Wednesday - April 29, 2026
Public Policy Tipoffs Involving Utah Newsletter for Thursday April 16, 2026 ( 26 items )  

2025 Data Breach Report
RALEIGH, North Carolina, April 15 -- North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson issued the following news release: * * * 2025 Data Breach Report * In North Carolina, businesses and government agencies are required by state law to report security breaches to NCDOJ. These reports include details about how the breach occurred, the information involved, how many people were affected, and steps the organization is taking to address the incident and strengthen its security. Our office reviews ev  more

AG Brown, bipartisan coalition win landmark verdict against Live Nation
OLYMPIA, Washington, April 15 -- Washington state Attorney General Nick Brown issued the following news release: * * * AG Brown, bipartisan coalition win landmark verdict against Live Nation * Attorney General Nick Brown and a coalition of 32 other states and the District of Columbia have won a landmark verdict in an antitrust case against Live Nation for illegally monopolizing the live entertainment industry, driving up prices for consumers and harming performers and venues. Washington and  more

AG Campbell Issues Statement After Jury Finds Live Nation Operates As An Illegal Monopoly
BOSTON, Massachusetts, April 15 -- Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell issued the following news release: * * * AG Campbell Issues Statement After Jury Finds Live Nation Operates As An Illegal Monopoly * BOSTON -Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell today issued the following statement after a jury found that Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster, violated state and federal antitrust laws as a result of her office's multistate lawsuit against the company. A federal  more

Attorney General Bonta Co-Leads Bipartisan Coalition in Support of Federal Rule to Increase Transparency in Prescription Drug Pricing
SACRAMENTO, California, April 15 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following news release: * * * Attorney General Bonta Co-Leads Bipartisan Coalition in Support of Federal Rule to Increase Transparency in Prescription Drug Pricing * Comment letter supports stronger disclosure requirements for PBMs, seeks clarity that proposed rule doesn't preempt state PBM transparency laws OAKLAND -California Attorney General Rob Bonta today co-led a bipartisan coalition of 45 attorneys   more

Attorney General Brenna Bird Urges Payment Processors to Stop Transactions of Illegal Vapes Hurting Iowa Children
DES MOINES, Iowa, April 15 -- Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird issued the following news release: * * * Attorney General Brenna Bird Urges Payment Processors to Stop Transactions of Illegal Vapes Hurting Iowa Children * DES MOINES -Attorney General Brenna Bird announced today she is leading a coalition of 13 attorneys general in a letter to credit card companies urging them to stop sales of illegal vape products facilitated through their payment card networks. Illegal vapes, overwhelmingly  more

Attorney General Murrill announces settlement with NCL Bahamas, LTD
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, April 15 -- Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill issued the following news: * * * Attorney General Murrill announces settlement with NCL Bahamas, LTD * Attorney General Liz Murrill today announced a settlement with Norwegian Cruise Line, specifically NCL Bahamas, Ltd., following the multistate investigation of NCL's sales practices and cancellations procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic. The settlement prohibits NCL from generating or disseminating deceptive or un  more

Bozeman ranked as nation's best college town for third consecutive year
BOZEMAN, Montana, April 15 -- Montana State University issued the following news: * * * Bozeman ranked as nation's best college town for third consecutive year * The city of Bozeman was ranked America's No. 1 college town for the third consecutive year.  The top five college towns listed in order according to RentCafe.com are: Bozeman; Pullman, Washington; Clemson, South Carolina; Laramie, Wyoming; and Gainesville, Florida. Western cities dominate the rankings' top 10, with Provo, Utah and  more

College of Arts & Sciences Celebrates Faculty Promotions for 2026-27
LOGAN, Utah, April 15 -- Utah State University issued the following news: * * * College of Arts & Sciences Celebrates Faculty Promotions for 2026-27 * The College of Arts and Sciences at Utah State University is congratulating its faculty members who have earned a promotion in rank for the 2026-27 academic year. These promotions recognize sustained excellence in teaching, research, creative activity, outreach and service, as well as meaningful contributions to the mission of the university,   more

Curtis Presses FTC on Predatory Timeshare Practices, Burdensome Rulemaking on Utah's Direct Selling Industry
WASHINGTON, April 15 -- Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, issued the following news release: * * * Curtis Presses FTC on Predatory Timeshare Practices, Burdensome Rulemaking on Utah's Direct Selling Industry * Senator urges FTC Chairman to withdraw Biden-era proposed earning claims rules that disproportionally targets state's direct sellers WASHINGTON -During a U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee hearing, U.S. Senator John Curtis (R-UT) questioned Federal Trade Commission (  more

