Melanie Bush Named Deputy Secretary of NC Medicaid

NCDHHS announced Melanie Bush as the next Deputy Secretary of Medicaid for the Division of Health Benefits, contingent upon confirmation by the North Carolina General Assembly. Bush previously served as Assistant Secretary and Chief Operating Officer for NC Medicaid, leading managed care transformation and Medicaid expansion that extended coverage to over 700,000 additional North Carolinians. NC Medicaid serves more than 3 million North Carolinians who rely on these critical services.

State Department Corrects Consular Fee for Certificate of Loss of Nationality

The Department of State issued a correcting amendment to 22 CFR Part 22, fixing an erroneous paragraph designation in amendatory instruction 2 of a March 13, 2026 final rule. The correction revises the fee schedule entry for administrative processing of a Certificate of Loss of Nationality. The corrected fee amount is $450, effective April 16, 2026, applicable as of April 13, 2026.

NIH/NIAID Offers West Nile Virus Neutralizing Antibodies for Licensing

NIAID announces availability for licensing of seven new fully human monoclonal antibodies (AIS-196, AIS-204, AIS-259, AIS-260, AIS-261, AIS-262, and AIS-265) that neutralize West Nile virus by targeting its envelope protein. The antibodies demonstrated strong virus-blocking activity in laboratory studies and protective effects in mouse models. Licensing inquiries should directed to Brian Bailey at 240-669-5128 or bbailey@mail.nih.gov, referencing HHS Reference No. E-021-2026-0.

Quarterly Publication of Individuals Who Have Chosen To Expatriate

The IRS published its quarterly list of individuals who expatriated during Q1 2026 (ending March 31, 2026), as required under IRC section 6039G of HIPAA of 1996. The publication contains approximately 600 individual names organized alphabetically with first and middle names or initials. Long-term residents treated as US citizens under section 877(e)(2) are also included.

Bank Holding Company Merger Applications Notice

The Federal Reserve published a notice announcing bank holding company merger applications under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956. GEBSCO, Inc. of Mondovi, Wisconsin applied to acquire Rushford State Bank of Rushford, Minnesota. The public comment deadline is May 22, 2026.

Change in Bank Control Notices; Acquisitions of Shares of a Bank or Bank Holding Company

The Federal Reserve System has published a notice seeking public comment on applications under the Change in Bank Control Act. The notice lists one pending acquisition: James Long of New Braunfels, Texas seeks to acquire voting shares of First Commercial Financial Corporation by becoming a co-trustee of its Employee Stock Ownership Plan, which indirectly owns First Commercial Bank, N.A. in Seguin, Texas. Comments must be received by May 7, 2026.

Idaho Power Company Hells Canyon Hydroelectric Tribal Consultation Meeting

FERC has scheduled a tribal consultation meeting for May 7, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. EDT via teleconference to discuss the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation's concerns regarding the Hells Canyon Hydroelectric Project (No. 1971-079). Intervenors in the proceeding may attend but participation is limited to Tribal representatives and Commission staff. Attendees may be excused if specific location information about archaeological or cultural resources is disclosed. Registrations must be submitted by April 30, 2026.

FERC Combined Notice of Filings, 22nd Apr

FERC published a Combined Notice of Filings listing multiple electric rate filings received from various power companies and ISOs. The filings include tariff amendments, compliance filings, initial rate filings, and requests for waiver from applicants including Duke Energy, Southern Company affiliates, PJM Interconnection, MISO participants, and NYISO. Comment deadlines range from May 1 to May 8, 2026.

Stacey L. Burbure; Notice of Filing - Interlocking Positions Under Section 305(b) Federal Power Act

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission published a notice of filing by Stacey L. Burbure on April 22, 2026, seeking authority to hold interlocking positions pursuant to section 305(b) of the Federal Power Act. Any person desiring to intervene or protest must file in accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure by May 7, 2026.

