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House and Senate Pass Mental Health Parity Extension

Client Alert | less than 1 min read | 12.22.03

The House and Senate have each passed bills that would extend the applicability of the Mental Health Parity Act of 1996 ("MHPA") an additional year. The Senate version, S. 1929, passed by unanimous consent. MHPA, the provisions of which appear in Section 702 of ERISA, was scheduled to expire as of December 31, 2003. MHPA requires group health plans to provide annual and lifetime limits on mental health benefits that are identical to those provided by the plan for major medical benefits. Small employers-generally those with 50 or fewer employees-are exempt from MHPA's requirements.

Insights

Client Alert | 5 min read | 07.20.26

DOJ and DHS Issue Interim Final Rule on State and Local Counter-Drone Authority Under the SAFER SKIES Act

On July 6, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published an Interim Final Rule (IFR) setting up a new federal framework that allows state, local, Tribal, and territorial (SLTT) law enforcement and correctional agencies to detect, track, and, in some cases, disable or seize drones. The rule directly affects SLTT agencies looking to stand up counter-drone programs, as well as drone and counter-drone technology companies whose products will be subject to federal review and approval. Although the IFR bypassed the Administrative Procedure Act’s standard notice-and-comment process on good cause grounds — citing the statutory 180-day deadline and urgent public safety needs — the rule is already legally binding and effective as of July 1, 2026. The Departments are nonetheless accepting post-promulgation comments through September 4, 2026....