Compliance
Add to my areasEvery story on LexCircuit filed under compliance: court orders, regulation, ethics opinions, litigation and research, each summarized across its sources.
Casepoint launches AI Investigator agent for government and corporate investigations
E-discovery provider Casepoint has launched AI Investigator, a new agent in its Casepoint IQ suite aimed at government and corporate investigators. Announced October 27, 2026, the tool narrows large document sets to evidence that supports or refutes allegations, extracts facts cited to source documents and links them to investigative themes. It will be generally available in November inside Casepoint eDiscovery.
Announcement (Law.com) → · eDiscovery Today
Skadden hires Weil SEC veterans Andrew Dean and Christopher Mulligan
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom has hired Weil, Gotshal & Manges partners Andrew Dean and Christopher Mulligan, both former Securities and Exchange Commission officials. Dean, a former co-head of the SEC Enforcement Division's asset management unit, joins Skadden's white collar and investigations group in New York. Mulligan, a former senior adviser in the SEC's Division of Examinations, joins its investment management group in Washington.
Announcement (The American Lawyer) → · Bloomberg Law, Global Legal Post
Legal Services Board approves SRA guidance enabling unlimited fines for economic crime
The Legal Services Board has approved the Solicitors Regulation Authority's amended fining guidance, letting it impose unlimited fines on solicitors and traditional law firms for economic crime without referring cases to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. The power comes from the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, which removes the £25,000 cap for such misconduct starting on or after March 4, 2024. The LSB handled the application under its exemption procedure.
Goodwin launches subscription AI governance program aimed at private equity and venture portfolios
Goodwin has launched an AI governance program for companies, built by its lawyers and in-house AI product team. It has three tiers: a free Health Check, Readiness modules that can be bought singly or as a suite, and an AI Decision Desk sold as an annual subscription that answers client questions and tracks AI regulation, enforcement and market practice. The firm says it is tailored for private equity and venture capital portfolios and boards.
Announcement (Business Wire) → · Law360 Pulse
Rulings this week
- UK · EWHC Spares 5,000 late-served Dieselgate claims but makes claimants share costs
- 9TH CIR. Keeps California's captive audience meeting ban on hold
- CANADA Ontario Court of Appeal says licensed paralegals can negotiate accident benefits settlements for parties under disability
- UK · UKSC Backs insurer against Spain and France in Prestige oil spill arbitration case
SRA confirms compliance officer separation rules will not take effect in January
The Solicitors Regulation Authority said on October 22, 2026, that its rules separating law firm management and compliance officer roles will not come into force in January as planned. The regulator will run working groups and test alternatives first, and in the meantime will proactively supervise higher-risk firms on governance and compliance independence.
Text (Legal Futures) → · Law Gazette
Pennsylvania Act 103 tightens Sunshine Act agenda notice for agency business
Pennsylvania Senate Bill 1150 was approved on October 22, 2026, as Act No. 103 of 2026, amending section 712.1 of Title 65 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, the Sunshine Act. From December 21, 2026, an agency may add a matter to its meeting agenda by majority vote only if the matter is an emergency, is de minimis, or was raised by a resident or taxpayer at the meeting; the general power to add items by majority vote is repealed.
Enrolled text (Pennsylvania General Assembly (palegis.us)) → · Bucks Independence
Pennsylvania Act 114 bars out-of-state dispute, arbitration and indemnification terms in Commonwealth procurement contracts
Pennsylvania enacted the Commonwealth Party Procurement Contract Terms Act (Senate Bill 1410) as Act No. 114 of 2026 on October 22, 2026. The act prohibits Commonwealth parties and local agencies from entering procurement contracts containing out-of-state dispute provisions, binding arbitration, non-Pennsylvania governing law or indemnification clauses. A prohibited term is void and unenforceable, and the remainder of the contract stays valid. The act takes effect December 21, 2026, and applies to contracts entered into, amended or renewed from that date.
Enrolled text (Pennsylvania General Assembly) → · Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Senator Kristin Phillips-Hill
Pennsylvania Act 99 requires disclosure of synthetic content that creates a false perception in advertisements
Pennsylvania enacted the Artificial Intelligence Deceptive Advertising Act (Senate Bill 806) as Act No. 99 of 2026 on October 22, 2026. From December 21, 2026, an advertiser may not knowingly, recklessly or willfully run an advertisement whose synthetic content creates a false consumer perception about the nature, origin or authenticity of goods or services without clearly disclosing that the content was modified or generated using artificial intelligence. The Attorney General and district attorneys enforce the act; civil fines reach $3,000.
United States requires dating services to send fraud ban notices within 24 hours
The president signed H.R. 2481, the Romance Scam Prevention Act, on October 20, 2026. The Act requires an online dating service provider to notify a member who received a message from a member subject to a fraud ban. Section 2 takes effect one year after enactment, on October 20, 2027, and the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general enforce it.
Enrolled text (U.S. Government Publishing Office) → · The White House
United States requires Labor Department trafficking training within 180 days
The president signed H.R. 4307, the Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act, on October 20, 2026. The Act directs the Secretary of Labor to implement, within 180 days after enactment, a training and periodic continuing-education program for Department of Labor employees selected by reference to their official duties, including referral of potential trafficking cases to the Department of Justice.
Enrolled text (U.S. Government Publishing Office) → · The White House
Control Risks to spin off eDiscovery and forensics units into Beringer Capital-owned company
Control Risks agreed to spin off its Discovery + Data Insights and Forensics businesses into a stand-alone company owned by private equity firm Beringer Capital, LawSites and Legaltech News reported October 15, 2026. The business will initially operate as Control Risks – Compliance, Investigations & eDiscovery, with Control Risks keeping an equity stake and a strategic partnership. The deal is expected to close by year-end.
Announcement (LawSites) → · Legaltech News
Thomson Reuters adds Multinational Profile to CoCounsel Legal for cross-border research
Thomson Reuters introduced a Multinational Profile for CoCounsel Legal that pulls legal and regulatory content from more than 100 countries and territories into one research workflow, LegalTech.ca reported October 14, 2026. The company said users can compare requirements across markets, flag issues needing local counsel and inspect underlying sources. Broader next-generation CoCounsel Legal availability is planned across more markets through late October 2026.
Announcement (LegalTech.ca) → · TechNode Global
Regulatory intelligence startup SCOREalytics names former Kirkland partner Jennie Morawetz CEO
SCOREalytics, which sells an AI-assisted regulatory intelligence platform to law firms, corporations and private equity funds, named Jennie Morawetz chief executive on October 14, 2026. Morawetz, a former Kirkland & Ellis partner, had served as the company's chief strategy officer and general counsel since joining as a founding executive in 2025.
