Texas has become the second state, after Colorado, to enact omnibus legislation regulating artificial intelligence systems. The Texas Responsible Artificial Intelligence Governance Act establishes a new regulatory framework that applies to developers and deployers of AI systems conducting business in Texas or producing AI products or services used by Texas residents. The passage of the Texas law is noteworthy given that in recent months, Gov. Gavin Newsom of California and Gov. Glenn Youngkin of Virginia each vetoed their respective state’s omnibus AI laws. It remains to be seen whether other states follow Texas’ and Colorado’s lead, or if they avoid omnibus AI laws and focus instead on regulating specific activities, such as the use of deepfakes.
Litigation Roundup: Fifth Circuit Slashes FTC’s $37.5M Win
In this edition of Litigation Roundup, the Federal Trade Commission sees a $37.5 million judgment in its favor trimmed down to $12.2 million by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and the Second Court of Appeals in Fort Worth sides with a landowner in a condemnation dispute involving golf course operations.
Former TV News Anchor Guilty in $300M Pandemic Loan Scam
Stephanie Hockridge and her husband, Nathan Reis, were indicted on federal fraud charges in connection with their efforts to help small businesses obtain forgivable loans under the Paycheck Protection Program. Tried before U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor in Fort Worth, Hockridge was convicted of conspiracy Friday. Reis is scheduled for trial in August.
Victims’ Families Urge Rejection of Boeing 737 Max Settlement, Request Special Prosecutor
The families’ request was lodged Wednesday in the criminal fraud case the government brought against Boeing in January 2021 in the wake of two plane crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people. The families filed their briefs after the government, on May 29, filed a motion to dismiss and informed the court it had entered a non-prosecution agreement with the aerospace manufacturing company.
Anatomy of an Acquittal — Delayed Vindication
At the very end of the series Mad Men, the yoga instructor encourages his class, which includes the show’s protagonist, Don Draper, with the following words: “A new day. New ideas. A new you.” From the perspective of the defense team at least, that’s a fitting introduction to the retrial of United States v. Hamilton, which resulted last week in an acquittal on all charges of conspiracy to commit bribery and two substantive counts of bribery. In the retrial, the government tried precisely the same case it tried four years ago. And why not? That case resulted in a conviction on three of four charges, which led to an eight-year prison sentence imposed by the district court.