Announcements, information and updates from CWAG Members and Associates
May 31, 2018
Registration Is Now OPEN To All!
Arizona Attorney General and CWAG Chair Mark Brnovich, and New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas invite you to the 2018 CWAG Annual Meeting in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico this July 22 to 25, 2018. Join your colleagues as CWAG explores the most pertinent legal issues during the days and spend the evenings enjoying the land of enchantment at our special events. The meeting website includes travel and hotel information to facilitate air and hotel arrangements, speaker details, CLE information and much more.

Registration is now open, and we encourage you to register now to secure your spot before the conference sells out.
  • Early Bird Registration Deadline: Friday, June 11, 2018 at 5:00 pm Pacific time. All registrations received or finalized after this time will be charged the full registration fee.
  • Final Registration Deadline: *Monday, July 9, 2018 at 5:00 pm Pacific time. No registrations will be accepted after this time. *Registration may close earlier if the meeting sells out.
  • No On-Site Registration.

The CWAG host hotel Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa is sold out on Tuesday and Wednesday July 24 and 25. If you have been unable to secure a room, the nearest hotel is the Santa Ana Star Casino hotel.
ANNUAL MEETING PREVIEW
Hot Topics On The Agenda At The 2018 CWAG Annual Meeting
Check out the latest articles on topics that will be addressed during the Annual Meeting in New Mexico!
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Sports Gambling
Suicide Trends

AILD
Updated American Indian Law Deskbook Is Now Available

The American Indian Law Deskbook  is a concise, direct, and easy-to-understand handbook on Indian law. Indian law is a dynamic, ever-evolving field of law that overlaps other areas of the law as tribes expand their economic and political reach in our society. As the chief legal officers of the states, the State Attorneys General offer a unique insight into Indian law. The states have been parties before the United States Supreme Court and the lower courts to many of the cases that have shaped Indian Law over the years. The chapter authors of this book are experienced state lawyers who have been involved in Indian law for many years.

American Indian Law Deskbook  addresses the areas of Indian law most relevant to the practitioner. Topics include:
  • Definitions of Indians and Indian tribes
  • Indian lands
  • Criminal, civil regulatory, and civil adjudicatory jurisdiction
  • Civil rights
  • Indian water rights
  • Fish and wildlife
  • Environmental regulation
  • Taxation
  • Gaming
  • Indian Child Welfare Act and tribal-state cooperative agreements
OPIOID CRISIS
Schuette: One Year In Opioid Trafficking And Drug Interdiction Unit Is Making Strides
May 30, 2018

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette today released an update on the Opioid Trafficking and Interdiction Unit one year after it was announced. The unit was created to help local communities prosecute cases involving large amounts or delivery of heroin or other opioid-based drug crimes from across Michigan.

Since it was created the Unit has investigated and prosecuted 66 cases from 23 Michigan Counties. Eighteen of those cases have resulted in a conviction, twelve cases have charges pending and 25 are still under investigation and 11 have resulted in no charges. Three of the convictions have been for delivery of opioids causing death.
North Carolina AG Announces HOPE Act to Confront Opioid Epidemic
May 30, 2018

Attorney General Josh Stein, with Reps. Murphy and Horn and Sens. Davis and McInnis today unveiled the HOPE Act, formally the Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Enforcement Act, to strengthen law enforcement efforts to confront the opioid crisis. 

This legislation will:
  • strengthen consequences for healthcare workers who steal, dilute, or substitute a patient’s drugs;
  • give trained investigators appropriate access to prescription data and records to improve investigations;
  • fund an additional SBI special agent to coordinate local drug investigators;
  • expand and strengthen the Controlled Substances Reporting System by adding data on veterinary drugs, National Provider Identifier information, and the name and ID of a person receiving Schedule II or III drugs;
  • clarify that fentanyl trafficking is covered by our drug trafficking statutes;
  • invest $10 million a year in community-based drug treatment and recovery services;
  • invest $1 million a year in naloxone to protect law enforcement officers and the citizens they serve;
  • invest $160,000 in Operation Medicine Drop to safely destroy unneeded prescription drugs.
INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ACT
Attorney General Becerra Leads Bipartisan Coalition of Attorneys General to Protect Native American Children
Attorneys General file amicus brief to defend federal Indian Child Welfare Act   
May 29, 2018

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, leading a bipartisan coalition of Attorneys General, filed an amicus brief late last week in  Brakeen et. al. v. Zinke   to defend the federal Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). ICWA sets specific child welfare rules designed to ensure that cases regarding abuse, neglect and adoption involving Native American children are handled in a culturally appropriate manner.

“California is home to the nation’s largest Native American population, and the California Department of Justice is dedicated to preserving Native American heritage in every way,” said Attorney General Becerra.   “ICWA is an important law that protects Native American children and allows them to remain connected to their community. I will continue fighting to defend ICWA.”

In this brief, California is joined by the following states: Alaska, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
May 24, 2018

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced a $3,318,700 settlement with Cox Communications California, LLC (Cox) and other related entities to resolve allegations that its California facilities unlawfully disposed of hazardous waste – including hazardous batteries, electronic devices, and aerosols. These acts constitute violations of California’s Hazardous Waste Control Law, and of California’s Unfair Competition Law, as such conduct gives Cox a competitive advantage over other regulated entities that are complying with the law. Cox also is alleged to have discarded customer records without rendering personal information unreadable. This settlement was the result of a partnership between the Attorney General’s Office and the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office.  
PROTECTION OF CHILDREN

AG Balderas Expands Investigation of Technology Used in Child Exploitation; Requests Cooperation & Information from Giganews
May 24, 2018

New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas announced his office is expanding its investigation of the use of technology to distribute child pornography and has requested the cooperation of Giganews to provide information that will aid in the investigation. Last week, Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Affairs Sharon Pino sent a letter to Giganews CEO Ronald B. Yokubaitis demanding answers about the company and users’ practices regarding child exploitation.

“…[T]he OAG demands that Giganews immediately report any individuals engaging in the illegal trade of contraband images of child exploitation to the OAG and the NCMEC and provide a list of IP addresses regardless of the status of the user’s subscription status,” concludes the letter.
CONSUMER PROTECTION
Schuette Expands Criminal Division, Creates New Team Focused on Kids and Seniors
May 29, 2018

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette today announced that he is expanding his Criminal Division, creating the Child, Elder and Family Financial Crimes Division.

As technology expands so do the avenues for financial crime. The creation of this innovative unit allows the assistant attorneys general working on prosecuting these crimes to evolve as well, allowing them to better protect Michigan residents.
AG ELECTION TRACKER
Follow the 31 AG Races in 2018 on this Interactive Website
A significant number of states, 30 and the District of Columbia, have contests for the Office of Attorney General. Cozen O’Connor’s State Attorneys General Practice hosts an interactive map for those interested in following the races throughout the country. The State AG Election Tracker includes state-by-state AG candidate snapshots, filing deadlines and primary election dates; daily news, insights, polling and fundraising data; and the ability to sign up for real-time election-night updates via text and email. Access is free.
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