Z.ai launches GLM-Legal, a legal-specific model built on GLM-5.3-Flash
Chinese AI company Z.ai, known in China as Zhipu AI, launched GLM-Legal, a legal-domain large language model mid-trained and post-trained from its GLM-5.3-Flash model for contract review, evidence analysis and compliance research, Artificial Lawyer and MarkTechPost reported October 13, 2026. Access is through an application-only API beta, with no public weights or published pricing.
Announcement (MarkTechPost) → · Artificial Lawyer
Mayer Brown hires Sheppard Mullin's Joseph Jay as white collar co-chair
Mayer Brown hired A. Joseph Jay III, who co-led Sheppard Mullin's governmental practice, as co-chair of its global investigations and white collar defense practice, Bloomberg Law reported October 13, 2026. Jay said he moved to work again with practice chair Ken Wainstein, a former homeland security adviser to President George W. Bush; Bloomberg Law reported the pair wrote the University of North Carolina academic fraud report.
Announcement (Bloomberg Law) → · Mayer Brown
UK consults on whistleblowing reform and SFO rewards for economic crime tips
The UK government opened a consultation on October 12, 2026 on whether the existing whistleblowing framework still works and on a proposed Serious Fraud Office scheme paying financial rewards to people who report economic crime. Rewards would be funded from corporate penalties and paid only after cases conclude; the consultation closes January 8, 2027.
Text (GOV.UK) → · Law Gazette
Leela exits stealth with $4.6M seed for agentic AI compliance in regulated finance
Compliance startup Leela launched its agentic AI platform for U.S.-regulated financial businesses out of stealth on October 12, 2026, alongside a $4.6 million seed round co-led by Array Ventures and Female Founders Fund, Legaltech News and PYMNTS reported. Founder and CEO Preeti Krishnan, a former Davis Polk attorney, said the platform turns regulations and policies into executable workflows while keeping humans responsible for consequential decisions.
Announcement (PYMNTS) → · Legaltech News
UK ICO opens agentic AI evidence call after securing foundation-model changes
The UK Information Commissioner's Office has opened a six-week call for evidence on data-protection risks of agentic AI, closing November 20, 2026, and confirmed enquiries with OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta and the UK AI Security Institute over recent agent testing. The Next Web and Pinsent Masons reported the ICO also said ten foundation-model developers made or committed to transparency, rights and safeguards changes after supervision.
Text (ICO) → · The Next Web, Pinsent Masons
FTC sues Greenway Automotive over hidden dealer fees and fake prize mailers, files stipulated order requiring total-price disclosure
The Federal Trade Commission sued Greenway Automotive, its management company and five Florida Kia and Hyundai dealerships in the Middle District of Florida on October 8, alleging deceptive pricing and fake prize mailers, and filed a stipulated order settling the case. The FTC alleged more than 92% of consumers at the Kia dealerships paid on average over $3,350 above advertised prices. The proposed order requires total-price disclosure and includes no monetary payment.
Filing (Federal Trade Commission) → · Hudson Cook, The Dealership Guy
Korea's YK names former military prosecutor Woochan Shim to head defense industry group
Seoul-based YK Law Firm has hired Woochan Shim, a former army officer and military prosecutor, as a partner and head of its defense and defense industry group. YK said the hire, effective October 1, extends the group beyond military criminal and disciplinary cases into defense procurement investigations, administrative sanctions, contracts, regulation and corporate compliance.
Announcement (ChosunBiz) → · Aju Press, Law.asia
Legal services startup Teddy AI raises $60 million seed round
TeddyHoldings.AI, a legal services and compliance startup incubated by Tucker's Farm Corp., announced on October 7, 2026, that it closed a $60 million seed round. The company said it has passed $25 million in revenue but has not disclosed its investors, leadership or the specific area of law it serves.
Announcement (Law360 Pulse) → · Legaltech News
Brown Rudnick launches national security practice in Washington with seven-person team
Brown Rudnick said on October 6, 2026, that it is launching a national security practice in Washington, D.C., with a seven-person team led by returning partner Patrick Gilman, most recently Greenberg Traurig's national security co-chair. The group includes six lawyers and a director of intelligence, and follows the firm's August addition of a 34-lawyer IP litigation group.
Announcement (Bloomberg Law) → · Brown Rudnick, Law360 Pulse
Supreme Court declines to hear Corporate Transparency Act challenges
The U.S. Supreme Court on October 5, 2026, declined to hear two cases challenging the constitutionality of the Corporate Transparency Act, the federal beneficial ownership reporting law. The petitions argued the law violates the Fourth Amendment and exceeds Congress's commerce power; the denials came in the order list on the first day of the court's 2026 term.
Order (Bloomberg Law) → · MLex, Law360 Tax Authority, National Law Journal
Wolf Theiss opens London office led by Warsaw M&A partner Anna Dąbrowska
Vienna-headquartered Wolf Theiss said on October 5, 2026, that it is opening a London office led by partner Anna Dąbrowska, who previously led the firm's M&A team in Warsaw and is relocating from Poland. The office will connect London-based investors, corporates, and international law firms with the firm's teams across Central, Eastern, and South-Eastern Europe, focusing on transactional, disputes, and compliance work.
Announcement (The Global Legal Post) → · Wolf Theiss
State and local law roundup, week ending October 2, 2026: 23 developments
Twenty-three state and local measures dated September 25 to 29, 2026. California enacted laws on prescribed fire, children's meals, added-sugar menu warnings, diaper ingredients, disposable vapes, supplement sales to minors and disability-form fees. North Dakota, Texas, Arkansas and Georgia issued fuel emergency orders. New Jersey and New York signed school, reentry, Rutgers and climate bills, Massachusetts set emergency adult foster care rates, and San Jose paused detention-facility applications.
Entries (California Legislative Information) → · North Dakota Office of the Governor, City of San Jose, Office of the City Clerk (Legistar), Office of the Texas Governor +6
FTC settles Robinson-Patman Act price discrimination suit against Southern Glazer's
The Federal Trade Commission on October 2 filed a proposed stipulated consent decree resolving its Robinson-Patman Act price discrimination lawsuit against Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits in the Central District of California. The decree carries no civil penalty or admission of wrongdoing. For six years, an independent monitor will oversee whether Southern Glazer's charges independent retailers significantly more than its five largest chain customers in 26 states, with payments owed to harmed retailers.