Kinder Morgan Louisiana Pipeline Texas Access Project Scoping Period Notice

FERC has opened a 26-day public scoping period for the Texas Access Project proposed by Kinder Morgan Louisiana Pipeline LLC (KMLP), Docket No. CP26-136-000. The project would extend KMLP's interstate natural gas pipeline approximately 3 miles from Jefferson County, Texas into Cameron and Calcasieu Parishes, Louisiana, with capacity of up to 1,300,000 dekatherms per day. FERC will use the resulting environmental document in its determination of whether the project serves the public convenience and necessity under the Natural Gas Act.

Draft Section 9.0 Security Program for Hydropower Guidance, Comments Due

FERC's Office of Energy Projects has revised Section 9.0 of its Security Program for Hydropower Guidance to modernize cybersecurity practices at licensed projects. The revisions update definitions, applicability criteria, and technical measures for evaluating and protecting cyber and control-system assets. FERC is requesting public comments from hydropower owners and operators, federal and state agencies, and other interested parties by May 18, 2026.

FERC Combined Notice of Filings 22nd Apr

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has published a Combined Notice of Filings listing three natural gas pipeline rate and refund report filings received. Black Hills/Kansas Gas Utility Company filed under Section 284.123 (AVTS Filing effective 4/1/2026); Portland Natural Gas Transmission System filed an administrative tariff update (effective 6/1/2026); and Transwestern Pipeline Company filed a negotiated rate filing (effective 5/1/2026). The notice establishes comment deadlines and instructs interested parties on intervention procedures.

Pinnacles Hydroelectric License Application Filed

FERC announces Northbrook Virginia Hydro, LLC and the City of Danville, Virginia have filed a Notice of Intent to submit a new license application for the Pinnacles Hydroelectric Project (No. 10896-027), located on the Dan River in Patrick, Henry, and Pittsylvania counties, Virginia. The Director of the Division of Hydropower Licensing approved their request to use the Traditional Licensing Process on April 17, 2026. The Commission is initiating informal consultation under the Endangered Species Act and National Historic Preservation Act. All license applications for the project must be filed by April 30, 2029.

Department of Education Updates Privacy Act System for Student Aid Records

The U.S. Department of Education's Federal Student Aid office has published a modified system of records notice for the Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) System (18-11-02). The modifications add new purposes for tracking legacy borrowers enrolled as of June 30, 2026 and revised aggregate loan limits including tiered unsubsidized caps for graduate and professional students, aggregate limits for Parent PLUS borrowers per dependent, and non-PLUS lifetime maximums. Institutions of higher education participating in Title IV, HEA programs must update procedures to apply these new loan limits and legacy borrower tracking requirements.

Education Dept Seeks Comments on FLAS Fellowship Employment Survey

The Department of Education has published a notice in the Federal Register (91 FR 21489) requesting public comments on a new information collection: a Survey of Postgraduate Employment for the Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowship Program. The survey is intended to collect employment outcome data from FLAS Fellowship recipients. Comments are due by June 22, 2026, with the docket number ED-2026-SCC-1486.

Privacy Act System of Records Notice — National Student Loan Data System

The U.S. Department of Education's Federal Student Aid office published a modified Privacy Act system of records notice for the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) (18-11-06), effective April 22, 2026. The modifications add two new purposes: tracking "legacy" borrowers of Graduate PLUS and Parent PLUS loans with reduced annual limits, and supporting financial aid administrators in applying revised aggregate loan limits including tiered caps for graduate students, gross lifetime limits for Parent PLUS borrowers, and universal non-PLUS lifetime maximums. Record source categories are updated to replace the Student Aid Internet Gateway (SAIG) with Federal Student Aid Partner Connect (FSA Partner Connect). Comments are due by May 22, 2026.

Privacy Act Matching Program for TPD Loan Discharges

The Department of Education's Federal Student Aid office has published a Privacy Act notice re-establishing a data matching program with the Department of Veterans Affairs. The program enables ED to identify veterans designated by VA as having 100 percent service-connected disabilities who may be eligible for Total and Permanent Disability discharges of their federal student loans. ED will proactively notify eligible borrowers and discharge their loans no earlier than 61 days after notification unless the borrower opts out.

