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Inflation Reduction Act
Revised I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification Form: Effective January 22, 2017
A revised version of Form I-9 , Employment Eligibility Verification has been published. Effective January 22, 2017, employers must only use the new version of the Form I-9 dated 11/14/2016 N. The old version dated 03/08/2013 N may still be...
Department of Labor Higher Salary Thresholds Effective December 1, 2016
As an important reminder, the Department of Labor (DOL) minimum salary levels for the white-collar exemptions increase effective December 1, 2016. While a group of 21 states and some 50 business groups filed a lawsuit on September 20, 2016, in...
2016 Election: Outlook for the Clean Power Plan and Other Environmental Issues
Scott Segal, co-head of Bracewell’s Policy Resolution Group, and Jeff Holmstead, head of the Environmental Strategies Group at Bracewell, discuss how the next President and Congress will confront issues such as climate change, the Clean Power Plan, and other environmental...
Post-Election Update 2016
CONTENTS Overview Energy Environment Tax Appropriations & Budget Trade Consumer Protection Financial Services __________________________________________________________________________________________ OVERVIEW The 2016 election results have significant implications for companies across a wide range of industry sectors. From environmental policy to financial services to tax reform...
2016 Election: Election Day Takeaways and What to Expect in the Trump Presidency
Dee Martin and Scott Segal, co-heads of Bracewell's Policy Resolution Group, discuss their reactions to the surprising results of the 2016 elections and what to expect during the first 100 days of a Trump administration. [video]
2016 Election: Outlook for Energy Policy
Dee Martin, co-head of Bracewell’s Policy Resolution Group, and Salo Zelermyer, a partner in Bracewell’s Policy Resolution Group, discuss what the results of the election may mean for oil and gas, renewable energy, and fuels. [video]
2016 Election: Thoughts from a Former Senator
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, senior counsel at Bracewell and a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Senate, discusses her reactions to the 2016 election results. [video]
Patentee's Day of Thanks Comes in Early November: Assessment of the USPTO's Recent Memorandum Regarding Patent Eligibility for Software Claims
A recent U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) memorandum to the Patent Examining Corps, in combination with precedential cases from the Federal Circuit, provides positive guidance to owners of software patents and patent applicants having software claims pending at the...
Does Your Bank's Website Violate The ADA?
There has been a recent surge in claims brought by people with visual and hearing impairments alleging that company websites violate the accessibility standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Until now, these claims have typically been made against...
TCEQ Adopts Changes to Affirmative Defense Rule in Response to EPA SIP Call
On November 2, 2016, the Commissioners of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) approved the adoption of changes to the rule language in 30 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 101 that establishes an affirmative defense to enforcement for unauthorized...
SEC Amends Rules Affecting Intrastate and Small Exempt Offerings
On October 26, 2016, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) announced amendments to certain rules exempting intrastate offerings and other limited offerings from federal registration requirements. The SEC modernized Rule 147, added new Rule 147A, increased the offering ceiling for...
SEC Proposes New Rules Requiring Universal Proxy Cards
On October 26, 2016, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission proposed changes to the proxy rules to require the use of universal proxy cards in contested director elections. Universal proxy cards would permit shareholders to vote by proxy for their...
Antitrust Agencies Release Guidance on Employee Hiring and Compensation
The Department of Justice Antitrust Division (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have jointly issued written guidance for human resource (HR) professionals on how antitrust law applies to employee hiring and compensation decisions (Guidance). The purpose of the Guidance...
FERC Confirms Contract-Specific Nature of Mobile-Sierra Presumption and WSPP Agreement Requirements
Earlier this year , we alerted you to a January 8, 2016 Revised Initial Decision by an administrative law judge (ALJ) at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) that implicated issues of concern to the industry as a whole, as...
SEC Releases New Interpretations on CEO Pay Ratio Disclosure
On October 18, 2016, the staff of the Division of Corporation Finance of the Securities and Exchange Commission published five new Compliance & Disclosure Interpretations (CDIs) related to CEO pay ratio disclosures. The CDIs provide some clarity on how companies...