Filing (Federal Trade Commission) → · Reuters, Associated Press, Global Competition Review
State removes Syria from ITAR policy-of-denial list
The State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls issued a final rule Oct. 1, 2026, removing Syria from the ITAR section 126.1 list of countries subject to a U.S. policy of denial for defense-article licenses and approvals. Future license requests for Syria will be reviewed case by case. The change follows the August rescission of Syria's state-sponsor-of-terrorism designation and took effect Oct. 1, 2026 (91 FR 62313).
Text (Federal Register) → · Associated Press, LexBlog
SRA pauses COLP and COFA separation rules after small-firm backlash
The Solicitors Regulation Authority paused rules requiring firms to separate the COLP and COFA roles from managers with unilateral decision-making power, the Law Gazette and Legal Futures reported on September 30, 2026. The Legal Services Board-approved rules, due from January 2027 for firms above turnover or client-money thresholds, are on hold while the SRA consults stakeholders. An SME firm alliance welcomed the pause but still plans a Law Society AGM no-confidence vote.
Text (Law Gazette) → · Legal Futures
SEC settles action against Travel + Leisure over timeshare loan portfolio disclosure omissions
The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a settled civil action in the Southern District of Florida against timeshare operator Travel + Leisure Co. over undisclosed loan rescission projects. The SEC alleges that between 2019 and 2021 the company removed more than 2,900 delinquent and defaulted timeshare loans totaling about $77 million to meet its loan loss provision guidance. Without admitting the allegations, Travel + Leisure agreed to pay a $975,000 civil penalty, subject to court approval.
Filing (U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida) → · U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Bloomberg Law, TradingView
California caps building-permit plan checks at two and makes postentitlement permit violations Housing Accountability Act violations
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1621 on September 29, 2026. Local and state agencies may not require more than two plan check and specification reviews for a building permit application. Failing to comply with any postentitlement phase permit requirement in Government Code section 65913.3, subdivisions (b) to (e), now counts as disapproving a housing development project under the Housing Accountability Act.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California requires agency decals on rented vehicles used for detentions and arrests
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1650 on September 29, 2026. It adds Civil Code section 1939.36, requiring privately owned vehicles rented by or furnished to law enforcement agencies to detain, arrest or transport people to display a temporary agency decal legible at 50 feet in daylight. It applies to rental contracts entered on or after January 1, 2027, with exceptions for plainclothes, undercover, exigent, tactical and protective operations.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California keeps CalWORKs eligibility for members detained in federal immigration custody
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1655 on September 29, 2026. It amends and adds Welfare and Institutions Code section 11269 so that a CalWORKs assistance-unit member detained in an immigration detention facility is treated as temporarily absent, and the household stays eligible. A written sworn statement is sufficient to establish the detention. The rule becomes operative July 1, 2027, or when the automation system is ready, whichever is later.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California requires 180-day public notice before approving private immigration-detention buildings
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1801 on September 29, 2026. It amends Civil Code section 1670.9 to bar cities, counties and public agencies from approving the building or reuse of buildings by private companies to detain people in civil immigration custody until they give 180 days' public notice, including weekly radio broadcasts and written notices in the area's top five languages, and hear comments at two public meetings. It applies to charter cities.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California bars local building standards stricter than state code for factory-built housing
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1815 on September 29, 2026. Cities, counties and districts may not impose local building standards on factory-built housing structures that exceed or differ from the California Building Standards Code, including local energy and green-building amendments, except climate, geological or topographical changes backed by findings. It creates a rebuttable presumption favoring factory-built housing and covers buildings with at least 30% factory-built residential space.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California requires affordable-housing programs to accommodate factory-built housing by 2027
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2185 (Chapter 784, Statutes of 2026) on September 29, 2026. New Health and Safety Code section 50158 requires state housing agencies administering nine multifamily affordable-housing programs, including the low-income housing tax credit and Multifamily Housing programs, to revise their guidelines by July 1, 2027 to facilitate factory-built housing, treat it as an allowable use of funds, and make early deposits available for upfront material and factory-production costs.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California revises regional housing-needs allocation methodology
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2296 on September 29, 2026. It amends the regional housing needs allocation process so councils of governments receive University of California and California State University enrollment forecasts, and moves the deadline to form subregional entities from 28 to 34 months before a housing element update and the subregional share deadline from 25 to 31 months, except for some seventh-cycle regions.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California locks in original standards for modifications to SB 35 streamlined projects
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2390 (Chapter 799, Statutes of 2026) on September 29, 2026, amending Government Code section 65913.4, the SB 35 streamlined-approval law. Local governments must approve a modification to a streamlined project if it is consistent with the objective zoning, subdivision and design review standards in effect when the original application or notice of intent was submitted, and must evaluate later modifications with the same assumptions and methodology used before.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California makes density-bonus approvals nondiscretionary and exempt from CEQA review
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2433 on September 29, 2026, amending the Density Bonus Law, Government Code section 65915. From January 1, 2027, a city or county's grant of a density bonus, incentive or concession, or waiver of development standards is not discretionary and requires no CEQA review. Once an application is deemed complete, the city or county must give the applicant a density-bonus eligibility determination. Applicants filing a base density study may elect a floor-area-ratio bonus.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California expands HCD Portfolio Reinvestment Program to older at-risk affordable housing
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 750 on September 29, 2026. It amends Health and Safety Code section 50607 so the Department of Housing and Community Development may make loans and grants to rehabilitate and extend affordability of challenged developments, not only department-funded projects with expiring restrictions. Department-funded projects keep priority, and at least 10% of each funding round goes to challenged developments the department did not fund.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California sets ministerial ADU and junior ADU permit rules for residential zones
