The Affordable Care Act: How Smoking (and Quitting) Will Affect Rates
On October 1, 2013, Health Insurance Marketplaces (often referred to as “exchanges”) opened across the country. To date, the opening of the exchanges has been the most talked about, and for that matter, argued about, aspect of the Affordable Care Act (“Act”). As citizens consider their future options for insurance coverage they need to be aware that a limited number of factors will affect the rates they receive: age…
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Year End Update: Federal & State Taxes
State Taxes As we predicted in our Mid-Year Tax Update, Governor Corbett signed House Bill 465, officially known as Act 52, into law on July 9, 2013. Act 52 made some significant changes to the Pennsylvania tax code, which will affect both individuals and businesses. This Update will highlight some of the key changes by category…
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Immunity Agreements Are Not Per Se Exempt From Disclosure under the RTKL
In Coley v. Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, No. 317 C.D. 2013 (Pa. Cmwlth. October 7, 2013), the Commonwealth Court, in an opinion by Judge Leavitt, addressed whether witness statements and an immunity agreement contained in a District Attorney’s (“DA”) file were exempt from disclosure under the RTKL. The court held that the witness statements were exempt from disclosure…
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Rare Award of Attorney’s Fees in Right-to-Know Law Case Upheld by Commonwealth Court
On October 3, 2013, the Commonwealth Court issued Staub and the Citizens’ Voice v. City of Wilkes-Barre and LAG Towing, Inc., No. 2140 C.D. 2012 (Pa. Cmwlth. September 12, 2013), an Unreported Memorandum Opinion, penned by President Judge Pellegrini. The court upheld the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas order directing the City of Wilkes-Barre (“City”) to pay 10% of the costs the Citizens’ Voice newspaper incurred litigating its RTK request. …
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