pstrongCalifornia

California Committee Strips Away ‘Leno’s Law’ for Classic Car Exemptions, Leaving Enthusiasts in Disappointment

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A legislative committee in California has voted against a proposal that aimed to exempt classic car owners from stringent smog-check regulations, despite celebrity support from comedian Jay Leno. The Assembly Appropriations Committee on Friday chose not to advance Senate Bill 712, authored by Republican Senator Shannon Grove of Bakersfield, which had garnered significant attention earlier this year. Leno, a well-known classic car enthusiast with a collection nearing 200 vehicles, had advocated for the bill in Sacramento, arguing that the requirements for testing older cars significantly hinder ownership and restoration efforts. This measure … Read more

California Jury Hands Down Historic $604.9 Million Trade Secret Verdict Against Phillips 66 for Misappropriation

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A California jury has ordered Phillips 66 Company to pay nearly $605 million in damages for misusing trade secrets belonging to Propel Fuels, Inc. The ruling, delivered on October 16, 2024, held Phillips 66 liable after concluding that it had willfully misappropriated proprietary information during acquisition negotiations with Propel, a company specializing in low-carbon fuels. The legal battle began in 2017 when Propel and Phillips 66 entered discussions to potentially merge or collaborate on Propel’s innovative renewable gasoline and diesel technologies. Propel shared sensitive data under a non-disclosure agreement to facilitate these talks. However, the … Read more

California Court Upholds Climate Disclosure Laws Amid Legal Challenges from Business Groups

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Sacramento, California — In a significant development for climate policy, two pivotal laws, SB 253 and SB 261, were enacted in October 2023 as part of California’s Climate Accountability Package. These laws impose requirements on companies operating in the state with annual revenues of at least $500,000 under SB 253 and $1 million under SB 261, mandating them to publicly disclose climate-related information. Specifically, SB 253 necessitates the reporting of greenhouse gas emissions across all scopes, while SB 261 requires a biennial assessment of climate-related fiscal impacts to be submitted to the California Air Resources … Read more

California Jury Delivers Groundbreaking Ruling Against Meta for Illegally Collecting Sensitive Menstrual Data from Flo Users

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A jury in San Francisco has determined that Meta Platforms Inc. unlawfully collected menstruation data from users of the popular period-tracking app Flo, marking a significant victory for privacy advocates. This ruling, reached after weeks of hearings, is notable as it represents the first jury verdict against a major tech company concerning reproductive health data violations. The lawsuit originated from claims that Flo Health Inc., the app’s developer, disclosed sensitive user information—including cycle lengths and fertility predictions—to third parties, including Meta, without obtaining proper consent. The plaintiffs asserted that this information was integrated into Meta’s … Read more