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 956 on September 29, 2026. It amends Government Code section 66323 so local agencies must ministerially approve two detached new-construction accessory dwelling units, up from one, on a single-family lot, with up to 800 square feet and four-foot setbacks. Agencies may not require correcting nonconforming zoning or fire sprinklers not required for the primary residence, and rentals must exceed 30 days.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California expands ministerial housing approvals on subdivided lots
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1116 on September 29, 2026. It amends Government Code sections 65852.28 and 66499.41 on ministerial approval of housing on subdivided lots: height limits apply to building height, not floor count, and new parcels on multifamily-zoned land may be as small as 480 square feet if the average is at least 600. New Civil Code section 714.9 voids deed restrictions that would preclude such housing, outside common interest developments.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California lets nonprofit housing developers join public-entity insurance pools
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1170 on September 29, 2026. It amends Government Code section 990.8 to let nonprofit housing developers provide insurance through joint powers agreements and be coinsured under master policies alongside local public entities, with pooled self-insured claims not treated as insurance subject to Insurance Code regulation.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California orders HCD realistic-capacity formulas for housing element site inventories by July 2028
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 457 on September 29, 2026. By July 1, 2028, the Department of Housing and Community Development must promulgate or approve formulas and tools to determine the realistic capacity of housing element inventory sites, and cities and counties may rely on them. Inventories must state the number of units allowed on each site at adoption and after rezoning, and committed assistance may include in-kind services.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California extends undertaking-bond protection to student housing developments
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 916 on September 29, 2026. It amends Code of Civil Procedure section 529.2 so defendants in suits challenging student housing developments, like affordable housing projects, may ask the court to require the plaintiff to post an undertaking if the action is meritless and brought in bad faith, vexatiously or for delay. The plaintiff’s liability is capped at $1 million, and courts may waive the bond for undue hardship.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California extends crowd-control limits to flash-bangs and federal agents, bars them in immigration raids
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 937 on September 29, 2026. It amends Penal Code sections 13652 and 13652.1 to extend existing limits on kinetic energy projectiles and chemical agents at assemblies to flash-bang grenades and to federal law enforcement agencies. Flash-bangs and explosive breaching charges may not be used for immigration enforcement except in joint task forces or as state law permits, and agencies must report flash-bang use.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California codifies rights for people held in civil immigration detention
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 942 on September 29, 2026, as an urgency statute effective immediately. New Civil Code section 53.9 grants people held for civil immigration proceedings at any locked facility in California, including ICE and ORR contract facilities, rights to dignity, privacy, humane care, medical care, clean facilities, food, confidential phone access and attorney mail. The Attorney General may sue and seek $2,500 per violation.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California requires gene synthesis equipment makers and providers to follow federal screening framework
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1864 on September 30, 2026. From January 1, 2027, manufacturers of benchtop nucleic acid synthesis equipment and providers of specified synthetic nucleic acids may not produce in California or sell or deliver to California customers unless they adhere to the federal Framework for Nucleic Acid Synthesis Screening, as revised in September 2024, and publicly post an attestation of compliance.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of Governor Gavin Newsom
California requires developers and users of clinical AI tools to identify and mitigate biased impacts
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 503 on September 30, 2026. From January 1, 2027, developers of AI clinical decision support systems used in health programs must identify systems with known or foreseeable risk of biased impacts, disclose intended uses and risks to deployers, and make reasonable efforts to mitigate that risk. Deployers must regularly monitor the systems and take reasonable, proportionate steps to mitigate biased impacts.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of Governor Gavin Newsom
SEC files twin Manhattan fraud lawsuits over alleged $15M WhatsApp AI trading schemes
The Securities and Exchange Commission filed two civil fraud actions in Manhattan federal court against Cryptoaiml and TSAI Pro entities, alleging they took more than $15 million from retail investors. The SEC alleges the defendants lured investors through WhatsApp and other platforms with fake AI trading programs, displayed fictitious profits, froze withdrawals to demand further payments, and filed Form D notices listing fictitious officers with forged notarizations.
Filing (U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission) → · Bloomberg, The Defiant, FX News Group
Luminance appoints former Featurespace CLO Don Riddick as chief legal officer
UK contract-intelligence vendor Luminance appointed Don Riddick as chief legal officer, Bloomberg Law reported on September 29, 2026, and the company said the same day. Riddick joins from amotivv, where he was founding principal and chief of strategy, after more than five years as CLO and company secretary of Featurespace through its acquisition by Visa in December 2024. He will lead Luminance’s legal, governance, and compliance functions and advise the board on material legal and risk matters.
Announcement (Bloomberg Law) → · Luminance
Morae launches MorAI Legal Intelligence Platform with AI spend module
Morae unveiled its Legal Intelligence Platform and first module, MorAI Spend Intelligence, Legal IT Insider reported on September 29, 2026. The managed offering pairs billing-trained AI with Morae expert review to connect ELM, matter management, and law firm billing data into a single decision layer for outside counsel spend. In an early insurance-company deployment, Morae said savings rose from 8.5% to 18% while cutting 14,000 hours of manual invoice review.
Announcement (Legal IT Insider) → · GlobeNewswire / Morae
Education Department repeals 2024 Title IX rule and recodifies prior text
The Education Department published a final rule repealing its 2024 Title IX regulations and recodifying the text that existed before the 2024 rulemaking at 34 CFR part 106. The department said the 2024 rule was vacated nationwide and had not been enforced for over a year and a half. The rule omits four obsolete provisions, including a sentence vacated by Victim Rights Law Center v. Cardona. It took effect September 29, 2026.
SBA removes affirmative action and disparate-impact provisions from Title VI rules
The Small Business Administration published a final rule rescinding provisions of its Title VI regulations (13 CFR part 112) that authorized or required affirmative action by SBA program applicants and recipients. The rule also removes references to employment practices and drops disparate-impact coverage, stating the regulations prohibit only intentional discrimination. SBA cited a December 2025 DOJ Title VI revision and Executive Order 14281. The rule took effect September 29, 2026.
Law roundup: seven FAA airworthiness directives, IRS and HUD fee changes, Nebraska harvest weight relief
Sixteen federal rules and notices published September 24 to 28, plus one Nebraska executive order. They include seven FAA airworthiness directives and new IFR altitudes, an IRS estate tax closing letter fee rising from $56 to $76, a 1.05% HUD Section 108 guarantee fee for fiscal 2027, PHMSA's adoption of ASME Section XII for transport tanks, FTC rules of practice changes, and Nebraska's 90-day, permit-free 25% weight allowance for harvest haulers.
