast U.S.-Japan Annual Joint Meeting in Nashville, Tennessee.
Now in its 48th year, the meeting offers Alabama a premier opportunity to strengthen its longstanding economic and cultural ties with Japan. The high-profileevent brought together senior Japanese business and government leaders, regional executives, and policymakers for an outstanding program of speakers, discussions and networking opportunities.
"For more than 25 years, Japanese companies have been an important part of Alabama's economic success," Filmore said during an address at the conference. "Since 1999, beginning with Honda's investment in our state, Japanese companies have invested more than $10 billion in Alabama and created more than 25,000 jobs."
The annual meeting remains an important opportunity to strengthen the relationships that have made Japan one of Alabama's most valued international economic partners, said Christina Stimpson, Commerce's chief officer of global business.
"Our delegation brought together leaders from government, economic development, and industry, reflecting a shared commitment to building on decades of successful Japanese investment," she said. "Daikin America's continued engagement, including its participation in this year's meeting, is a strong example of how these longstanding partnerships extend beyond the initial investment to foster meaningful relationships and continued economic growth."
Dignitaries at the conference included Japanese Ambassador to the United States Shigeo Yamada, Consul General of Japan in Atlanta Kenichi Matsuda and U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty.
"We value the opportunity to deepen these connections and identify new avenues for collaboration that will benefit both Alabama and Japan for years to come," Stimpson said.
More than 80 Japanese companies now operate in Alabama.
The state's commitment to those companies does not end when the ribbons are cut. Last year, Alabama celebrated the opening of its new business development office in Tokyo. The office provides a direct connection between Alabama and Japan, supporting Japanese companies already operating in Alabama while helping identify new opportunities for trade, investment and collaboration.
Alabama's delegation at SEUS-Japan also included Sean Blakeley, who leads that business development office, and Kevin Taylor, executive director of Alabama Industrial Development Training, the state's premier workforce development office.
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Original text here: https://www.madeinalabama.com/2026/10/seus-japan-event-strengthens-furthers-alabama-economic-bonds-with-economic-partner/
Acting Alaska A.G. Mills Announces That GM Will Pay Alaska $2.5 Million for Selling Drivers' Private Data
JUNEAU, Alaska, Oct. 30 -- The Alaska Department of Law issued the following news release:
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Acting Attorney General Cori Mills Announces that GM Will Pay Alaska $2.5 Million for Selling Drivers' Private Data
October 29, 2026
(Anchorage, AK) - Acting Attorney General Cori Mills announced today that Alaska, as part of a coalition of 36 attorneys general, settled with General Motors to resolve allegations that it illegally sold consumers' private driver behavior data and location information to third parties, including data brokers who then sold the data to insurance companies. For many consumers,
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JUNEAU, Alaska, Oct. 30 -- The Alaska Department of Law issued the following news release:
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Acting Attorney General Cori Mills Announces that GM Will Pay Alaska $2.5 Million for Selling Drivers' Private Data
October 29, 2026
(Anchorage, AK) - Acting Attorney General Cori Mills announced today that Alaska, as part of a coalition of 36 attorneys general, settled with General Motors to resolve allegations that it illegally sold consumers' private driver behavior data and location information to third parties, including data brokers who then sold the data to insurance companies. For many consumers,this data was used by insurance companies in part to set insurance rates.
The settlement requires GM to obtain affirmative express consent from consumers before collecting or disclosing consumer driving and location data. GM will pay a total of $220 million, and Alaska will receive $2,508,188.
"As part of this settlement, GM will implement a robust data privacy program to ensure that meaningful safeguards are finally in place," said Acting Alaska Attorney General Cori Mills. "This holds GM accountable and reinforces our commitment to safeguarding Alaskans' personal information."
From 2016 to 2024, GM enrolled millions of drivers in their Smart Driver program, which tracked their driving habits. GM pitched this tool as a way for drivers to improve their own driving safety and told drivers that they would not share their data with insurers without express consent.
However, the coalition found that GM sold this information to data brokers under contracts that specified the data was to be used for insurance products. The data brokers sold the data to insurance companies, who could then change the driver's premium based on their driving habits. GM did not disclose to drivers that their data would be sold for this purpose.
