Inflation Reduction Act
Construction Contracts and Tax: A Splitting Headache?
It has become common practice in many jurisdictions for parties to split construction contracts with an international element. The split structure is intended to provide a reduced tax exposure for the contractor and a resulting pricing benefit for the employer...
The Lobby Shop: A Crash Course on What to Watch with NAFTA & Trade
This week, Liam takes a turn as host for a brief conversation with PRG's trade expert and most familiar voice, Josh Zive. We cover the history, context, and recent developments surrounding the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and other...
Regulatory Rollbacks Continue for Energy Industry
In the past few weeks, the Trump Administration’s Department of Interior (DOI) has taken significant steps to roll back several environmental policies and/or rules affecting the energy industry. On December 22, DOI issued a memorandum interpreting the scope of the...
Provisions Affecting the Renewable Energy and Power Industry
After a whirlwind three month legislative process marked by promise and peril for the renewable energy sector, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA)left the sector relatively unscathed. The Senate Finance Committee’s decision to forego an energy tax title carried...
Municipal Advisor Firm and Principal Charged with Fraudulent Practices and Breach of Fiduciary Duty as SEC Continues Enforcement Focus
The SEC charged registered municipal advisor Malachi Financial Products, Inc. and its principal Porter B. Bingham with violations of Sections 15B(a)(5) and 15B(c)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”) and Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (“MSRB”) Rule G-17...
Impact on Individuals Operating a Business Directly or Indirectly through a Pass-Through Entity
A key element of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) is the reduction in the effective federal income tax rate on certain qualified business income (QBI) earned by individuals either directly or indirectly through pass-through entities, including partnerships and...
BSEE Takes Steps to Relieve Burdensome Requirements for Offshore Operators
On December 29, 2017, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) published a proposed rule in the Federal Register, stating its intent to significantly revise provisions of the Oil and Gas Production Safety Systems regulations (30 CFR part 250...
The Lobby Shop: Tax-Mas Hangover? What's Coming Up in 2018
Welcome to 2018! After a holiday hiatus, we're back in The Lobby Shop with Liam Donovan to discuss the wrap of the tax reform bill, upcoming goals for Congress, and what the new year holds for US policy and politics...
U.S. Futures Exchanges Disciplinary Actions Report - November 2017
The Bracewell U.S. Futures Exchanges Disciplinary Actions Report is a monthly report that provides summaries of certain disciplinary notices by U.S. exchanges during the prior month. The report has a particular focus on notices potentially relevant to energy commodities and...
The Tax Reform Roller Coaster Ends – Summary of Provisions Affecting Public Finance
On December 22, 2017, the President signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Final Bill”) into law, bringing an end to the nearly two-month rollercoaster ride that had the public finance industry white-knuckled and a little green in the...
All I want for Christmas is … regulatory certainty?
Last week, PHMSA’s oil and gas pipeline technical advisory committees convened to review and discuss significant pending rulemakings and regulatory reform initiatives, among other topics. At the same time, the White House touted its deregulation efforts, including the purported elimination...
Reminder: Re-Register Your DMCA Agent Designations Before End of Year or Risk Losing Safe Harbor Protections!
U.S. Copyright Office Goes Paperless for DMCA registered agents; All paper registrations invalid as of December 31, 2017. As you’re making your end of year lists and checking them twice, better make sure you’ve registered your company’s DMCA designated agent...
Tax Reform Preserves PABs, Axes Advance Refundings
On December 15, 2017, the conference committee on tax reform (the “Conference Committee”) released its Conference Report (the “Conference Report”) describing the agreements forged to reconcile differences between the respective tax reform bills previously passed by the House and the...
Environmental Management Systems: Risk vs. Reward
Companies everywhere rely on written manuals, procedures, and other formal and informal systems intended to help them achieve environmental compliance and performance. Often overlooked are the many ways in which a company’s environmental management systems can create or increase unnecessary...
The Lobby Shop: Bonus Episode: On the 36th Day of Tax-Mas...
It's been a hectic few months in Washington, and this week was no exception. With that in mind, here is a bonus episode featuring PRG's resident tax expert Liam Donovan on the latest in tax reform and what's up next...