Montana Family Champions Tighter DUI Laws Following Tragic Loss, Launches Gift Card Initiative to Encourage Sober Driving

HELENA, Mont. — Tragedy struck the community of Columbia Falls last March when Robert “Bobby” Dewbre, a local resident, was fatally injured by a drunk driver while crossing the street. The incident, which resulted in the driver being sentenced to the maximum allowable 18 months on misdemeanor charges due to limitations under current state law, has fueled significant legislative advocacy efforts. Bobby’s mother, Beth McBride, fueled by the current legal limitations, spearheaded a grassroots movement calling for tougher DUI laws in Montana. As the executive director of the nonprofit Montana Bar Fairies, McBride and her … Read more

Texas’ Gold Card Experiment Stalls: Why Few Providers Win Exemption from Prior Authorizations

Austin, Texas — To streamline the medical preauthorization process for physicians, several states, including Texas, have introduced “gold card” laws aimed at exempting commonly approved procedures or prescriptions from repetitive checks. However, the anticipated simplification has not unfolded as expected, and the laws often fall short of their promise. Under the 2021 Texas gold card law, a health insurer or health maintenance organization (HMO) is required to waive preauthorization if a provider has had a 90% or higher approval rate during a six-month evaluation. This exemption, designed to be automatic, should relieve some of the … Read more

Federal Judge Strikes Down CFPB’s $8 Credit Card Late Fee Rule, Upholding Higher Charges as Per CARD Act

FORT WORTH, Texas — A federal judge in Texas has handed a significant setback to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) by ruling against its recent regulation that would drastically lower credit card late fees to $8, describing the move as an overreach of the bureau’s authority. The decision emerged from U.S. District Judge Mark T. Pittman, who is predicting a likely failure for the CFPB’s initiative based on his assessment. Judge Pittman, appointed under the Trump administration, articulated that the rule contradicted the provisions of the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of … Read more

Wedding Whispers: Divorce Lawyer Gifts Her Business Card to Couples She Predicts Won’t Last

New York City, NY – Kristen Farris, a seasoned divorce attorney from Hudson Valley, has developed an unusual and somewhat controversial practice when it comes to wedding gifts. Having spent nearly two decades in the industry, she claims to have developed a keen intuition on the durability of a couple’s union. Farris has caught attention for gifting certain couples with her business card inside their wedding cards — a pre-emptive offering of her services for those she predicts will not last. According to Farris, who has a large following on TikTok where she often shares … Read more