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S.D. A.G. Jackley, DCI Rule July 7 Sioux Falls Police Officer Involved Shooting Justified
PIERRE, South Dakota, Aug. 8 -- South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley issued the following news release on Aug. 7, 2026:
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Attorney General Jackley, DCI Rule July 7 Sioux Falls Police Officer Involved Shooting Justified
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announces that a South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) review has determined that two Sioux Falls Police Department officers were justified in their use of force during an Officer Involved Shooting that occurred July 7 in Sioux Falls, resulting in the death of the suspect and injuring one police officer.
"The
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PIERRE, South Dakota, Aug. 8 -- South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley issued the following news release on Aug. 7, 2026:
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Attorney General Jackley, DCI Rule July 7 Sioux Falls Police Officer Involved Shooting Justified
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announces that a South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) review has determined that two Sioux Falls Police Department officers were justified in their use of force during an Officer Involved Shooting that occurred July 7 in Sioux Falls, resulting in the death of the suspect and injuring one police officer.
"Thesuspect refused to obey officers' commands and fired his weapon at law enforcement," said Attorney General Jackley. "He presented a clear and present danger. The officers were justified in their actions."
The July 7 incident started when Sioux Falls Police Officers responded to a call at the residence in the 3200 block of E. 20th Street. The reporting party stated they believed that the person at that address, identified as James R. Meyer, 55, of Sioux Falls, had shot himself in his garage.
Officers entered the garage and found Meyer lying in his vehicle, holding a gun to his head. He was not injured. The officers left the garage and set up a perimeter in the driveway. Meyer refused officer commands to put the gun down and exit the vehicle.
Meyer later began firing a pistol at the officers. At one point, he fired 12 shots in rapid succession. Several shots struck a Sioux Falls Police vehicle, and one shot struck a police officer.
A second Sioux Falls Police Officer fired one shot that struck and killed Meyer.
The injured officer was taken to a local hospital for treatment.
DCI processed the crime scene, conducted a forensic examination of evidence, interviewed those involved, and reviewed all available video from in-car cameras and body worn cameras. Meyer's 9MM Glock pistol was recovered at the scene.
Meyer's blood and urine samples showed that he had a Blood Alcohol Content of .124 percent and that he also tested positive for Cannabinoids (Delta-9 THC). Blood and urine samples of the two officers tested negative for alcohol or illegal drugs.
No criminal history was found on Meyer.
Law enforcement agencies that assisted DCI were the South Dakota Forensic Lab and Minnehaha County Sheriff's Office. The Sioux Falls Police Department cooperated with the investigation.
This is the third Officer Involved Shooting in South Dakota this year.
The link to the Officer Involved Shooting report can be found here (https://atg.sd.gov/OurOffice/Media/pressreleasesdetail.aspx?id=3128):
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Original text here: https://atg.sd.gov/OurOffice/Media/pressreleasesdetail.aspx?id=3128
R.I. A.G. Neronha, Coalition Secure Order Protecting Federal Support for Homelessness Services
PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island, Aug. 8 -- Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha issued the following statement on Aug. 7, 2026:
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Attorney General Neronha, coalition secure order protecting federal support for homelessness services
Attorney General Peter F. Neronha today issued the following statement after U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy granted summary judgment in a lawsuit which unlawfully attempted to cap funding for permanent housing projects.
"While the Trump Administration remains committed to making life harder for our most vulnerable Americans, our coalition remains
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PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island, Aug. 8 -- Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha issued the following statement on Aug. 7, 2026:
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Attorney General Neronha, coalition secure order protecting federal support for homelessness services
Attorney General Peter F. Neronha today issued the following statement after U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy granted summary judgment in a lawsuit which unlawfully attempted to cap funding for permanent housing projects.
"While the Trump Administration remains committed to making life harder for our most vulnerable Americans, our coalition remainscommitted to holding the Trump Administration accountable," said Attorney General Neronha. "Those experiencing homelessness are in dire need of support, and slashing funding for permanent housing would have caused tens of thousands of people to lose their homes. We will continue to check this Administration's overreach and to fight for all Americans, especially those who can't fight for themselves."
On July 7, 2026, Attorney General Neronha co-led a coalition of 21 attorneys general and two governors in filing the lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) arguing that the move would result in tens of thousands of people losing their homes.
On June 1, 2026, HUD sought to implement a cap on funding for permanent housing via a new notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) which set aside $1.3 billion for new projects prioritizing transitional housing, which would have resulted in a de facto cap on permanent housing. In its lawsuit, the coalition argued that CoC-funded permanent housing projects would lose funding, resulting in the evictions of tens of thousands of people, with states and local governments left to pick up the pieces.