Eastern Leaders Academy Highlights Local Parks, Recreation, Tourism
LOGAN, Utah, April 15 -- Utah State University issued the following news: * * * Eastern Leaders Academy Highlights Local Parks, Recreation, Tourism * The Eastern Leaders Academy April Experience Day focused on parks, recreation and tourism, giving participants a closer look at how these industries support the local economy and community across Carbon and Emery counties. Tourism has become a big part of the local economy in both counties. As the region continues shifting away from primarily  more

FTC Takes Action to Restore Competition in the Digital Advertising Ecosystem
WASHINGTON, April 15 -- The Federal Trade Commission issued the following news release: * * * FTC Takes Action to Restore Competition in the Digital Advertising Ecosystem * The Federal Trade Commission, along with a coalition of states, took decisive action today to stop collusion between the nation's largest advertising agencies that distorted America's modern public square. Starting in 2018, major U.S. advertising agencies WPP, Publicis and Dentsu-who buy digital ad inventory on behalf o  more

ILWA & The Shipley Group Launch Program to Modernize Environmental Permitting in the Age of AI
LOGAN, Utah, April 15 -- Utah State University issued the following news: * * * ILWA & The Shipley Group Launch Program to Modernize Environmental Permitting in the Age of AI * Artificial intelligence is changing industries across the country, and environmental professionals are finding ways to use these tools to improve environmental review processes without sacrificing trust, transparency or rigor. Utah State University's Janet Quinney Lawson Institute for Land, Water & Air and The Shipl  more

Jury Verdict Against Live Nation-Ticketmaster Marks Major Antitrust Victory for Fans & Fair Competition
WASHINGTON, April 15 [Category: Business] -- Open Markets Institute posted the following news release: * * * Jury Verdict Against Live Nation-Ticketmaster Marks Major Antitrust Victory for Fans & Fair Competition * "It also sends a clear message to the Trump Administration and any corporation trying to use their political and financial power to go around the law: The states are ready to step in if the federal government steps aside." Salt Lake City, Utah -In response to today's landmark ju  more

Lee Introduces Resolution Urging America First Approach to UN Alliances
WASHINGTON, April 15 -- Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, issued the following news release: * * * Lee Introduces Resolution Urging America First Approach to UN Alliances * WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) today introduced a resolution urging an America First approach to all international allyships. Specifically, Senator Lee's resolution proposes that the United States must maintain its influence as a great power partner over adversarial countries, and prioritize bilateral security agreements   more

Lee, Colleagues Urge Federal Judicial Center to Retract Climate Agenda Materials
WASHINGTON, April 15 -- Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, issued the following news release: * * * Lee, Colleagues Urge Federal Judicial Center to Retract Climate Agenda Materials * WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) joined by a coalition of his colleagues in the Senate, sent a letter to Federal Judicial Center (FJC) Director Judge Robin Rosenberg raising concerns that the FJC's Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence pushes a politicized climate agenda and does not meet the standard of a neutra  more

Maine State Sen. Grohoski Champions New Maine Law Making Affordable Plug-in Solar Accessible to Renters and Homeowners
AUGUSTA, Maine, April 16 -- The Maine Senate Democrats issued the following news on behalf of Maine State Sen. Nicole Grohoski, D-Ellsworth: * * * Sen. Grohoski champions new Maine law making affordable plug-in solar accessible to renters and homeowners On Monday, April 6, LD 1730, sponsored by Sen. Nicole Grohoski, D-Ellsworth, was signed into law. As amended and newly titled, "An Act to Make Small Plug-in Solar Generation Devices Accessible for All Maine Residents to Address the Energy Affo  more

MIT Innovations in Millimeter-Wave Drilling and Metallurgy Are Reinvigorating the Geothermal Sector
CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, April 15 -- The Massachusetts Institute of Technology posted the following news: * * * Geothermal energy turns red hot Drill deep and drill differently. That's what's needed to exploit the nearly bottomless promise of geothermal energy in the United States and around the globe, according to participants at the 2026 Spring Symposium, titled "Next-generation geothermal energy for firm power." Sponsored by the MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI), the March 4 event drew 120   more

