Legislative Activity

The Restoring Court Authority Over Litigation Act of 2025 clarifies that state and federal courts have exclusive regulatory authority over attorneys' litigation activities, preventing federal agencies from overseeing or regulating attorneys in legal proceedings. It also prohibits federal private civil actions against opposing attorneys for alleged misconduct during litigation. The bill amends the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and the Consumer Financial Protection Act to ensure attorneys engaged in debt collection litigation are excluded from certain regulatory definitions, reinforcing the courts' authority over attorney conduct in litigation.

The "Law-Enforcement Innovate to De-Escalate Act of 2025" exempts less-than-lethal projectile devices from certain federal restrictions, defining these devices based on their inability to fire lethal ammunition, a velocity cap of 500 feet per second, design for non-lethal use, and magazine compatibility. It tasks the Attorney General with determining whether a device meets the Act's definition within 90 days of a request.

The "Making the CFPB Accountable to Small Businesses Act of 2025" requires covered agencies to consider the impact of proposed rules on small entities and provide detailed justifications if alternatives aren't adopted. It also requires agencies to describe steps taken to minimize credit costs for small entities.

The Separation of Powers Restoration Act of 2025 requires courts to independently decide all legal questions, including interpreting laws and agency rules, when reviewing agency actions. This changes the standard of judicial review, ensuring courts do not defer to an agency's interpretation but make their own judgment. This applies to all agency actions unless explicitly exempted by law.

This bill disapproves and invalidates a rule issued by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) concerning the requirements for companies to notify the FTC before merging or acquiring another company. These requirements include reporting and waiting periods. By disapproving this rule, the bill prevents the FTC from implementing changes to the pre-merger notification process.

The "Stopping Overdoses of Fentanyl Analogues Act" amends the Controlled Substances Act to classify fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs, making them subject to the same penalties as specific fentanyl analogues. This classification applies to substances structurally related to fentanyl through defined chemical modifications, without needing further proof of their analogue status. The Act aims to combat the opioid crisis by more strictly regulating fentanyl-related substances.

The Interstate Commerce Simplification Act of 2025 amends existing federal law to broaden the definition of "solicitation of orders" to include activities that support order solicitation, regardless of other business purposes. This change may subject businesses to income tax in states where they have previously been protected from taxation under federal law.