In her decision, Judge McElroy determined that HUD violated the McKinney-Vento Act's requirement that it engage in notice and comment rulemaking before creating new incentives for anything other than permanent housing projects, and that a $1.3 billion set aside for new projects prioritizing transitional housing is such an incentive. She then vacated the NOFO in its entirety.
In June 2026, a coalition of states won a separate case against HUD in federal court in Rhode Island regarding the agency's decision last year to impose illegal conditions on billions of dollars in funding for the Continuum of Care (CoC) program, which supports housing and other services for people experiencing housing instability or homelessness. Congress has prioritized stability in the way the funds are allocated, and the vast majority of CoC funds have traditionally supported permanent housing and similarly successful projects.
Joining Attorney General Neronha in filing the lawsuit were the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia, as well as the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania.
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Original text here: https://riag.ri.gov/press-releases/attorney-general-neronha-coalition-secure-order-protecting-federal-support
Okla. A.G. Drummond Calls Pending State Employee Insurance Hike Wrong, Easily Avoidable
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, Aug. 8 -- Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued the following news release on Aug. 6, 2026:
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Drummond calls pending state employee insurance hike wrong, easily avoidable
Attorney General Gentner Drummond is calling today's pending HealthChoice premium increases a crisis years in the making and entirely avoidable. HealthChoice is Oklahoma's self-funded health insurance plan, administered by the Employees Group Insurance Division (EGID) and covering more than 180,000 state, education and local government employees, retirees and their families.
At a meeting
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OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, Aug. 8 -- Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued the following news release on Aug. 6, 2026:
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Drummond calls pending state employee insurance hike wrong, easily avoidable
Attorney General Gentner Drummond is calling today's pending HealthChoice premium increases a crisis years in the making and entirely avoidable. HealthChoice is Oklahoma's self-funded health insurance plan, administered by the Employees Group Insurance Division (EGID) and covering more than 180,000 state, education and local government employees, retirees and their families.
At a meetingtoday, the Oklahoma Employees Insurance and Benefits Board (OEIBB) recommended premium increases of 18.9% for HealthChoice Basic, 15.8% for HealthChoice High and an average increase of 19.5% for the HealthChoice High Deductible Plan. The board's recommendation must still be reviewed by the Oklahoma Health Care Authority's chief executive before going to the OMES director for final approval.
"This is a hard hit, and it didn't have to happen this way," Drummond said. "For years, Gov. Stitt chose to hold HealthChoice rates artificially flat rather than confront the plan's finances head-on. That decision wasn't fiscal discipline. He simply kicked the can down the road, and now the teachers, troopers, caseworkers and other public servants who rely on HealthChoice are the ones paying for it."
"Based on the information my office has at hand, EGID staff and the board appear to have done their jobs," Drummond said. "They warned the Stitt administration about what would happen. Those warnings were ignored, and now HealthChoice members and Oklahoma taxpayers are being asked to pay the price."
The increase carries a particular sting for Oklahoma teachers. State law requires the teacher Flexible Benefit Allowance to rise alongside the cost of employee-only HealthChoice High coverage, so much of that portion of the increase is offset. But the allowance does not adjust for the cost of covering a spouse or children, meaning a teacher who insures a family could see roughly $1,572 to $2,716 in new annual premium costs with no additional help from the state. For many educators, that could consume most or all of this year's $2,000 increase to the minimum salary schedule.
"Affordable health coverage has long been one of the few real perks of public service in Oklahoma, given how far teacher and state employee salaries lag behind the private sector," Drummond said. "Capable leaders anticipate challenges and deal with them head-on. Instead of phasing in modest, manageable increases over time, our state employees are being forced to absorb a drastic hike all at once. That's wrong, and it was easily avoidable."
"Freezing rates year after year may have made for good headlines at the time, but it did nothing to change the underlying cost of care - it only delayed the reckoning. Now that bill has come due, the burden is falling on our dedicated public servants and their families. Our teachers and state employees show up for Oklahoma every day. They deserve leadership that shows up for them, too."