Entries (State of Nebraska, Office of the Governor) → · Federal Register
California requires human fallback for customer-service chatbots at large businesses
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1609 on September 28, 2026. Large businesses with over $500 million in annual national revenue may not present a customer-service chatbot as human and must disclose that it is AI-generated when misdirection is likely. During business hours they must offer a simple way to reach a human agent and make a good-faith effort to connect within 15 minutes or schedule a callback within one business day.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California gives parents remote-meeting option with teachers
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1412 on September 28, 2026, amending Education Code Section 51101. From January 1, 2027, a parent, guardian or educational rights holder who cannot attend an individual meeting about their child in person has the right to communicate with the teacher by telephone or a school-approved web conferencing platform. Such meetings may not be recorded or transcribed, and the school must notify the parent of privacy and confidentiality risks.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California streamlines permits and caps fees for residential heat pumps
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 222 on September 28, 2026, adding Chapter 7.5 to the Government Code as a matter of statewide concern. Cities and counties must offer asynchronous inspections of residential heat pump water heater and HVAC installations by July 1, 2027, cap permit fees at $150 and $200 respectively, and run online real-time automated permitting for qualifying swapouts by July 1, 2028. Plug-in ready window heat pump units rated 120 volts or less need no permit or inspection.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California extends ad-loudness rule to music and podcast streaming
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 96 on September 28, 2026. Effective January 1, 2027, music streaming, podcast streaming, and video streaming services serving California consumers may not transmit commercial advertisements louder than the content they accompany, consistent with FCC regulations under the federal Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act. The bill also clarifies that "video streaming service" includes user-generated video platforms.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California eases library-card rules for 16- and 17-year-olds
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 965 on September 28, 2026, adding Section 18732 to the Education Code. Beginning January 1, 2028, a public library may not require the presence of a parent or guardian to issue a library card to a California resident who is 16 or 17 years old. A library may still require a parent's or guardian's consent or signature unless the minor is emancipated.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California requires youth football leagues to allow soft-shell helmet add-ons
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 708, the California Youth Football Act safety-equipment amendment, on September 28, 2026, adding Section 124241.2 to the Health and Safety Code. Youth tackle-football leagues, organizations and coaches must allow participants to use safety equipment including soft-shell helmet add-ons. Courts may grant injunctive relief for violations, and a prevailing plaintiff who obtains relief is entitled to reasonable attorney's fees and costs. The law takes effect January 1, 2027.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California suspends summer-blend gasoline rule and orders fuel spot-market reports
On September 28, 2026, Governor Gavin Newsom suspended California's seasonal summer-blend gasoline requirement for the remainder of the season and directed state agencies to enable winter-blend gasoline to be manufactured, imported, distributed, and sold immediately, exercising authority under SB 237 (Grayson, 2025). He separately directed the California Energy Commission, consulting CARB and the Division of Petroleum Market Oversight, to publish a regular public spot-market report for gasoline and diesel and to collect information on renewable diesel pricing.
Text (Office of Governor Gavin Newsom) → · Office of the Governor
Massachusetts federal court rejects challenge to Trader Joe's 401(k) forfeitures but orders $1.2M fee award
U.S. District Judge William Young issued findings of fact and rulings of law following a six-day bench trial in an ERISA class action against Trader Joe's. The court rejected claims that Trader Joe's unlawfully used forfeited retirement funds to offset employer contributions and a claim over a poorly performing fund, but ruled for participants on claims that fiduciaries failed to monitor recordkeeping fees, awarding $1,187,221 in damages and interest.
Order (U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts) → · Reuters, Law360
California protects resident tuition for military dependents after transfer
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1346 on September 28, 2026, amending Education Code Section 68074. A dependent child, stepchild or spouse of an active-duty servicemember who holds resident tuition classification and is granted the right to reenroll at a California public college or university keeps that classification even if the servicemember has been transferred out of state or has retired from active duty. The change takes effect January 1, 2027.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California expands paid family leave for military 'covered active duty'
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2054 on September 28, 2026. It expands the definition of "covered active duty" for paid family leave purposes to include training, nonforeign deployment, and state active duty, effective upon the claims-system changes needed to implement it or by July 1, 2028, whichever comes first.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California grants priority college registration to veteran and GI Bill students
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2203 on September 28, 2026, adding Section 66025.4 to the Education Code. Beginning with the 2028-29 academic year, every California State University campus and community college district campus that runs a priority enrollment system must grant priority registration to students receiving a veteran-dependent fee waiver and to students using federal GI Bill benefits. The University of California is requested to do the same.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California orders performance framework for county veterans service offices
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2219 on September 28, 2026 (Chapter 728, Statutes of 2026). From January 1, 2027, counties must fill a county veterans service officer vacancy within 12 months, and appointees must obtain department accreditation within nine months. The Department of Veterans Affairs must set minimum training requirements, develop a service-capacity and performance framework for county offices, build a statewide work queue by January 1, 2029, and report to the Legislature every three years.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California grants property tax exemption to disabled-veteran homeowners
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 296 on September 28, 2026. For lien dates from January 1, 2027 through December 31, 2031, it exempts 50 percent of the first $1 million in value of the principal residence of a 100 percent disabled veteran, rising to 100 percent for claimants under a household income limit, and extends the exemption to eligible unmarried surviving spouses. As a tax levy, the act took effect immediately.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California creates 'Non-Ultraprocessed Certified' food label standard
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2244 on September 28, 2026 (Chapter 721). It creates a state "Non-Ultraprocessed Certified" food standard: the Department of Public Health must accredit certification agents and create an official seal by June 1, 2029, and qualifying large grocery stores must identify certified products for shoppers.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California requires tobacco retailers to post lung-cancer screening signage
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1124 on September 28, 2026, adding Section 22974.6 to the Business and Professions Code. The State Department of Public Health must make lung-cancer screening awareness signage available free on its website by July 1, 2027, and every tobacco retailer must conspicuously display it at each retail location beginning January 1, 2028. A retailer that fails to display the sign is liable for a $500 civil penalty per offense per location.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
Mitratech acquires BotDojo to add agentic AI and MCP support to ARIES
Legal, compliance and HR software provider Mitratech acquired AI agent startup BotDojo to integrate agent infrastructure into its ARIES legal, compliance, and HR platform, Legaltech News reported on September 28, 2026. Financial terms were not disclosed. Mitratech said the deal will enable two-way Model Context Protocol support so authorized agents can access matter, spend, and document data under governed permissions, with initial agent workflows planned for intake triage, invoice review, contract turnaround, and matter reporting.
Announcement (Legaltech News) → · THE D*AI*LY BRIEF
Florida attorney general moves for temporary injunction barring OpenAI model development and ChatGPT access for minors
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed a motion for a temporary injunction against OpenAI and Chief Executive Sam Altman in Highlands County Circuit Court on 28 September 2026. The state asked the court to prohibit OpenAI from training or releasing new models without independent third-party approval, bar minors from ChatGPT, halt unconsented child data collection, prohibit human-like emotional framing, and enjoin conversation prolongation design practices.
