The Transparency in Charges for Key Events Ticketing (TICKET) Act, legislation recently passed by the United States House of Representatives, aims to reform the ticketing industry and enhance transparency for consumers. Introduced in 2023 by Representatives Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) and Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), the TICKET Act received considerable bipartisan support, passing the House with a vote of 388-24 in May 2024, following unanimous approval by the House Energy and Commerce Committee in December 2023.

This week, in a helpful ruling for transportation brokers, the Eastern District of Texas opined that state law tort claims against brokers are preempted by the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act (“FAAAA”), 40 U.S.C. § 14501(c)(1). The Court granted a motion to dismiss claims of negligent brokering, holding that the plain language of the FAAAA expressly preempted the claims because they did not implicate the Act’s safety exception.

In a ruling favorable to employers, an appellate court in Washington issued an opinion holding that two healthcare facilities can compel an independent contractor working temporarily at their facilities to arbitrate her claims in Georgia, even though the parties seeking to compel arbitration are not signatories to the arbitration agreement.

Somewhat surprisingly, given New York’s reputation as a business hub and trendsetter for business law rulings, there has been a lack of clarity from the judiciary concerning how to evaluate the enforceability of a restrictive covenant, such as a covenant not to compete, in an ordinary commercial contract. The New York Appellate Division, Second Department recently waded into these waters and attempted to provide some needed clarity in Twitchell Tech. Prods., LLC v. Mechoshade Sys., LLC, 2024 NY Slip Op 01744, decided March 27, 2024

On May 1, 2023, Governor Brian Kemp signed Senate Bill 74 into law, amending O.C.G.A. 9-11-26 and adding a new section: 9-11-26.1. Read together, these new code sections amend the Georgia Civil Practice Act to codify and expand upon discovery protections available under common law to high-ranking corporate officers. O.C.G.A. 9-11-26.1(a) defines an “officer” as “a current or former high-ranking officer of an organization with unique and extensive scheduling demands or responsibilities.” The same subsection defines an “organization” to include “any governmental entity and any other organization, public or private, that is large and complex.”

The California Supreme Court rendered an opinion that California employers will undoubtedly welcome. In Naranjo (Gustavo) v. Spectrum Security, Inc. (2024 Cal. LEXIS 2438), the Court confronted the issue of whether an employer’s good faith yet erroneous belief that it has complied with the wage statement reporting requirements of Labor Code section 226 precludes the imposition of penalties for the knowing and intentional failure to comply with that section.

On March 18, 2024, the Georgia General Assembly passed Senate Bill 426, amending O.C.G.A. 40-1-112 and 40-2-140. This bill significantly limits the situations in which a plaintiff can name and assert a direct action against the insurer of a motor carrier. After a 172-0 passage in the House and 46-2 passage in the Senate, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed the bill into law on May 6, 2024, and it will take effect on July 1, 2024.