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Original text here: https://oklahoma.gov/oag/news/newsroom/2026/august/drummond-calls-pending-state-employee-insurance-hike-wrong-easily-avoidable.html
N.M. A.G. Torrez: Court Orders Meta to Pay $942 Million and Overhaul Protections for Children on Facebook and Instagram in Landmark New Mexico Ruling
SANTA FE, New Mexico, Aug. 8 -- New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez issued the following news release on Aug. 7, 2026:
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Court Orders Meta to Pay $942 Million and Overhaul Protections for Children on Facebook and Instagram in Landmark New Mexico Ruling
Attorney General Raul Torrez announced that the First Judicial District Court has entered a historic final judgment against Meta Platforms, Inc., one of the most significant rulings ever issued against a social media company, ordering Meta to pay $567 million to address the youth mental health crisis and imposing sweeping, court-supervised
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SANTA FE, New Mexico, Aug. 8 -- New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez issued the following news release on Aug. 7, 2026:
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Court Orders Meta to Pay $942 Million and Overhaul Protections for Children on Facebook and Instagram in Landmark New Mexico Ruling
Attorney General Raul Torrez announced that the First Judicial District Court has entered a historic final judgment against Meta Platforms, Inc., one of the most significant rulings ever issued against a social media company, ordering Meta to pay $567 million to address the youth mental health crisis and imposing sweeping, court-supervisedreforms to Facebook and Instagram that will remain in effect for five years. Combined with the $375 million civil penalty a jury already imposed against Meta earlier this year, today's ruling brings the company's total financial exposure in New Mexico to $942 million.
The judgment follows a two-phase trial before Judge Bryan Biedscheid. In Phase 1, a jury found that Meta committed 75,000 violations of New Mexico's Unfair Practices Act and imposed the maximum civil penalty allowed under law. In Phase 2, the Court went further, ruling that Meta's platforms constitute a public nuisance in New Mexico and rejecting the company's claim that Section 230 shielded it from liability for the products it knowingly designed. It is the first time a court has held that a social media company can be sued, tried, and held financially and structurally accountable for building products that endanger children.
"Meta built products it knew would fuel addiction, deepen a youth mental health crisis, and expose children to sexual exploitation, then lied to parents and policymakers about the danger," said Attorney General Raul Torrez. "Today, it pays for that choice."
The Court's injunctive relief targets the failures exposed at trial. In addition to the financial award, the Court ordered extensive reforms that will remain in effect for five years, including:
* Implementing more rigorous age verification for New Mexico users, including additional measures to accurately identify the age of users within the limits of federal law;
* Maintaining and strengthening protections for Teen Accounts in New Mexico;
* Requiring enhanced protections against sextortion and child sexual exploitation, including stronger safeguards for minors and tougher enforcement against offending adult accounts;
* Preventing minors from sending or receiving nude images that violate Meta's policies;
* Eliminating push notifications for users under 18 during overnight hours;
* Requiring default privacy protections for minors, including hiding public "like" counts;
* Imposing mandatory time-use limits for users under 18;
* Requiring prominent disclosures about the risks associated with Meta's platforms;
* Funding a statewide education and public awareness campaign in New Mexico;
* Providing specialized training and resources for New Mexico law enforcement investigating internet crimes against children; and
* Requiring Meta to file semiannual public compliance reports with the Court documenting its progress implementing every aspect of the order.
Notably, the Court stopped short of mandating the kind of hard age-verification requirement the trial record showed was most needed. That was not an oversight. The Court exercised judicial restraint, making clear that sweeping policy choices of that kind belong to the legislative and executive branches, not the courts. Attorney General Torrez says closing that gap is now the job of the Legislature.
"For the first time, a court has ruled that a social media giant can be held liable for building products that endanger children, and has ordered the structural changes needed to fix it," said Attorney General Torrez. "New Mexico led the way in the courtroom. It is a blueprint other states, and other countries confronting this same crisis, can now follow. But a courtroom win in one state cannot be the only line of defense for children everywhere. Every legislature, and Congress, needs to finish what this Court started."
Attorney General Torrez announced he intends to close that gap through legislation, starting with a comprehensive social media safety bill in the New Mexico Legislature that would mandate age verification for platforms operating in the state, paired with a broader overhaul of New Mexico's consumer protection laws to reflect the scale and harm of the modern digital economy. He is also calling on Congress and legislatures nationwide to act. That push already carries bipartisan momentum: red states and blue states alike have enacted age verification laws, Republicans and Democrats in Congress have introduced similar federal legislation, and polling consistently shows this is something the overwhelming majority of Americans, regardless of party, support.
"A courtroom can punish what already happened. Only a law can stop it from happening again," said Attorney General Torrez. "I will bring a comprehensive social media safety bill to the New Mexico Legislature that puts age verification into law, not just into a court order, and a top-to-bottom overhaul of our consumer protection laws to match the scale of harm the digital economy causes our kids. New Mexico led the way in the courtroom. Now it's time for our Legislature to lead the way in the Capitol."
