Client Alerts

On March 31, 2020, the state of Washington passed a detailed law regulating the use of facial recognition software by state and local government agencies, Senate Bill 6280 (the “Act”). The Act is intended to promote the use of facial recognition services in a manner that benefits society, while prohibiting use that threatens civil liberties.

As most people associated with the cannabis business know, up until the Agricultural Act of 2018 (the Farm Bill), possession or sale of marijuana or cannabis has been illegal under federal law. There was an exception made under the Farm Bill for certain products coming under the new definition of “hemp”, in short, THC concentration of not more than 0.3 percent.  

On Friday, April 3, 2020, Governor Whitmer issued Executive Order 2020-36. This recent Executive Order focused primarily on the employment setting and also stressed that those who have been infected or in close contact with someone who was infected, stay home unless absolutely necessary and then, wear a mask. 

On April 2, 2020, Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued Executive Order No. 2020-35, suspending in-person K-12 instruction for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. Governor Whitmer’s Executive Order has a wide-ranging impact on public school districts, public school academies (charter schools), teachers and, of course, students and parents.

On March 31st, 2020, Mexico’s Secretary of Health published a resolution in Mexico Official Gazette ordering the stop of all business activities in Mexico that are not deemed “essential”.

On March 31, 2020, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) issued a temporary enforcement memo to address environmental compliance obligations in light of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s March 23, 2020 emergency COVID-19 response “Stay at Home” Executive Order, 2020-21 (Order). 

The two trillion dollar coronavirus relief act (“CARES Act”) was officially enacted on March 27. The act includes provisions to allow participants special access to retirement funds, thus providing a source of cash. 

The CARES Act, signed into law by President Trump on March, 27, 2020,  provides a significant change for financially distressed small businesses under the recently enacted Small Business Reorganization Act (“SBRA”). 

The Department of Labor has updated its Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) question and answer website three different times in a five-day period, including on Saturday, March 28, 2020, to address some of the most pressing questions facing employers leading up to the April 1, 2020 effective date of the FFCRA’s two leave laws.

On Monday, March 23, Governor Whitmer issued Executive Order 2020-21, commonly known as the “Stay Home” Order.[*] It exempts “critical infrastructure workers” from the stay home mandate and incorporates the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) March 19, 2020 advisory guidance (the “Initial CISA Guidance”) as to the which workers are critical.

On Friday, March 27, 2020, President Trump signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act of 2020 (or "CARES" Act) (Pub. L. No. 116-136) (H.R. 748).

By now, it is clear to all across the globe that the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has altered every facet of life. 

On Friday, March 27, 2020, President Trump signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act of 2020 (or “CARES” Act) (Pub. L. No. 116-136) (H.R. 748).

On March 20th, the United States Trade Representative (USTR), the government office that administers Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 and which implemented four tranches of tariffs on products in China in retaliation for Chinese practices affecting US Intellectual property and market access, announced a new comment period for Public Comments to Identify Additional Products Potentially Helpful to U.S. Response to Coronavirus Crisis.

On March 26, 2020, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a memorandum entitled “COVID-19 Implications for EPA’s Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Program” setting forth its policy and intent to utilize its enforcement discretion during the COVID-19 crisis.

On March 10, 2020, Michigan identified its first case of coronavirus (“COVID-19”), prompting Gov. Whitmer to declare a state of emergency. 

President Donald Trump last week invoked the 1950 Defense Production Act, providing his Administration with the authority to issue directives to private industry to boost the supply of critical materials and items during a war or national emergency.

On March 24, 2020, Mexico’s Health Secretary published in Mexico’s Official Gazette of the Federation an announcement intended to establish and implement preventive measures to control and mitigate health risks brought on by COVID-19 outbreak (the “Order”).

In the face of COVID-19, as the economy falters, both employers and employees may need to save and access cash. Retirement plans are potential cash-drains on employers, and cash-sources for employees. 

Patients can access their medical marijuana at state-licensed provisioning centers by curbside or home delivery pursuant to MMFLA Administrative Rule, R 333.282 and MRTMA Emergency Rule 57.