HB 21 & HFCs: How Changes to Housing Finance Oversight Affect Developers
HB 21 closes the door on some of the most flexible interpretations of HFC authority. Going forward, HFCs must operate primarily in the jurisdiction where they were created.
Are Corporate Shareholders Losing Voice? Understanding SB 29 & SB 1057
Two new laws passed in Texas—SB 29 and SB 1057—are making it harder for shareholders to hold corporate leadership accountable. Depending on your perspective, that’s either overdue protection or a concerning step away from corporate transparency. SB 29 codifies and strengthens the “business judgment rule,” protecting directors and officers from personal liability for decisions made in good faith—even […]
General Partnerships Will Go On… And On
If you haven’t been following Texas Supreme Court blogs (and who hasn’t), you probably missed the Court’s February 2015 opinion in American Star Energy and Materials Corp. v. Stowers et. al. But small and large businesses alike should take notice because this decision simultaneously strengthens the concept of an unfiled general partnership while extending how […]
So You Didn’t Rent to an Ex-Con… Can They Sue for Discrimination?
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) Secretary Julian Castro announced in early April 2016 that the blanket use of criminal histories to deny housing may, in effect, be discriminatory and a violation of the Fair Housing Act. According to HUD, broadly using criminal histories to deny the lease, sale or finance of real […]
HIPAA the Mighty Hippo
If you mention potential violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”) to a hospital or physician, they’ll likely recoil in horror as though facing the gaping maw and tusks of a hippo. As most medical professionals know, HIPAA gives individuals rights over their health information and sets limits on who can look […]
Don’t Let Gamers Trespass Looking for Monsters
Many thought the popular Pokémon phrase, “Did you “catch ’em” was a fad of the past. As it turns out, Pokémon is still going strong, and other gaming companies are in a competitive race to provide gamers better experiences and augmented reality. For instance, the notoriously secret company, Magic Leap, recently created new augmented reality […]