IA News

In Case You Missed It, through AB 2293, the insurance industry is attempting to keep the money they’ve accepted from drivers’ personal premiums, while at the same time removing their liability to pay claims. Insurance companies don’t want to go through the legal process with the Department of Insurance to change their policies, so instead they are trying to change the law to their own benefit.

The Huffington Post The Golden State: On the Front Lines of Internet Policy Posted: 03/18/2014 5:59 pm EDT All over the world, in every sector of the economy, Internet companies are emerging at a staggering pace, offering an astonishing array of products, services and conveniences. They are creating jobs and opportunities, while reshaping traditional and Read more »

The president of the Vermont-based New England Federal Credit Union urged Congress on Tuesday to create a public registry of so-called patent troll demand letters as the Senate Judiciary Committee — led by Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. — held its first hearing on legislation designed to curtail the practice.

The Internet has become the backbone of our economy — powering big technology companies, local stores and restaurants alike. Businesses across Virginia rely on the Internet to connect to their customers, whether through online advertising, e-commerce or simply providing maps to help potential customers reach them. These common tools, traditionally confined to the technology sector, have opened Virginia businesses to a new threat: patent trolls.

The Valley News Op-ed Column: Vermont Leads War Against Patent Trolls
Steve Voigt and Michael Beckerman
To the Valley News
Sunday, November 17, 2013
(Published in print: Sunday, November 17, 2013)

There’s a silent drain on businesses across the country: patent trolls. These companies do not make or create anything. They exist solely to prey on legitimate and productive businesses through the threat of litigation. And they’re doing real harm to our economy, to the tune of $80 billion every year.

Most people have never heard the term “patent troll.” But when they learn about the way these entities squeeze billions of dollars out of businesses by abusing our patent system, they are shocked that there’s little deterring the trolls from unwarranted attacks and limited safeguards in place protecting businesses from frivolous lawsuits. The result of the trolls’ actions is a drain on our economy totaling $80 billion annually, leading to fewer jobs and higher costs for consumers.

If you’ve heard about patent trolls, you already know that they hurt businesses, drive up prices for consumers and are a drain on our economy to the tune of $80 billion annually. What you may not know is that they are no longer limiting their targets to software developers and high-tech companies.

Miami has some of the most restrictive and anti-competitive transportation laws in the nation.

There’s a growing and pernicious threat facing Connecticut’s businesses: Patent trolls. Using the threat of litigation, patent trolls are targeting an increasingly broad array of businesses – moving on from just technology companies to Main Street businesses – and sucking billions out of the economy while doing it.