Motion (Tenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida) → · Reuters, CBS12 News, WPTV News +1
News UK invests in ClearDraft AI legal clearance platform for newsroom risk review
News UK, publisher of The Times, The Sunday Times, and The Sun, made a strategic investment in ClearDraft, an AI content-clearance platform that flags legal risks before publication, City A.M. reported on September 28, 2026. ClearDraft says its model is procedural rather than generative, scanning drafts for risk patterns so journalists and in-house lawyers can prioritize complex matters including SLAPP threats. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Announcement (City A.M.) → · News UK
California bans speculative ticket sales and makes sellers liable for double the price of undelivered tickets
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1349 on September 27, 2026, recasting the Business and Professions Code's ticket-seller chapter. The law bans speculative ticket sales, requires resale marketplaces to take reasonable measures to prevent them, and makes sellers who fail to supply a ticket liable for twice its price plus the buyer's nonrefundable expenses. It extends refund duties for canceled or rescheduled events to all seller types and restricts bot purchases. Newsom's signing message asked lawmakers to revisit the resale-marketplace carve-out.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor, CalMatters
California bans marked-up resale of restaurant reservations without the restaurant's written agreement
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1640, the California Restaurant Reservation AntiPiracy Act, on September 27, 2026. It prohibits selling, transferring, or facilitating the sale or transfer of a California restaurant reservation for more than the seller paid, unless the restaurant gave a written agreement expressly authorizing the higher price. The Attorney General, county counsel, or city attorneys may seek up to $1,000 per violation plus injunctive or declaratory relief and attorney's fees.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California bars public officers from issuing meme coins and restricts official-linked listings
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2409 on September 27, 2026. It bars state and local public officers, and public employees with bid or contract decision authority, from issuing meme coins. Digital asset service providers may not list, for California residents, meme coins issued on or after January 1, 2027 that are offered by or with a federal official or a state or local officer. The Attorney General, district attorneys, city attorneys and county counsel may sue for injunctions and disgorgement.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California extends CCPA deletion rights to all data held about a consumer
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 923, the Expanding Privacy Rights Act, on September 27, 2026. Sponsored by the California Privacy Protection Agency, it extends the CCPA deletion right to all non-exempt personal information a business holds about a consumer, whether collected from the consumer or a third party. Businesses may keep a suppression record of the minimum data needed to keep the information deleted. Online-only businesses with a direct consumer relationship must offer a web-based request method.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor, A&O Shearman (JD Supra)
California requires attorney general notice before producing abortion or gender-affirming care records
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1930 on September 26, 2026, as Chapter 468 of the Statutes of 2026. Adding Civil Code section 1798.309, it requires any person or entity served with subpoenas, discovery requests, or other legal-process requests concerning legally protected abortion or gender-affirming care to notify the Attorney General at least seven business days before producing records. The Attorney General may intervene in protective actions and seek injunctions and civil penalties, including $15,000 for a false attestation.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
California updates conversion-therapy ban to cover gender-identity change efforts
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 934 on September 26, 2026, as Chapter 469 of the Statutes of 2026. From January 1, 2027, it amends Business and Professions Code sections 865 to 865.2 to redefine the regulated practice as “sexual orientation or gender identity change efforts”. Licensed mental health providers may not seek, during mental health services, to direct a patient under 18 toward a predetermined sexual orientation or gender identity; doing so is unprofessional conduct subject to licensing discipline.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
Oregon federal judge vacates CFPB defunding decisions, declaring Vought funding cutoff unlawful
U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken granted partial summary judgment on Friday to twenty-two state attorneys general challenging the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's refusal to request operating funds from the Federal Reserve. The court held that former Acting Director Russell Vought's decision to defund the agency violated the Dodd-Frank Act and the separation of powers. Judge Aiken vacated the defunding decisions and declared the Federal Reserve must transfer the funds the director deems necessary, declining injunctive relief for fiscal 2026.
Opinion (U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon) → · Courthouse News Service, State of California - Department of Justice - Office of the Attorney General, Law360
D.C. Circuit upholds Pentagon designation of Anthropic as supply-chain risk over autonomous weapons limits
A divided D.C. Circuit panel denied Anthropic PBC's petitions challenging the Department of War's exclusion of Claude from the military supply chain under the Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act. Judge Katsas, joined by Judge Rao, held the Secretary reasonably found Anthropic's contractual limits on autonomous lethal warfare and domestic surveillance a supply-chain risk, and rejected Anthropic's notice, due process and First Amendment claims. Judge Henderson dissented on the statute's definition of supply chain risk.
Order (U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit) → · Courthouse News Service, CNBC, WIRED +1
Nevada lawmakers clear sweeping cannabis rules on delivery, testing, and ads
Nevada's Legislative Commission approved LCB File No. R152-24 on September 24, 2026, completing legislative review of the Cannabis Compliance Board's comprehensive regulation package. The rules raise the per-trip delivery limit to 12.5 ounces and the per-consumer daily home-delivery limit to 2.5 ounces, overhaul testing, advertising, packaging, and disciplinary rules, and strengthen unlicensed-activity enforcement. The regulations take effect once filed with the secretary of state.
Text (Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau) → · The Marijuana Herald
Forty-four state attorneys general reach $2.29 million settlement with Labcorp over AMCA data breach
A bipartisan coalition of forty-four state attorneys general led by Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, with Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Texas as co-leads, finalized an assurance of voluntary compliance with Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings on Thursday. The settlement resolved a multistate investigation into the 2019 data breach at Labcorp's debt collection vendor, American Medical Collection Agency, which exposed records of 27.5 million people. Labcorp agreed to pay $2,287,455 and implement vendor risk management and incident response safeguards.
Filing (Connecticut Office of the Attorney General) → · Office of the Attorney General of Connecticut, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, GovTech
Minnesota Attorney General settles False Claims Act suit against Partners in Nutrition for $18.5 million
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison filed a civil False Claims Act lawsuit and concurrent settlement in Hennepin County District Court on Thursday against child nutrition program sponsor Partners in Nutrition. The agreement resolved allegations that the nonprofit submitted fraudulent meal reimbursement claims to the Minnesota Department of Education between October 2020 and February 2022. Partners in Nutrition agreed to pay $18,517,909.27, representing its entire remaining funds, produce internal records to investigators, and permanently dissolve as a corporate entity.