ED Amends Common Services for Borrowers Privacy Act System

The U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid, publishes a modified system of records notice for the Common Services for Borrowers (CSB) system (18-11-16) under the Privacy Act of 1974. The notice adds two new purposes and a new category of records to identify and maintain records for legacy borrowers of Graduate PLUS and Parent PLUS loans with lower annual loan limits. Comments on the modified system are due May 22, 2026.

ED Modifies Student Aid Privacy Act System of Records

The U.S. Department of Education publishes a modified Privacy Act System of Records Notice for the 'Aid Awareness and Application Processing' (18-11-21) system. The modifications add Purpose (10) to identify and maintain records for legacy borrowers enrolled as of June 30, 2026, and new Purpose (21) to support financial aid administrators in setting and tracking lower annual loan limits. New record categories include fraud-detection data during the FAFSA completion process and records for legacy Parent PLUS borrowers.

USPTO Requests OMB Review of Secrecy and Export License Information Collection

The Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has submitted an information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval regarding secrecy and export license documentation. The collection covers materials related to export licensing requirements administered by the USPTO. Public comments on this information collection are invited for 30 days.

CMS Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Information Collection Under CMS-R-26 and CMS-R-185

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has published a notice in the Federal Register (91 FR 21502) announcing proposed information collection activities under document identifiers CMS-R-26 and CMS-R-185. The agency is soliciting public comments on these proposed collections before the information collection request proceeds to OMB for review under the Paperwork Reduction Act.

CMS PRA Information Collection OMB Review 30-Day Comment Request

CMS submitted information collection activities to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review under the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Federal Register notice requests public comments on the agency's information collection burden estimates and procedures. Comments on the collection are due within 30 days of publication.

Medicaid and CHIP Generic Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published a Federal Register notice on April 22, 2026, soliciting public comments on proposed generic information collection activities under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The notice opens a 14-day comment period closing May 6, 2026, inviting input from state agencies, healthcare providers, and other stakeholders affected by Medicaid and CHIP information collection requirements.

Medicaid CHIP Generic Information Collection Comment Request

CMS published a Federal Register notice announcing a request for public comments on Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) generic information collection activities under the Paperwork Reduction Act. The notice invites input on existing information collection requirements associated with OMB control number CMS-10434. Comments are due within 14 days of the notice publication date.

Sunshine Act Meeting Notice, April 2026

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights published a Sunshine Act meeting notice announcing a public business meeting scheduled for Friday, April 24, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. EST. The meeting will be held in person at the Commission's Washington, DC office and livestreamed on the Commission's YouTube page. The agenda includes approval of the agenda, presentations from State Advisory Committees, discussion and vote on State Advisory Committee Appointments, and Management and Operations including a Staff Director's Report.

Oklahoma Advisory Committee Virtual Briefing Meetings Notice

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights published a notice announcing three virtual business and briefing meetings of the Oklahoma Advisory Committee, to be held via ZoomGov on May 5, May 18, and June 8, 2026. The meetings are for the purpose of planning upcoming panels on the death penalty and hearing from Panel I.

Maryland Advisory Committee Public Meetings on AI in Voting Administration

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights has published notice of three upcoming public meetings of the Maryland Advisory Committee to be held via Zoom on May 27, July 1, and July 29, 2026. The meetings are scheduled for 11:00 a.m. ET each date, with registration links and phone dial-in information provided. The stated purpose is to begin briefing planning on the topic of artificial intelligence and its application in voting administration.

Rural Development Loan Servicing Information Collection Revision

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) of the USDA is soliciting public comments on revisions to an approved information collection related to Rural Development loan servicing activities. The agency states this is a revision of a currently approved collection, with comments requested on the revised reporting requirements and burden estimates. The comment period closes on June 22, 2026.

Christmas Tree Producers and Importers Vote on Program Continuance

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has issued a notice announcing a referendum among eligible Christmas tree producers and importers to determine whether they favor continuance of the National Christmas Tree Research and Promotion Program. The referendum will be conducted by mail and electronic ballot from May 22, 2026 through June 2, 2026. Domestic producers and importers must have produced or imported 500 or more Christmas trees between September 1, 2025 and March 15, 2026 to be eligible to vote.