Copy of Judgement (https://nmdoj.gov/wp-content/uploads/D-101-CV-2023-02838-Meta-Judgement.pdf)
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Original text here: https://nmdoj.gov/press-release/court-orders-meta-to-pay-942-million-and-overhaul-protections-for-children-on-facebook-and-instagram-in-landmark-new-mexico-ruling/
Md. A.G. Brown Secures Order Protecting Federal Support for Homelessness Services
BALTIMORE, Maryland, Aug. 8 -- Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown issued the following news release on Aug. 7, 2026:
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Attorney General Brown Secures Order Protecting Federal Support for Homelessness Services
Attorney General Anthony G. Brown and a multistate coalition have won their case challenging the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) unlawful attempt to cap funding for permanent housing projects that help families facing housing insecurity or experiencing homelessness. If the coalition had not successfully challenged HUD's policy, as many as 2,000 Marylanders
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BALTIMORE, Maryland, Aug. 8 -- Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown issued the following news release on Aug. 7, 2026:
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Attorney General Brown Secures Order Protecting Federal Support for Homelessness Services
Attorney General Anthony G. Brown and a multistate coalition have won their case challenging the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) unlawful attempt to cap funding for permanent housing projects that help families facing housing insecurity or experiencing homelessness. If the coalition had not successfully challenged HUD's policy, as many as 2,000 Marylanderswould have lost their homes.
"No Marylander should lose their home because the federal government tried to skip the process the law requires," said Attorney General Brown. "Today's ruling stops HUD's latest attempt to do just that, protecting roughly 2,000 Marylanders who depend on this program from being forced on the streets."
For more than two decades, HUD has embraced a commitment to permanent housing programs and the Housing First model, which prioritizes rapid placement in permanent housing without requiring people to first meet conditions such as sobriety or a minimum income threshold. But the current federal administration has rejected that commitment and undermined the Continuum of Care (CoC) program.
In June, the states won a separate case against HUD in federal court in Rhode Island regarding the agency's decision last year to impose unlawful conditions on billions of dollars in funding for the CoC program, including an attempt to impose a cap on the amount of CoC funds that can support permanent supportive housing.
After that cap was struck down as unlawful, HUD changed its tactics. They issued a notice of funding opportunity that would have created a $1.3 billion set-aside for new projects prioritizing such things as transitional housing, which would have resulted in a de facto cap on permanent housing. That shift threatened housing for at least 97,000 residents of CoC-funded permanent housing across the country, including roughly 2,000 Marylanders, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness.
Attorney General Brown again joined a coalition of states in suing to block these harmful changes. Today, the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island granted critical parts of the coalition's motion for summary judgment, ruling that HUD's set-aside was unlawful and cannot be implemented.
Attorney General Brown joined the suit with the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin, and the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania.
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Original text here: https://oag.maryland.gov/News/pages/Attorney-General-Brown-Secures-Order-Protecting-Federal-Support-for-Homelessness-Services.aspx
Ariz. A.G. Mayes Wins Case Protecting Federal Support For Homelessness Services
PHOENIX, Arizona, Aug. 8 -- Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued the following news release on Aug. 7, 2026:
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Attorney General Mayes Wins Case Protecting Federal Support For Homelessness Services
Attorney General Kris Mayes and a multistate coalition have won their case challenging Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) illegal attempt to cap funding for permanent housing projects that help families facing housing insecurity or experiencing homelessness. If the coalition had not successfully challenged HUD's policy, nearly 1800 Arizonans could have lost their homes.
"HUD
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PHOENIX, Arizona, Aug. 8 -- Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued the following news release on Aug. 7, 2026:
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Attorney General Mayes Wins Case Protecting Federal Support For Homelessness Services
Attorney General Kris Mayes and a multistate coalition have won their case challenging Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) illegal attempt to cap funding for permanent housing projects that help families facing housing insecurity or experiencing homelessness. If the coalition had not successfully challenged HUD's policy, nearly 1800 Arizonans could have lost their homes.
"HUDtried to rewrite the rules governing these critical funds, with no legal authority to do so," said Attorney General Mayes. "Their unlawful efforts could have pushed hundreds of Arizonans out of their homes and onto the streets, worsening the homelessness crisis. My office is proud to have stood up for the rule of law and prevented a disaster for these families."