Order (District Court of Minnesota, Fourth Judicial District) → · Minnesota Attorney General's Office, FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul, Sahan Journal
New York sues Polymarket alleging unlicensed gambling while company countersues in federal court
New York Attorney General Letitia James and Governor Kathy Hochul filed an enforcement petition in Manhattan state court on Thursday against QCX LLC, operating as Polymarket US, alleging the prediction market ran an unlicensed gambling business that offered sports event wagers to individuals under twenty-one. Polymarket countersued James and state gaming officials in Manhattan federal court several hours later, asserting that the Commodity Futures Trading Commission holds exclusive regulatory jurisdiction over federally registered event contracts and derivatives exchanges.
Filing (Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York) → · Office of the New York State Attorney General, Reuters, CNBC
CMA fines M&J Group and staff £50k for hiding evidence in inspection
The Competition and Markets Authority on September 24, 2026 fined construction firm M&J Group £25,000 and two employees £25,000 combined for concealing a work mobile phone and paperwork during a warrant inspection in a bid-rigging probe, the CMA and BBC reported. The CMA said the penalties are its first civil penalties against individuals for concealing evidence and are separate from the ongoing competition investigation. The items were returned the same day.
Former DOJ health-care fraud lawyer Augustine Ripa to join Whistleblower Law Collaborative in Boston
Augustine Ripa is joining Whistleblower Law Collaborative as a Boston partner in its False Claims Act practice from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bloomberg Law reported on September 23, 2026; the firm said the move takes effect on September 28. His practice focuses on health-care FCA matters including pharmaceutical pricing, Anti-Kickback Statute issues, and FDA and regulatory-approval fraud theories.
Announcement (Bloomberg Law) → · Whistleblower Law Collaborative
District of Minnesota approves settlement ending state usury suit against online lender Plain Green
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey M. Bryan approved a settlement agreement between Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and officials of tribal online lender Plain Green on September 23, 2026. The order resolves federal litigation alleging Plain Green charged Minnesota borrowers annual interest rates approaching seven hundred percent, exceeding state rate caps. Plain Green cancelled all interest on existing loans, credited prior payments toward principal, and agreed to stop marketing or making loans in Minnesota unless it complies with state lending law.
Order (U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota) → · Minnesota Attorney General's Office, Red Lake Nation News, Ingstad Media +1
San Francisco city attorney sues Trump Media over Truth API early access, alleging it enables insider trading
San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu sued Trump Media and Technology Group in San Francisco Superior Court on September 21, 2026. The 22-page complaint alleges the company’s Truth API service charges subscribers up to $100,000 a month for a 50-millisecond head start on market-moving presidential posts. The suit asserts the service monetizes nonpublic government information, aids violations of federal ethics and securities laws, and constitutes unfair and unlawful business practices under California law.
Filing (Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco) → · City and County of San Francisco, KQED, The Hill +1
Husch Blackwell hires Cross River Bank AGC Kavitha Subramanian for consumer fintech practice
Kavitha Subramanian joined Husch Blackwell’s Consumer Financial Services practice as a member of The Link, Bloomberg Law reported on September 22, 2026. She most recently was associate general counsel at Cross River Bank and previously held chief compliance and privacy roles at Theorem and Jackson Hewitt.
Announcement (Bloomberg Law) → · Husch Blackwell
Morrison Foerster hires ex-Associate Deputy AG Paul Perkins to chair False Claims Act practice in DC
Paul Perkins joined Morrison Foerster as a Washington, D.C. partner in Investigations + White Collar Defense and chair of the False Claims Act practice, Bloomberg Law and the firm reported on September 22, 2026. He most recently served as Associate Deputy Attorney General after senior Civil Fraud Section roles at the U.S. Department of Justice.
Announcement (Bloomberg Law) → · Morrison Foerster
Mayer Brown hires Alston & Bird investigations partner Albert BJ Stieglitz in Washington
Albert "BJ" Stieglitz joined Mayer Brown as a partner in its Global Investigations & White Collar Defense practice in Washington, D.C., Bloomberg Law and the firm reported on September 22, 2026. He joins from Alston & Bird after nearly 13 years at the U.S. Department of Justice, where he led fraud and FCPA investigations in the Criminal Division Fraud Section and served a dual secondment to the UK Serious Fraud Office and Financial Conduct Authority.
Announcement (Bloomberg Law) → · Mayer Brown
California broadens the Gambling Control Commission attorney seat to regulatory or gaming law experience
AB 2793 (Chapter 409), approved September 20, amended Business and Professions Code Sections 19800 and 19812 so that the attorney seat on the five-member California Gambling Control Commission requires 'regulatory or gaming law experience' rather than only 'regulatory law experience.' The commission's structure, party-balance cap, and cooling-off rules for gambling-establishment employment were unchanged.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
California lets gift-certificate issuers sell sub-$15 printed stock through 2028 with point-of-sale notice
SB 1078 (Chapter 420), approved September 20, added Civil Code Section 1749.52, letting gift-certificate issuers sell through December 31, 2028, certificates printed with a cash-redemption threshold lower than the statutory amount, if the certificates were manufactured or printed before April 1, 2026. Issuers must post a notice in at least 24-point font at each point of sale stating that certificates with cash value under fifteen dollars are redeemable in cash.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Governor of California
New York sets November RAISE Act registration rollout ahead of January compliance
New York said it would begin directing large frontier AI developers to register in November ahead of the RAISE Act’s January 1, 2027 compliance date. The law established requirements for public safety frameworks, model disclosures and incident reporting, with separate deadlines for imminent physical danger.
Enrolled text (The New York State Senate) → · Governor Kathy Hochul
Trump signs Graham sanctions act authorizing up to 500% tariffs on Russian imports
President Donald Trump signed H.R. 5334, the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, on September 18. The law authorizes tariffs of up to 500% on Russian goods and up to 100% on goods from leading buyers of Russian oil and gas, bans U.S. purchases of Russian sovereign debt, and extends the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 to 2031, with tariff decisions due 30 days after enactment.
Enrolled text (GovInfo (U.S. Government Publishing Office)) → · The White House, New York Post, The Fuse +1
Leah launches Leah Contracting on Maestro agentic harness for enterprise contracts
Leah launched Leah Contracting, an agentic contracting product run by its Leah Maestro harness that covers intake, review, negotiation, approval, signature, obligations and renewal, the company said on September 18, 2026. Specialist agents apply company playbooks, assess risk, draft and redline, and hand work between stages, with irreversible actions gated for human approval, the release said. Legaltech News led its September 18 Legaltech Rundown with the launch.
