The Regulation of Cosmetics in the U.S.: Where It’s Been and Now Is Headed

Posted on September 29, 2025Categories FDA

The cosmetics industry in the U.S. has fallen behind in safety regulations compared to its European counterparts. The European Union has banned roughly 1,300 different ingredients in personal care products while the U.S. has banned merely 11. The last major update to regulations in the U.S. was in 2022 with the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act (MoCRA). However, there is still work that needs to be done to address the health and safety risks that the cosmetic industry poses. The “Safer Beauty Bill Package” is just one proposed regulation that would majorly alter how personal care products are regulated in the U.S.
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Continuity Across Administrations in Antitrust Law

Posted on September 26, 2025Categories Antitrust

In April 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) decided to pursue an antitrust trial against Meta. This conflict was initiated back in 2020 during the Trump administration, which continued throughout Biden’s time in office, and is now being brought to fruition. This case involves the alleged monopoly of social networking services as a result of Meta’s acquisition of Instagram and, more recently, WhatsApp. Regardless of the administration, antitrust agencies remain committed to challenging harmful business practices in the tech sector.
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The IPO of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Could Provide Instability to an Already Weak U.S. Housing Market

Posted on September 23, 2025Categories Finance & Banking

Last month, the Trump Administration announced that it is pursuing an initial public offering (IPO) of the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac), both of which are currently under government conservatorship and overseen by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). While there is no guarantee that the deal will move forward, President Donald Trump, FHFA Director Bill Plute, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick believe the offering will take place soon, potentially later this year. While boasted as a great deal by the Trump Administration, given the size, risks, and the likely results that will follow the deals commencement, it is more likely to destabilize the mortgage market and further harm the currently sluggish U.S. housing market than to provide any benefit to U.S. citizens.

The Cost of Beauty: Chemical Compliance in Cosmetics

Posted on September 22, 2025Categories FDA

Have you ever considered the cost of beauty? The health cost, not the financial one, although both are considerably pricey. A bonded lash, a swipe of nail polish, a hair straightening treatment, and many other cosmetic and personal care products may contain harmful chemicals, including formaldehyde – a colorless carcinogen – or formaldehyde-releasers, like methylene glycol or dimethyl hydantoin (DMDM).
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Navigating the Complex Landscape of Reproductive Healthcare Compliance

Posted on September 18, 2025Categories Healthcare Compliance, HIPAA & Health Information

In the constantly evolving field of reproductive healthcare, compliance with regulatory standards is both challenging and vital. As legal frameworks shift and new technologies emerge, healthcare providers, law students, practitioners, and compliance professionals must stay informed to ensure adherence to the law. Several key compliance issues in reproductive healthcare, including privacy concerns raised by biometric technology as it is tied to employers, offer insights into the challenges and strategies for maintaining regulatory compliance.

Administrative Agencies and the Fight Over Regulatory Control

Posted on September 17, 2025Categories Journal of Regulatory Compliance, Regulation

The regulatory state has expanded from the time of our founding. After the growth of industry and the expansion of interstate trade, the government understandably sought new ways to address increasingly complex problems. New agencies were created, such as the Environmental Protection Agency, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Federal Trade Commission (EPA, FDA , and FTC) who were charged with regulating different areas of commerce. This outgrowth was necessary to address changes in American markets. Over recent years, however, this expansion has become overly complex and has given too much authority to administrative agencies. In 2022 the state of West Virginia sought to rein in the regulatory powers of administrative agencies in the landmark Supreme Court case West Virginia v. EPA.  

Regulating Artificial Intelligence in the World of Insurance: Illinois’ Stalled Legislative Effort

Posted on September 16, 2025Categories Regulation

The rapidly growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) has resulted in corporations having to find the balance between regulation and efficiency, and the world of insurance is no exception. As part of this transformation, insurance companies such as UnitedHealth Group and Humana have integrated AI into their claims evaluation system as a tool to process claims efficiently. UnitedHealth Group states that AI can better analyze data, process claims, detect fraud and provide more effective customer service. However, critics challenge this assessment, citing bias and privacy concerns. During the 2025 legislative session, Illinois pushed to regulate insurance agencies operating in the state through Illinois House Bill 0035. However, the legislation stalled in the Illinois Senate and did not advance during the 2025 legislative session.

Offer, Acceptance, no Consideration: Mandatory Arbitration Agreements and the Battle for Consumer and Worker Protection

Posted on September 16, 2025Categories Regulation

Today, the rapid proliferation of Mandatory Arbitration Agreements (MAAs) in modern U.S. commercial and employment transactions represents a clear and concerning trend: a pervasive and increasingly normalized paradigm shift in which big business exercises an unreasonable amount of legal control over consumers and employees alike. Important high profile examples – such as Disney, Kellog’s, and General Mills – spotlight how seamlessly such contractual clauses are used to preempt the rights of consumers and workers. Ultimately, these clauses effectively ban workers and consumers from bringing otherwise legally sound claims to the courtroom. The increasingly ubiquitous use of MAA’s represents a threat to basic principles of justice and fairness, exacerbating an already corporate friendly regulatory dynamic and commercial legal environment. However, this present reality is not predestined. Legislative proposals like the FAIR Act represent important balancing opportunities for federal regulators to empower consumers and workers by protecting them from unknowingly signing away their legal rights, and potential remedies, often with one simple click.
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Worker Safety Compliance in a Remote Work World

Posted on September 15, 2025Categories Employment

Employee safety is a top priority for all employers. However, as the world continues to embrace remote work, employers must navigate employee safety in a new manner. Both state and federal agencies have adapted regulations to ensure remote workers are entitled to a safe working environment, which means expanded responsibility for employers. Employers now need to maintain safe work environments within the employee’s homes or face the consequences like workers’ compensation penalties and violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
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Navigating the Shifting Tides of Regulatory Compliance in Climate Policy

Posted on April 27, 2025Categories Regulation

The United States finds itself at a regulatory crossroads when it comes to environmental policy. The current administration’s efforts to block state climate regulations through executive action stand in stark contrast to the growing movement of state governments implementing stringent greenhouse gas reporting requirements. This divergence creates a complex compliance landscape where businesses must simultaneously adapt to federal deregulation while meeting expanding state-level environmental mandates. This tension between federal and state approaches to climate regulation presents both challenges and opportunities for corporate compliance programs. As federal agencies scale back environmental oversight, progressive states are filling the regulatory void with ambitious climate policies that often exceed previous federal standards. This blog examines this emerging dichotomy, explores its implications for business operations, and provides strategic guidance for maintaining compliance in this evolving landscape.
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