More Than 130 Organizations Express Concern Over Changes to CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Charter
SAN DIEGO, California, April 15 [Category: Health Care] -- The American Public Health Association posted the following news release: * * * More Than 130 Organizations Express Concern Over Changes to CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Charter * Contact: mediarelations@apha.org, Lisa Robinson, lrobinson@aap.org or Alex Hulvalchick, ahulvalchick@aap.org On April 9, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a revised Advisory Committee on Immunization Prac  more

Nebraska Joins FTC and Coalition of States to Restore Competition in the Digital Advertising Ecosystem
LINCOLN, Nebraska, April 15 -- Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers issued the following news release: * * * Nebraska Joins FTC and Coalition of States to Restore Competition in the Digital Advertising Ecosystem * Today, the Nebraska Attorney General's Office, the Federal Trade Commission, and a coalition of states filed a lawsuit to stop collusion between the nation's largest advertising agencies that distorted America's modern public square. Starting in 2018, major U.S. advertising age  more

University of Utah: As Polar Ice Changes, So Do the Rules Governing It
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, April 16 (TNSjou) -- The University of Utah issued the following news release: * * * As polar ice changes, so do the rules governing it U-led research reveals growing presence of granular sea ice alters how water, heat and nutrients move through ice covering Antarctic oceans. * Sea ice is not just solid frozen water. It's riddled with tiny pockets and channels of liquid brine. Whether those pockets connect to form pathways determines whether seawater, nutrients and gas  more

University of Utah: Research Center Explores Olympics' Societal Impacts
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, April 16 -- The University of Utah issued the following news release: * * * Research center explores Olympics' societal impacts U trustees endorse plan for interdisciplinary hub to study mega-events' economic, environmental and social dimensions on host communities. * With Utah preparing to again host the Winter Games in eight years, the University of Utah is turning an academic eye toward the Olympics means for the communities helping stage the world's largest sports   more

Unlocking Secrets of Human Development: How Early Cell Choices Shape the Nervous System
LA JOLLA, California, April 15 -- The University of California San Diego campus posted the following news: * * * Unlocking Secrets of Human Development: How Early Cell Choices Shape the Nervous System * Key Takeaways * Our nervous system takes shape long before birth, but much of this process remains mysterious. * UC San Diego scientists found that undifferentiated cells in the neural crest -an embryonic structure that gives rise to various tissues -settle on their eventual identity m  more

USOPC Certifies USA Lacrosse as Official NGB Ahead of Olympic Return
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado, April 16 -- The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee issued the following news release on April 15, 2026: * * * USOPC certifies USA Lacrosse as official NGB ahead of Olympic return SPARKS, Md. - The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee has formally certified USA Lacrosse as the official National Governing Body (NGB) for the sport in the United States, marking a significant milestone as lacrosse prepares to return to the Olympic Games. The sport will be con  more

USU Uintah Basin Professor Becky Williams Cites Unexpected Opportunities in Inaugural Lecture
LOGAN, Utah, April 15 -- Utah State University issued the following news: * * * USU Uintah Basin Professor Becky Williams Cites Unexpected Opportunities in Inaugural Lecture * VERNAL, Utah -Utah State University Uintah Basin faculty, staff and students gathered on April 3 to celebrate the inaugural lecture of Becky Williams, newly promoted professor of biology in The College of Arts & Sciences. During her lecture, Williams highlighted many of the projects, accomplishments and collaborators  more

Utah A.G. Brown and Coalition of States Win Trial Against Live Nation and Ticketmaster
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, April 16 -- Utah Attorney General Derek Brown issued the following news on April 15, 2026: * * * Attorney General Derek Brown and Coalition of States Win Trial Against Live Nation and Ticketmaster Jury Finds Live Nation and Ticketmaster Illegally Eliminated Competition, Hurting Fans, Artists, and Competing Venues * Attorney General Derek Brown and a coalition of 33 other attorneys general today won their lawsuit against Live Nation after a jury found that Live Nation   more

WATCH: For the Fourth Time, Padilla Takes to the Floor to Slam Trump and Republicans' Un-American Attempts to Disenfranchise Millions of Voters and Cripple Vote-by-Mail
WASHINGTON, April 14 -- Sen. Alex Padilla, D-California, issued the following news release: * * * WATCH: For the Fourth Time, Padilla Takes to the Floor to Slam Trump and Republicans' Un-American Attempts to Disenfranchise Millions of Voters and Cripple Vote-by-Mail * WASHINGTON, D.C. -Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and California's former Secretary of State, held the Senate floor for a fourth time to continue l  more