Announcement (SalesTechStar) → · Legaltech News
California allows conditional sale of aftermarket emissions parts pending CARB approval
Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 1069 (Chapter 244, Statutes of 2026) on September 16, 2026; it takes effect January 1, 2027. The law creates a conditional approval pathway for makers of emissions-related aftermarket parts. Manufacturers that file complete California Air Resources Board executive-order applications, backed by emissions testing and technical documentation, may sell, advertise and install parts while the board completes its review. Conditional approvals last two years; CARB keeps authority to approve or deny the final order.
California extends smog-check exemption to collector cars through the 1985 model year
California signed Senate Bill 1392 on September 16, 2026. The law phases in biennial smog-check exemptions for collector motor vehicles meeting Vehicle Code section 259 criteria, extending eligibility from pre-1976 vehicles to pre-1986 model years by 2033. The exemption phases in one model year at a time beginning January 1, 2028, for pre-1981 vehicles. Older collector cars at least 35 model years old gain partial test exemptions if insured as collectors and meeting emissions standards.
Wolters Kluwer adds Outside Counsel Management Agent to TyMetrix 360°
On September 15, 2026 Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory’s ELM Solutions business launched an AI-powered Outside Counsel Management capability inside TyMetrix 360°. The agent helps in-house teams compare panel firms on cost, staffing, billing-guideline compliance, and market rates, drawing on LegalVIEW invoice data.
Announcement (Legaltech News) → · Wolters Kluwer
FCA bans former Kingly Solicitors manager Nurul Miah from financial services
On September 15, 2026 the UK Financial Conduct Authority banned Nurul Miah (also known as Neil Mia/Neil Miah), a former non-legal manager at Kingly Solicitors Limited, from working in financial services. The ban follows Solicitors Regulation Authority findings that he dishonestly caused or allowed more than £28 million to be taken from client accounts and that more than £10 million of client money was missing and used for his benefit.
Report (Financial Conduct Authority) → · Law Gazette
UK JCHR calls for AI Bill, single statutory oversight body, and bans on some AI uses
On September 14, 2026 the UK Joint Committee on Human Rights published a report saying existing law is fragmented and ill-equipped for AI human-rights risks. It recommends a dedicated AI Bill, a single independent statutory AI oversight body with enforcement powers, stronger lifecycle duties for higher-risk systems, and prohibitions on certain incompatible uses.
Enrolled text (UK Parliament (JCHR)) → · Law Gazette, BBC News
Trump signs Stop Secret Spending Act requiring other-transaction awards on USAspending.gov
President Trump signed the Stop Secret Spending Act of 2025 (H.R. 2069) on September 11, 2026. The law amends the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (31 U.S.C. 6101 note) to add other transaction agreements to the federal awards agencies must report on USAspending.gov, gives agencies up to three years to transmit that data automatically, and requires an annual posting of the total federal award spending withheld from the site and the reasons for withholding it.
Enrolled text (GovInfo (enrolled bill text)) → · The White House, Congressman Jimmy Panetta
Xapien raises $56M Series B led by Spectrum Equity for AI due diligence
Xapien, a London-based AI background-check and due diligence company, raised $56 million in Series B funding led by Spectrum Equity, CEO Chris Green told Axios Pro on September 10, 2026. Green said the platform returns third-party risk reports faster than manual teams. Axios reported the United States now accounts for about half of Xapien's revenue after recent expansion.
Announcement (Axios) → · Legal IT Insider
EU Cyber Resilience Act reporting duties for digital products apply from September 11
As of September 11, 2026, the EU Cyber Resilience Act requires manufacturers of products with digital elements to report actively exploited vulnerabilities and severe security incidents through ENISA's Single Reporting Platform. Early warnings are due within 24 hours of awareness and fuller notifications within 72 hours. Legal IT Insider and Stevens & Bolton flagged the deadline on September 10, 2026.
Text (Legal IT Insider) → · Stevens & Bolton
California requires child-risk assessments, session limits and biennial audits for companion chatbots, from July 2027
California adopted Chapter 190, Statutes of 2026, on September 10, 2026, requiring operators of companion chatbots accessible to children to conduct documented child-risk assessments before new or substantially modified products launch. The law imposes child-safety policies, crisis protocols, parental default settings, session limits, advertising restrictions, and biennial independent audits starting January 1, 2029, with core duties operative July 1, 2027.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of Senator Steve Padilla, Reuters, Startup Fortune
California bans manufacture and sale of toys with AI companion chatbots until 2031
California chaptered Senate Bill 867 on September 10, 2026, prohibiting the manufacture, sale, exchange, and possession for sale of any toy that includes an AI companion chatbot. The four-year moratorium runs through December 31, 2030, covering physical products designed, marketed, or manufactured for play by children under 16. Violations carry the same civil liability provisions as California's companion-chatbot operator law.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Reuters, Mondaq (Ballard Spahr LLP)
Newsom signs SB 813 and AB 1405, creating a state-designated corps of AI verification bodies and a mandatory registry for AI auditors from 2029
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 813 and AB 1405 on September 9, adding two chapters to the Government Code. SB 813 has the Government Operations Agency designate and police independent verification organizations that assess AI systems by January 1, 2028; engaging one stays voluntary. AB 1405 creates an AI Auditor Registry by January 1, 2029, after which no unregistered person may sell or conduct a covered AI audit in California.
Text (Office of Governor Gavin Newsom) → · California Legislative Information, StateScoop, PYMNTS
Casepoint launches Casepoint IQ AI framework with relevance and issue-coding agents
Casepoint on September 9, 2026 introduced Casepoint IQ, a platform-wide AI framework spanning agentic AI, IQ Assist, CaseAssist predictive coding and the Casepoint MCP Server under shared governance. The first two agents handle relevance determination and issue coding and are in alpha with a beta due before year end. Casepoint said IQ is live in early access with select customers; LawSites reported it as generally available.
Announcement (PR Newswire) → · Casepoint, LawSites
UK SME boutique firms lobby SRA and Law Society over COLP/COFA separation rules
Twenty-eight firms in a new SME & Boutique Law Firm Alliance sent open letters to the Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Law Society on September 8, 2026 seeking changes to LSB-approved rules separating compliance officer roles. The rules stop individuals who can unilaterally control a firm from serving as COLP or COFA where turnover exceeds £600,000 or client money exceeds £2 million, from January 2027. The alliance wants the start postponed.
Text (Legal Futures) → · Solicitors Regulation Authority