On 1 July 2021, the Supreme Court issued its decision in the consolidated case Americans for Prosperity Foundation v. Bonta, No. 19-251 (US 1 July 2021). The Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and struck down a California donor-disclosure law as facially unconstitutional by a six to three majority.
As a result of COVID-19, construction on a number of renewable energy projects has been repeatedly delayed, potentially jeopardizing valuable tax benefits under the investment credit provisions. Such provisions require taxpayers to make continuous progress toward completion of the project once construction has begun.
This week’s discussion will cover the following: organized crime charges in new elder abuse case; novel SEC insider trading action – SEC v. Matthew Panuwa; quick blurb on 18 year old and under crackdown on video game playing in China; and SEC v. MANISH LACHWANI – the SEC’s enforcement focus on unicorns
On 10 August 2021, the U.S. Senate passed the USD 1 trillion infrastructure bill, known formally as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Infrastructure Bill). The Infrastructure Bill includes provisions for approximately USD 550 billion in new federal spending over 10 years on various transportation, broadband, utilities, and other infrastructure projects. The Infrastructure Bill contemplates that USD 28 billion in income tax attributable to the disposition of digital assets will be collected over 10 years.
Baker McKenzie has a team in place that has been advising clients in real-time on critical issues surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic since the first shelter-in-place/stay-at-home orders were enacted. The latest update on 27 August 2021 reflects these developments:
• The following jurisdictions extended their state-wide orders and/or the duration of the current phase of their reopening plans: Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, and New Mexico.
• The following jurisdictions imposed new face-covering requirements: Illinois, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and West Virginia.
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently published a request for information and comment on how broker-dealers and investment advisers use digital engagement practices (DEPs) — behavioral prompts, differential marketing, “gamification,” and other design elements and features that firms use to engage with retail investors through digital platforms and mobile applications.
US employers want employees to return to the brick and mortar workplace but with the COVID-19 Delta variant rampaging across the US and elsewhere, many employers are requiring employees to be vaccinated before they return – and they are requiring proof of vaccination. So, what can employers do to track the vaccination status of their employees?
In this Quick Chat video, our Labor and Employment and Data Privacy lawyers discuss risks and best practices for US employers on tracking proof of employee vaccinations, and take a look at data privacy issues that can arise.
Belarus-related sanctions restrictions were recently introduced by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada, Switzerland and Ukraine. The objective of newly introduced sanctions is to mount international pressure against the current oppressive regime in Belarus by preventing international companies from doing business in selected economic sectors of this country.
The United States Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has decided to sing the same song as its sister agency. On 13 August 2021, OSHA updated its guidance for American workplaces, auto-tuning its recommendations for fully vaccinated employees to match recent guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
On January 19, 2021, the US Commerce Department published an interim final rule (“Interim Rule”) to implement Executive Order 13873, “Securing the Information and Communications Technology and Services (“ICTS”) Supply Chain.” The Interim Rule was issued following the public comment period’s closure on January 10, 2021 on the proposed rules issued on November 27, 2019.