FAA Extends Comment Period for Document FAA-2024-1928

The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a notice extending the comment period for rulemaking document FAA-2024-1928. The extension notice is dated April 21, 2026 and bears reference 16-24-08. The specific subject matter of the underlying rulemaking is not visible in this document record.

FAA Record of Conversation Allowing Late Comments for FAA-2026-2742

The FAA has issued a Record of Conversation for Docket No. FAA-2026-2742, dated April 20, 2026, indicating that late comments are permitted for this proceeding. This is an administrative record documenting procedural flexibility in the comment submission process. No new substantive regulatory requirements are imposed by this document.

SkySkopes Inc. Comments on FAA RFI Docket FAA-2021-0846

SkySkopes Inc. filed a comment in response to FAA Request for Information Docket No. FAA-2021-0846. The comment was submitted by the May 22 deadline. The RFI sought input from industry stakeholders on the subject matter, and the comment filing is now part of the public record on Regulations.gov.

Property Business Arrangements Involving Hybrid Partnerships and Indemnities (Spotlight 63a)

HMRC has published Spotlight 63a warning landlords about a tax avoidance scheme involving hybrid partnerships and indemnities. The scheme involves transferring properties to a limited liability partnership (LLP) with a corporate member, with the stated aims of bypassing mortgage interest relief restrictions and reducing Income Tax through Corporation Tax rates. HMRC's position is that the arrangement fails because mixed member partnership legislation reallocates excess profits to landlords, section 809AAZA anti-avoidance rules treat transferred income as the landlord's own, and the LLP remains transparent for Capital Gains Tax purposes. SDLT applies to property transfers and profit-share changes. Scheme promoters who fail to disclose under DOTAS face penalties of up to £600 per day, rising to £1 million in cases where that is not a sufficient deterrent.

Canada's Joint Forum of Financial Market Regulators Discuss Retiree Financial Security in Montreal

Canada's Joint Forum of Financial Market Regulators held its Annual Meeting in Montreal on April 15, 2026, bringing together the Canadian Council of Insurance Regulators (CCIR), Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA), Canadian Association of Pension Supervisory Authorities (CAPSA), and other regulatory bodies. The plenary session focused on retiree financial security, including OECD research on barriers to quality financial advice and findings from the National Institute on Ageing on retirement preparation. Regulators highlighted the increasing challenge of maintaining purchasing power amid rising costs as more Canadians enter retirement.

South Devon College Mass Communication Tool Tender

South Devon College has published an open tender opportunity for a Mass Communication Tool, closing on 28 May 2026 at 12pm. The contract is valued at £0 (zero-value procurement) and runs from 10 June 2026 to 21 August 2026. Suppliers must register via MultiQuote (suppliers.multiquote.com) and reference opportunity CA17660 to access and submit bids. The procurement is open to SMEs but not to VCSEs.

MoD GPS Jamming Detection Systems Procurement, £50k-£300k, Closing 6 May 2026

The Ministry of Defence, through Unite Procurement UK Limited, is seeking suppliers to join the Unite Procurement Platform for the supply of GPS Jamming Detection, Localisation and Vehicle Detection Systems. The procurement covers three product categories: Handheld GPS Jamming Detectors, Handheld GPS Jamming Locators, and GPS Jamming Vehicle Detection Camera systems. The contract is valued between £50,000 and £300,000, with a duration from 7 May 2026 to 7 May 2028. Multiple suppliers will be onboarded to ensure a diverse and competitive supply base. The closing date for expressions of interest is 6 May 2026 at 2pm.

PRA Finalises Phase 1 SM&CR Reforms: 12-Week Rule Changes and Streamlined Requirements

The PRA has finalised Phase 1 reforms to the Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SM&CR), published as PS12/26 on 22 April 2026, amending multiple PRA Rulebook Parts including Certification, Conduct Rules, Fitness and Propriety, and Notifications. Key changes include increased flexibility under the 12-week rule for covering temporary Senior Management function vacancies, additional clarity on Group Entity SMF7 scope, and streamlined requirements for statements of responsibilities, regulatory references, and criminal record checks. The reforms apply to all PRA-authorised firms and persons subject to the Change in Control Part and FSMA, with Phase 2 reforms expected following HMT's legislative changes.