Most customers who signed up for Smart Driver did so at the GM dealership when they bought their car. GM used one sign-up process for drivers to enroll in Smart Driver along with GM's OnStar services. In many cases, dealership employees allegedly accepted terms and conditions on behalf of customers without their consent. At the time, GM was heavily incentivizing dealerships to sign up as many customers for OnStar as possible. Sales employees received bonuses based in part on how many customers they signed up for GM's connected vehicle services. Dealerships were also ranked based on their enrollment numbers.
GM's own systems failed to notify drivers about whether their data was being tracked. The OnStar app mistakenly told over 370,000 drivers that they were not enrolled in Smart Driver, when they were in fact enrolled, meaning that GM was collecting and selling their data without their knowledge. GM later quietly unenrolled these over 370,000 drivers without telling them about the mistake and left their data with the data brokers and insurance companies.
The data GM sold was personal, identifiable, and specific. Insurers had data showing how many times a person drove their vehicle, the start and end times of each drive, how many times they braked or accelerated quickly, and whether they went faster than the speed limit. As documented in the New York Times, insurance companies then used this information to change rates, sometimes increasing their premiums. After the Times reported on these practices, GM discontinued the Smart Driver program.
The settlement also requires GM to limit the driving data it collects from consumers and protect their personal information going forward as part of a comprehensive data privacy program. The terms secured by the coalition are significantly stronger than any other resolution reached with GM for this conduct, including by mandating internal and external data protection and privacy program assessments. GM also agreed to oversight and training requirements at their dealerships to protect consumers against being enrolled in data collection schemes without their consent.
The case was co-led by Washington and Oregon, assisted by the Executive Committee of Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, Utah, and Vermont, and joined by the attorneys general of Alabama, Arizona, the District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
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Original text here: https://law.alaska.gov/press/releases/2026/102926-GM.html
A.G's Office Provides Update on Investigation of Fatal Police-Involved Shooting in Moonachie, N.J.
TRENTON, New Jersey, Oct. 30 -- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport issued the following news release:
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AG's Office Provides Update on Investigation of Fatal Police-Involved Shooting in Moonachie, N.J.
October 29, 2026
TRENTON -- The Attorney General's Office provided additional details today concerning the circumstances of an encounter with law enforcement officers that occurred Wednesday, October 28, 2026, in Moonachie, Bergen County, New Jersey. During the encounter, an adult male civilian was fatally wounded. The civilian who died during the encounter has been identified
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TRENTON, New Jersey, Oct. 30 -- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport issued the following news release:
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AG's Office Provides Update on Investigation of Fatal Police-Involved Shooting in Moonachie, N.J.
October 29, 2026
TRENTON -- The Attorney General's Office provided additional details today concerning the circumstances of an encounter with law enforcement officers that occurred Wednesday, October 28, 2026, in Moonachie, Bergen County, New Jersey. During the encounter, an adult male civilian was fatally wounded. The civilian who died during the encounter has been identifiedas Roberto Castro-Quinonez, 30, of Bakersfield, California. The identity of the involved officer is not being released at this time.
According to preliminary information, at approximately 5:15 p.m., New Jersey State Police detectives were conducting an investigation in the area of Gotham Parkway, near the intersection with West Commercial Avenue, in Moonachie. The detectives, operating in a plain-clothes capacity, were in the area as part of a criminal investigation.
While in that area, one of the detectives was approached by a male civilian, later identified as Roberto Castro-Quinonez. An interaction between the detective and Castro-Quinonez ensued, and a second detective arrived at the scene to assist. Shortly thereafter, one New Jersey State Police detective discharged his duty issued weapon two times, striking Castro-Quinonez. Officers attempted to perform medical aid; however, Castro-Quinonez was pronounced deceased at 5:44 p.m.
A 2019 law, N.J.S.A. 52:17B-107(a)(2), requires the Attorney General's Office to conduct investigations of a person's death that occurs during an encounter with a law enforcement officer acting in the officer's official capacity or while the decedent is in custody. It requires that all such investigations be presented to a grand jury to determine if the evidence supports the return of an indictment against the officer or officers involved.
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Original text here: https://www.njoag.gov/ags-office-provides-update-on-investigation-of-fatal-police-involved-shooting-in-moonachie-n-j/
