The New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) recently published new compliance resources for its amended debt collection regulations, known as the SHIELD Rule, which are scheduled to take effect on September 1, 2026.
Virginia’s New Business Screening Services Program: Key Compliance Obligations
Virginia is implementing a new Business Screening Services (BSS) program that will significantly change how private background screening companies handle Virginia criminal and traffic history records.
Virginia’s New Uniform Consumer Debt Default Judgments Act: What Creditors Need to Know About HB 444
On April 8, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger signed HB 444, the Uniform Consumer Debt Default Judgments Act, into law. The Act establishes pleading and notice requirements in certain consumer debt collection actions that must be met for a creditor to obtain a default judgment against a consumer. This Act is based on a model drafted by the Uniform Law Commission, similar versions of which have been enacted in Washington and introduced in Pennsylvania. HB 444 will take effect on July 1, 2027.
April 2026 Consumer Litigation Filings: All Major Statutes Up for the First Time in Over a Year
Statistics for April consumer litigation filings are in, and, for the first time in over a year, all three of the top consumer protection statutes moved up month-over-month. According to a report by WebRecon, court filings under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), and Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) all increased in April compared to March. This is the first time since March 2025 that all three statutes have been up in the same month. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) complaint volume dipped in April, but is still up year-over-year.
The Governor’s Veto of Virginia’s Proposed Class Action Bill: What Businesses Should Know
On May 19, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger (D) indicated that she intends to veto SB 229, a pending bill which would have created a Virginia state court class action mechanism and would have modified the Virginia Consumer Protection Act (VCPA) in critical ways. Governor Spanberger initially noted that she “approve[d] the general purpose of this bill,” but returned it to the legislature with proposed amendments.
March Consumer Litigation Filings: TCPA Cools Off Slightly, FCRA/FDCPA and CFPB Complaints Heat Up
Statistics for March consumer litigation filings are in with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) again leading the pack in terms of increased litigation filings and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) not far behind.
Virginia’s New Arbitration Fairness Act: What Businesses Need to Know About SB 227
On April 8, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger signed SB 227, the Arbitration Fairness Act, into law. The Act not only regulates how high-volume arbitration providers select and oversee arbitrators, but also reshapes the rules for challenging an arbitration award after it has been issued. Designed to make consumer and employment arbitrations more transparent and balanced when administered by high‑volume arbitration service providers, SB 227 will take effect on July 1, 2026, and will apply to all arbitration agreements entered into on or after that date.
New York’s Ban on Employment Credit Checks Takes Effect April 18
New York has now enacted a statewide ban that, with limited exceptions, prohibits employers from using consumer credit history in hiring and other employment decisions. Effective April 18, 2026, the law amends the state’s General Business Law to make it an unlawful discriminatory practice for most employers to request or rely on an applicant’s or employee’s credit information when making employment decisions.
February Consumer Litigation Filings: TCPA Up Big
According to a recent report by WebRecon, court filings under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) were way up for the month. On the other hand, Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) filings as well as complaints filed with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) were all down. Nonetheless, everything is still up YTD.
Virginia Supreme Court Sets High Bar for Vacating Arbitration Awards for “Evident Partiality”
In a decision of first impression, the Supreme Court of Virginia in Garofalo v. Di Vincenzo, defined what “evident partiality” means under the Virginia Uniform Arbitration Act (VUAA). The court held that a party seeking to vacate an arbitration award must show that a reasonable person, knowing all relevant facts, would conclude the arbitrator’s conduct signifies obvious bias against that party. Applying this standard, the court affirmed confirmation of a FINRA arbitration award and declined to vacate based on an arbitrator’s undisclosed, attenuated prior connections to one side.