Consumer Protection
Fraud, lemon law, debt collection abuse, TCPA, and warranty claims.
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Recent Law Changes
New Rules for Gas Pipeline Business Practices
This law changes how interstate natural gas pipelines operate by adopting new standards from the North American Energy Standards Board. The revisions aim to make it easier to access data on gas-electric coordination during extreme cold or emergencies, which could help prevent supply shortages. This affects companies that manage interstate natural gas pipelines and possibly consumers who rely on these services for heating and electricity. The changes take effect on July 27, 2026.
Clarifications to Equal Credit Opportunity Act Regulations
This amendment to Regulation B under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act clarifies requirements related to disparate impact, discouragement of applicants or prospective applicants, and special purpose credit programs. Before this change, these areas were less clear, leading to potential confusion for creditors and consumers alike. Now, creditors will have clearer guidelines on how to comply with ECOA, which could reduce the risk of unintentional discrimination in lending practices. This affects financial institutions that offer credit products and their customers. The changes take effect on July 21, 2026.
Enhancements to E-Rate Program Competitive Bidding
This new law strengthens the E-Rate program by establishing a competitive bidding portal and document repository. It simplifies processes for participants while ensuring transparency in bid evaluations and selections. The changes aim to protect against waste, fraud, and abuse within the program. Schools and libraries participating in the E-Rate program are affected. These updates take effect on June 18, 2026.
New Tolerance Levels for Propylene Oxide Residues on Certain Crops
This regulation establishes new maximum permissible levels of propylene oxide (PPO) residues in or on sesame seeds, dried turmeric roots, dried ginger, and dried peppers. Previously, there were no specific tolerance levels set for these commodities. The change affects farmers, food processors, and consumers who use these products. It takes effect immediately upon publication.
Cancellation of Civil Penalties Adjustment for 2026
The Department of Labor typically updates civil monetary penalties annually based on inflation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, due to a funding lapse in 2025, the BLS did not publish its required October Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) data for that year. As a result, and because the law mandates using this specific CPI-U data with no alternative calculation allowed, the Department of Labor has cancelled the annual adjustment of civil penalties for 2026. This affects entities subject to federal labor laws who might have expected an increase in penalty amounts due to inflation.
Changes to Network Improvements and Service Discontinuance Rules
This law changes regulations that previously made it difficult for telecommunications companies to transition from old networks to new Internet Protocol-based systems. The Federal Communications Commission has adopted reforms that reduce these barriers while maintaining consumer protections, including safeguards for public safety and ensuring the continuity of 911 services. If state or local rules conflict with this framework, they will be preempted by federal law. This change affects telecommunications companies and consumers who rely on these services.
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