By Chris Bach, Phelps Dunbar - JD Supra
On September 26, the California Privacy Protection Agency (Agency) published a Stipulated Final Order by which Tractor Supply Company agreed to pay an administrative fine of $1.35 million and take other remedial measures for its alleged violations the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) between January 2023 and July 1, 2024.
by Jack Tomczuk - Metro Philadelphia
City Council approved legislation Thursday that is designed to strengthen regulations governing when employers can deny a job opportunity to an applicant solely based on the person’s criminal record.
The bill builds on the city’s landmark Fair Criminal Record Screening Standards law, also known as “Ban the Box,” which was passed nearly 15 years ago. Philadelphia was among the first cities in the nation to prohibit private businesses from asking about an individual’s criminal history during the application process.
Read more: https://metrophiladelphia.com/council-ban-the-box-criminal-record-hiring/
by Alison Kuznitz - Worcester Business Journal
Senate Democrats are ready to act on an omnibus data privacy bill that would install restrictions on the type of information that companies can collect, block the sale of personal sensitive data, and insulate children from targeted advertising.
The Senate Ways and Means Committee on Thursday approved a redrafted Massachusetts Data Privacy Act (S 2608), with the branch expected to debate and vote on the legislation on Thursday, Sept. 25.
Read more: https://www.wbjournal.com/article/senate-committee-set-to-debate-consumer-privacy-law-thursday
by Fisher Phillips, Usama Kahf, Chelsea Viola, David Walton - JD Supra
California lawmakers just passed a law that could soon require employers to not only provide notices to applicants and workers when AI is used in workplace decision-making, but would also prohibit the use of AI for certain workplace actions. The “No Robo Bosses” Act (SB 7), which aims to regulate the use of automated decision systems (ADS) in the workplace, now heads to Governor Newsom’s desk after passing the legislature late Friday. If signed, SB 7 will take effect on January 1, 2026, alongside a wave of other AI-related employment regulations that will create a complex compliance landscape for employers using AI in the workplace. Here’s what you should know about the new law and the four steps you should take to get ready for compliance.
by Tony Lange - Cannabis Business Times
No state citizenry has backtracked on cannabis legalization after a licensed and regulated program was implemented, but prohibitionists are hoping to offer Massachusetts voters the opportunity.
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell certified two versions of a 2026 ballot initiative petition on Sept. 3 that intends to repeal state laws governing the commonwealth’s commercial adult-use cannabis marketplace, including licensed cultivation and dispensary operations.
by Quest Diagnostics - PR Newswire
SECAUCUS, N.J., Sept. 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The percentage of employees in the general U.S. workforce testing positive for fentanyl in random drug tests far exceeded those in pre-employment testing, according to the 2025 Quest Diagnostics Drug Testing Index™ from Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX), a leading provider of diagnostic information services.
The new report reveals changing patterns of drug use by the nation's workforce. While the analysis of more than 8 million drug tests shows that overall workplace urine drug positivity declined slightly last year, to 4.4% from 4.6%, the sharp increase in fentanyl in random drug checks suggests more workers are using the highly addictive opioid after they have passed pre-employment screens. Random drug testing involves unscheduled and unannounced drug tests of employed individuals after they have presumably passed pre-employment drug screens.
The Texas Responsible Artificial Intelligence Governance Act will take effect 1 Jan. 2026; it applies broadly to all businesses operating in Texas that use an artificial intelligence system in the state as well as companies whose products or services are used by Texas residents.
The TRAIGA targets AI systems, defined as "any machine-based system that, for any explicit or implicit objective, infers from the inputs the system receives how to generate outputs, including content, decisions, predictions, or recommendations that can influence physical or virtual environments." Its scope includes both the developer and deployer of the AI system. Businesses can use the following sample policy framework as a starting point for TRAIGA compliance.
by Mash Yang - Mashdigi
The European Union recently announced that it has reached a consensus with the United States toNew transatlantic data privacy framework (Trans-Atlantic Data Privacy Framework) to ensure the privacy security of users in the EU.
The main reason for establishing this data privacy framework is that the flow of information between Europe and the United States is quite large, and it has become the main driving force of important economic activities in the transatlantic range, even generating economic benefits of up to US$7.1 trillion.
by Kyle Jaeger - Marijuana Moment
The attorney general of Massachusetts has published dozens of proposed initiatives for the 2026 ballot—including a pair that would roll back adult-use marijuana legalization in the state.
Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell’s (D) office released a total of 47 initiative petitions filed by 19 groups ahead of a deadline on Wednesday. It will now review each of them to determine if they can be legally certified.
Press Release - CarsonNow.org
Las Vegas, NV — On Monday, August 4, 2025, Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo officially signed Senate Bill 114, also known as Miya’s Law, into law during a ceremonial event in Las Vegas.
Championed by Senator Julie Pazina, the legislation strengthens tenant protections across Nevada by requiring background checks for apartment maintenance workers and establishing rigorous key security protocols in residential complexes.
