Effective August 19, 2014, New Jersey Senate Bill 2363 went into effect, requiring contractors required to register under the Contractors’ Registration Act, N.J.S.A. §§ 56:8-136, et seq. — home improvement contractors — to wear a state-issued identification badge “on the upper left corner of his torso when the contractor is…
On September 30, 2014, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia rejected a challenge to the decision of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to withdraw a proposed listing of the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard, a species found in many oil and gas producing areas, as an endangered…
On September 26, 2014, a divided panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit reversed the U.S. District Court of the Middle District of Pennsylvania, holding that Columbia Gas Transmission Company, an interstate natural gas company regulated by FERC, has the right of eminent domain granted by…
UPDATE: Applications for the Position of the Registrar of Contractors must be received by 5:00 p.m. PST on November 17, 2014 and must include all required information. The California Contractors State License Board invites applications for the position of Registrar of Contractors. The Registrar of Contractors is responsible for, among…
United States Supreme Court decisions provide guideposts for the exercise of environmental permitting and enforcement power by state and federal authorities. Whether a particular facility can be permitted often determines whether it can be built or modified after it has been constructed. In addition, a decision such as the Court’s…
A new California law effective July 1, 2015 requires employers to provide at least 3 paid sick days per year. Workers covered by valid collective bargaining agreements meeting certain requirements are exempt, but contractors should review their sick leave policies for all employees to ensure they are in compliance. Please…
On September 4, 2014, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued a decision rejecting the argument that a Clean Water Act (CWA) “permit shield” required the dismissal of a CWA citizen suit. The case is Alaska Community Action on Toxics, et al. v. Aurora Energy Services, LLC;…
Rule of Thumb: If the business entity’s name change results in the California Secretary of State issuing a new registration number, a new California contractor’s license will be required ~ a contractor’s license is not transferrable. If a new license is required, you must file an application for original contractor’s…
On September 4, 2014, U.S. District Court Judge Carl Barbier issued a ruling holding that BP Exploration & Production Inc. is subject to enhanced civil penalties under the Clean Water Act (CWA) because the deadly April 20, 2010 blowout, explosion, fire and massive oil spill at the Macondo well in…
Yesterday, Pillsbury attorney Ray Sweigart published his client advisory English Contract Law: Choice of Law and Forum Trumped? Beware (or at least be aware) of the Commercial Agents Regulations. The Advisory discusses the English High Court’s analysis, in Fern Computer Consultancy Ltd v Intergraph Cadworx & Analysis Solutions Inc [2014]…