Announcements, information and updates from the AG Alliance Members and Associates
January 7th, 2021
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SOCIAL JUSTICE & EQUITY INITIATIVES |
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Over the last year, communities across the country have assessed their treatment of minorities and other under-represented populations. In an effort to facilitate dialogue in the Attorney General community, Amazon and the Attorney General Alliance have partnered to create a series of conversations exploring issues around justice and social equity. We are excited to announce 2021 as the inaugural year of this forum and we look forward to providing focused programing aimed at facilitating exploration of these issues. We thank Amazon for their leadership and invite all of our public and private partners join us as we embark on these discussions.
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IN THE NEWS
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The California Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board announced the release of its fourth annual report on racial and identity profiling in policing in the state as required under the Racial and Identity Profiling Act of 2015 (RIPA). The report contains an analysis of the nearly 4 million vehicle and pedestrian stops conducted by California’s 15 largest law enforcement agencies in 2019. In addition to the Board’s latest report, the California Department of Justice (DOJ) is highlighting recently expanded access to RIPA data on stops in schools and search discovery rates through online dashboards on OpenJustice. Ultimately, this latest RIPA report aims to directly contribute to the conversation on police reform through data and research, policy recommendations, and accountability mechanisms that will help give communities, legislators, and law enforcement tools for innovative and critically-needed action.
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D.C. AG Racine wrote an op Ed about how president elect Joe Biden can root out racism in criminal justice.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
*Please check back for frequent updates
Social Justice Initiatives and Consumer Protection Enforcement
Thursday, February 11th from 1 - 2pm ET
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Social Equity and Business
Dates TBA
Registration TBA
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UPCOMING VIRTUAL PROGRAMS |
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Complete program descriptions will follow in the coming weeks.
*Please note: the Cybersecurity Winter Session is a CLOSED program available to AGOs and group members only.
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Mental Health: Beyond the Stigma
Thursday, January 7th 2021
11:00 am - 12:00 pm EST
Moderated by:
Panelists:
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The Rural Broadband Challenge and the Promise of 5G Technology
Wednesday, February 3rd from 1-2pm ET
Moderated by Attorney General Phil Weiser, Colorado
Summary: This panel will address a variety of issues and questions surrounding Radio Access Network (RAN) technology and the impact of the rollout of the so-called "5G" wireless telecommunications technology. In particular, the buildout of 5G promises to be game changing, providing Internet access to places that have long struggled to gain robust broadband access. In this panel, we will discuss rural access issues, funding concerns, and the opportunities and challenges related to this technology, including why rural broadband access is important and how the Attorneys General can play a role in encouraging its rollout and adoption.
This session will also touch upon what Attorneys General need to know about rural broadband issues and the applications that can benefit from 5G technology. This discussion will, for example, focus on telehealth, online education opportunities, and economic development. It will also discuss how the government and private firms can work together to advance the rollout of this technology and to address longstanding digital divide challenges.
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Sports Betting Follow-Up
Monday, February 8th from 12 – 1pm ET
Moderated by Attorney General Karl Racine, District of Columbia
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*Cybersecurity Subcommittee Winter Session
Thursday, February 25th from 1-3pm ET
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Organized Retail Theft and the INFORM Act
Thursday, March 11th from 1-2pm ET
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APPOINTMENTS
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Oregon AG Rosenblum hosted her ceremonial Oath of Office, as she entered her third term as Oregon’s Attorney General.
DATA PRIVACY
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Oregon AG Rosenblum announced a settlement with the Home Depot and online retailer CafePress to resolve findings from an investigation into a massive data breach.
CONSUMER PROTECTION
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Arizona AG Brnovich announced more than 15,000 gift cards have been mailed to eligible Arizonans statewide to replace their defective and potentially deadly airbags following major Honda settlement.
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Arizona AG Brnovich announced more than 600 Arizona consumers will receive restitution as part of a settlement with alarm monitoring company.
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Nebraska AG Peterson and DHHS CEO Dannette Smith warned Nebraskans about fraudulent COVID-19 vaccine schemes.
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Washington AG Ferguson announced an online tobacco retailer will pay $65,885 after it illegally sent tobacco products to Washington state. The payment will go toward continued enforcement of state tobacco laws.
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Washington AG Ferguson secured full refunds for Washington students and families who paid for now-canceled music trip to Europe.
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D.C. AG Racine sued public media lab and Manifold Productions for funneling Over $4 Million in nonprofit funds to Michael Pack.
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Kansas AG Schmidt announced that new federal legislation broadening state authority to fight the abuse of Medicaid patients is headed to the President’s desk.
COMBATTING HUMAN TRAFFICKING
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Florida AG Moody recognized National Human Trafficking Prevention Month in Florida as preliminary data points to a potential increase in the illicit practice.
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CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU
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CFPB issued a final rule to implement the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, prohibiting unfair practices by debt collectors when collecting consumer debt.
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CFPB issued advisory opinion to help expand fair, equitable, and nondiscriminatory access to credit, which implements the Equal Credit Opportunity Act.
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CFPB settled with remittance transfer provider for violation of the Electronic Fund Transfer Act and the Remittance Transfer Rule.
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CFPB settled with Student Loan Servicers, Discover Bank, The Student Loan Corporation, and Discover Products, Inc. for violating a bureau consent order and other unlawful practices.
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CFPB announced a settlement with Omni Financial of Nevada, Inc. for violations of the Military Lending Act, Electronic Fund Transfer Act, and Consumer Financial Protection Act.
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CFPB issued an approval order to facilitate employee access to earned but unpaid wages.
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CFPB issued approval order to facilitate the use of dual usage credit cards.
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CFPB taskforce on Federal Consumer Financial Law released a report with recommendations on how to improve consumer protection in the financial marketplace.
SPORTS BETTING
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Thomson Reuters announced U.S. online gambling is one of 2021’s better bets. After a painful pandemic, wagers will become a welcome source of tax dollars across America.
COMMUNITY
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Amazon launched $2 billion housing equity fund to make over 20,000 affordable homes available for families in communities it calls home.
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Microsoft has committed more than $110M in additional support for nonprofits, workers and schools in Washington state.
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Missed our live programs? No problem! Follow the button below to visit our Virtual Seminar Library for access to all recordings.
Do you have a webinar topic suggestion? We want to hear from you! Please email ideas to Andrea Friedman at AFriedman@AGAlliance.org. |
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CWAG Executive Committee
- Wayne Stenehjem - Phil Weiser -
- Jason Ravnsborg - Hector Balderas -
AG Alliance Co-Chairs
- Lawrence Wasden - Sean Reyes - Karl Racine -
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