For more than two decades, HUD has embraced a commitment to permanent housing programs and the Housing First model, which prioritizes rapid placement in permanent housing without requiring people to first meet conditions such as sobriety or a minimum income threshold. But the current federal administration has rejected that commitment and undermined the Continuum of Care (CoC) program.
In June, the states won a separate case against HUD in federal court in Rhode Island regarding the agency's decision last year to impose illegal conditions on billions of dollars in funding for the CoC program, including an attempt to impose a cap on the amount of CoC funds that can support permanent supportive housing.
After that cap was struck down as unlawful, HUD changed its tactics. They issued a notice of funding opportunity that would have created a $1.3 billion set-aside for new projects prioritizing such things as transitional housing, which would have resulted in a de facto cap on permanent housing. That shift threatened housing for at least 97,000 residents of CoC-funded permanent housing across the country, and nearly 1800 in Arizona, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness.
AG Mayes again joined a coalition of states in suing to block these harmful changes. Today, the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island granted critical parts of the coalition's motion for summary judgment, ruling that HUD's set-aside was unlawful and cannot be implemented.
The lawsuit was led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha, and Washington Attorney General Nick Brown. AG Mayes joined the suit with the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, Virginia, and Wisconsin, and the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania.
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Original text here: https://www.azag.gov/press-release/attorney-general-mayes-wins-case-protecting-federal-support-homelessness-services
Ariz. A.G. Mayes Seeks Sanctions Against Redwood Mobile Home Park Owners for Defying Court Order
PHOENIX, Arizona, Aug. 8 -- Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued the following news release on Aug. 7, 2026:
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Attorney General Mayes Seeks Sanctions Against Redwood Mobile Home Park Owners for Defying Court Order
TUCSON - Attorney General Kris Mayes announced today that she is seeking sanctions against the owners and operators of Redwood Mobile Home Park for failing to comply with court ordered safety testing of the park's electrical systems.
In September 2025 Attorney General Mayes filed a consumer fraud lawsuit against Redwood Thunderbird MHPS, LLC, and BoaVida Communities, LLC,
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PHOENIX, Arizona, Aug. 8 -- Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued the following news release on Aug. 7, 2026:
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Attorney General Mayes Seeks Sanctions Against Redwood Mobile Home Park Owners for Defying Court Order
TUCSON - Attorney General Kris Mayes announced today that she is seeking sanctions against the owners and operators of Redwood Mobile Home Park for failing to comply with court ordered safety testing of the park's electrical systems.
In September 2025 Attorney General Mayes filed a consumer fraud lawsuit against Redwood Thunderbird MHPS, LLC, and BoaVida Communities, LLC,owners and operators of Redwood Mobile Home Park for allegedly failing to inform Park residents that the Park's electrical system was dangerous, unreliable, and overloaded, causing frequent electrical outages during the hottest times of the year.
In connection with that lawsuit, the Court entered a stipulation requiring Redwood to test the insulation of its underground electrical wires. Improperly insulated underground electrical wiring and can pose a serious risk of electrocution. This week, the Attorney General's Office filed a request for sanctions against Redwood, alleging that the Park has refused to perform the safety testing as ordered by the Court, and continues to expose its residents to hazardous conditions.
"Families at Redwood Mobile Home Park have been forced to live in unsafe conditions while corporate landlords ignored their duty to provide habitable living conditions," said Attorney General Mayes. "Now it appears that these same landlords are ignoring court orders entered for the safety of their residents. We are asking the court to hold them accountable for their inaction."
The Court granted a half-day evidentiary hearing to take place on August 21, 2026 to determine whether Redwood has violated the preliminary injunction order and to determine an appropriate remedy. Pursuant to A.R.S. Sec. 44-1532, businesses and individuals who violated an order entered under the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act, can face penalties up to $25,000 per violation.
"These landlords have the right to defend the way in which they have conducted their business, but they do not have the right to violate the Court's orders," continued Mayes. "They are not above the law, and my office will not allow them jeopardize the safety of their residents."
If you believe you have been the victim of consumer fraud or unfair practices, you can file a complaint with the Attorney General's Office at www.azag.gov/consumer. If you need a complaint form sent to you, you can contact the Attorney General's Office in Phoenix at (602) 542-5763, in Tucson at (520) 628-6648, or outside the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas at (800) 352-8431.
A copy of the Order to Show Cause (https://us.list-manage.com/OBjbayY41VX?e=9153ff6c96&c2id=9a759fc70c6d734a91a2647ef652fab2) is available.
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Original text here: https://www.azag.gov/press-release/attorney-general-mayes-seeks-sanctions-against-redwood-mobile-home-park-owners
