Supreme Court

Supreme Court limits “safety valve” in federal sentencing law

Supreme Court limits “safety valve” in federal sentencing law

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Justice Elena Kagan’s opinion for a sharply divided court in Pulsifer v. United States resolves an ambiguity in the provisions added to federal sentencing law in the First Step Act of 2018, coming down firmly on the side of the government. The problem involves how to read a “safety valve” in federal criminal sentencing laws, which allows defendants to avoid the often lengthy mandatory minimum sentences scattered throughout the federal criminal code. The safety valve requires the defendant to … Read the rest

Civil Law

Kentucky launches new food safety reporting website

This month, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announced the launch of a new website where Kentuckians can easily report foodborne issues.

Before the website, foodborne illness was reported to the district or local health departments by phone. The new website allows for quick and easy reporting by consumers. It also allows state public health officials to get the necessary information more efficiently, enabling quicker action to prevent others from becoming sick.

“Protecting the health and safety of our Kentucky families is … Read the rest

Civil Law

Center for Produce Safety funds 14 new research projects

In an effort to help answer the fresh produce industry’s most urgent food safety questions, the Center for Produce Safety (CPS) is funding 14 new research projects, valued at more than $ 3.9 million.

These 14 new projects are aimed at answering industry questions about leafy greens production in controlled environments, evaluating and mitigating risk from Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella, and Cyclospora detection. 

Researchers’ proposals were vetted by industry experts on the CPS Technical Committee and other expert volunteers.

One … Read the rest

Civil Law

Senate committee sets nomination hearing for top food safety official

A committee in the U.S. Senate has finally set a nomination hearing to consider Jose Emilio Esteban for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s top food safety job.

Nominated on Nov. 12, 2021, by President Joe Biden, Esteban is scheduled to go before the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry on Sept. 22. The committee has not offered any reason why the nomination hearing has been delayed so long, except for a comment from Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-MI. At one … Read the rest

Civil Law

Food safety talks between U.S. and Mexico focus on building partnership

This past week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and its regulatory counterparts in Mexico — the Federal Commission for the Protection from Sanitary Risks (COFEPRIS) and the National Service of Agro-Alimentary Health, Safety and Quality (SENASICA) — held the second annual Food Safety Partnership (FSP) Meeting as part of ongoing efforts to help ensure the safety of food imported from Mexico and to advance protections for consumers in both countries.

“We are building on the longstanding partnership for the … Read the rest

Circuit Courts

Judges Request Funding to Address Cybersecurity, Courthouse Safety, Growing Workload

Two federal judges testified that a Judiciary budget of $ 8.6 billion is needed to keep pace with inflation and to pay for important new investments in courthouse security, IT modernization, and cybersecurity. They also requested staffing to address workload increases caused by issues outside the Judiciary’s control.
Judiciary News – United States Courts… Read the rest