Effective October 1, through a final rule, the US Department of State’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) has officially removed Syria from the list of countries subject to a license review policy of denial under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) contained in § 126.1 of the ITAR. Exports of defense articles and services to Syria will now be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Headlines that Matter for Companies and Executives in Regulated Industries
On September 18, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning letter to Empower Pharmacy, a Houston-based compounding pharmacy that was producing GLP-1 weight-loss drugs (semaglutide and tirzepatide) at high volume.
On September 30, the Illinois Supreme Court agreed to review Tate Road Solar 1, LLC v. County of Winnebago, an appellate decision that deepened uncertainty about county permitting authority over commercial solar energy projects in Illinois.
On September 30, 2026, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 690 (SB 690). The bill ends private lawsuits under the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA) for pen register and trap-and-trace claims under Penal Code Section 638.51 when those claims arise from conduct on a website, online application, or mobile application.
Solar project developers seeking the domestic content bonus credit under 26 U.S.C. §§ 45Y and 48E should exercise heightened vigilance regarding the origin of the aluminum and steel frames on the photovoltaic (PV) modules they purchase.
US Congress has passed legislation with the potential to significantly expand the availability of subchapter V, the streamlined and less expensive version of Chapter 11 reorganization created for “small businesses.”
Here is a sentence you do not read often: a court accepted that a “Made in USA” product was probably made mostly from foreign material and still dismissed the case.
When a garment worker in the United States takes home less than the minimum wage, accountability has traditionally ended with the sewing contractor. A bill reintroduced in US Congress as New York’s runway season opened would change that, extending liability up the supply chain to the brand on the label, no matter how many contracting layers stand in between.
On September 9, Governor Kathy Hochul signed S.3460, creating Section 210-b of the New York Labor Law.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has drawn a line. On September 15, FTC staff published Automobile Industry Pricing Transparency: FAQs, and the message to dealers is blunt: the advertised price must be the actual price any consumer can walk in and pay, excluding only charges the government requires the consumer to pay. If your advertised numbers do not match what buyers actually pay, you are exposed today.
Headlines that Matter for Companies and Executives in Regulated Industries
On September 20, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 1078 (Chapter 420), which adds Section 1749.52 to the California Civil Code.
A federal court has temporarily blocked New Mexico’s first-of-its-kind requirement that manufacturers label a broad range of products containing intentionally added per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). But the most notable part of the decision is not that the state lost. It is how it lost.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed a preliminary injunction against non-signatory third parties who helped a former business owner violate his noncompete agreement and build a direct competitor using the plaintiff’s confidential information, employees, and customer relationships.
In July 2025, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a Warning Letter asserting that Whoop’s blood pressure estimation feature was a medical device requiring premarket clearance. In June 2026, the FDA issued a closeout letter resolving the matter.
A federal court in Washington has allowed a class action lawsuit to move forward against Costco, alleging that the retailer’s promise of “free shipping” on its website is a sham. The decision should put every e-commerce operator on notice.
On June 3, President Trump signed Executive Order (EO) 14411, “Strengthening Customs Enforcement,” which directed a sweeping overhaul of the importer of record (IOR) framework, restricted foreign IORs, raised penalty floors, imposed new disclosure and certification requirements, and directed the government to strengthen customs enforcement.
Does Your Image License Cover AI? Pujols v. Rainbow USA and the Risks of AI-Generated Model Replicas
The rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has introduced a simple but important question for fashion brands: if you have permission to use a model’s photograph, does that also mean you can use AI to generate entirely new images of that model?
For decades, California’s vehicle-emissions waivers operated under a familiar understanding. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted them, automakers planned around them, and states other than California adopted standards depending on them. Then EPA took the position that certain waivers should have been submitted to US Congress under the Congressional Review Act, potentially exposing long-settled decisions to congressional disapproval.
Headlines that Matter for Companies and Executives in Regulated Industries
In this episode of “Tax Stuff You Should Know,” hosts Bob Pluth and Gene Magidenko discuss a significant Fifth Circuit reversal of its earlier decision addressing the self-employment tax treatment of limited partners. They revisit the determination of limited partner status for purposes of determining self-employment taxes and why that distinction can have major tax consequences for partnerships and their owners.
A federal judge in South Florida has dismissed a proposed class action accusing The Hershey Company of misleading consumers with packaging for Reese’s peanut butter pumpkins. The case turned on a familiar mismatch: the wrapper showed a pumpkin with carved eyes and a mouth, while the candy inside did not.
Last month, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a proposed rule that, if finalized, would result in a major overhaul of its Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) framework for ingredients and other substances added to human and animal food.
Welcome to the September 2026 issue of “As the (Customs and Trade) World Turns,” our monthly newsletter where we compile essential updates from the customs and trade world over the past month. We bring you the most recent and significant insights in an accessible format, concluding with our main takeaways — aka “And the Fox Says…” — on what you need to know.