Greer v. Starship LLC et al - Civil Case

Greer v. Starship LLC et al was filed in the Northern District of California on April 9, 2026 under Case Number 3:26-cv-03046-PHK before Judge Peter H. Kang. The case, classified as a civil Federal Question matter under Other Statutory Actions, had a procedural filing on April 22, 2026 consisting of a consent or declination to proceed before a U.S. Magistrate Judge filed by plaintiff Shantel Greer.

Martinez v. Sierra Lifestar: EMS Bonus Not Unique Defense, Reversing Class Certification Denial

The California Fifth Appellate District reversed the Tulare County Superior Court's denial of Adam Martinez's motion for class certification in his wage and hour lawsuit against Sierra Lifestar, Inc. The trial court had found Martinez's claim was not typical because he received only one type of bonus—the EMS Bonus—while Lifestar paid 10 types of bonuses. The appellate court held this was legal error: Lifestar's arguments that the EMS Bonus was properly excluded as a gift or discretionary bonus are not unique to Martinez and apply equally to all employees who received an EMS Bonus for National Emergency Medical Services Week. The case is remanded for reconsideration of class certification.

People v. Landrine — Mental Health Diversion Requires Substantial Performance

The California Sixth District Court of Appeal reversed the trial court's dismissal of charges against Keena Teloca Landrine, who was placed in a mental health diversion program under Penal Code section 1001.36. The appellate court held that satisfactory performance under the diversion statute requires substantial compliance with imposed requirements—the trial court abused its discretion by finding satisfactory performance solely based on in-custody conduct after dozens of crimes were committed while in the program. The court reversed the dismissal order and remanded for further proceedings.

Workman Affirmed - No Judicial Vindictiveness in Sentencing Increase on Remand

The Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court's 18-month sentence imposed on Mary Elizabeth Workman following remand, rejecting her claim of judicial vindictiveness. The court held that because Workman was resentenced by a different district judge than the original sentencing judge, the presumption of vindictiveness from North Carolina v. Pearce does not apply, and Workman bore the burden to prove actual vindictiveness. The appellate court found the record showed the second judge gave clear, explicit reasons for the three-month sentence increase and additional supervised release conditions.

US v. Sutton - 96-Month Felon-in-Possession Sentence Affirmed

The Fourth Circuit affirmed Treyvion Maleke Sutton's 96-month sentence for possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, rejecting his challenge to a four-level Sentencing Guidelines enhancement under USSG § 2K2.1(b)(6)(B). The court applied an assumed error harmlessness inquiry, finding the enhancement error harmless because the district court stated it would have imposed the same sentence based on its independent assessment of the 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) factors. The appellate court further found the resulting upward variance from the 51-to-63-month Guidelines range was substantively reasonable given Sutton's recidivism and criminal history.

US v. Thompson - ACCA Enhanced Sentence Affirmed on Plain Error Review

The Fourth Circuit affirmed Vinson Thompson's 180-month ACCA-enhanced sentence, rejecting his Erlinger-based challenge that the district court failed to advise him during his guilty plea colloquy of his right to have a jury resolve the 'different occasions' element. The appellate court found plain error under Erlinger v. United States (2024) occurred but held Thompson failed to demonstrate, under the third prong of plain error review, a reasonable probability he would not have entered the plea had he been properly advised.

United States v. Wilson - Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Appeal Affirmed

The Fourth Circuit affirmed Dustin Wilson's conviction for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, rejecting his claim that trial counsel provided ineffective assistance by prioritizing medical treatment over seeking his release from pre-trial detention. The court found the record does not support Wilson's argument that counsel acted unreasonably or that his medical issues coerced his guilty plea. Wilson, who pled guilty to one count under 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A) and 846, was sentenced to 120 months in prison.

European Patent EP3451900A1, Automated Medical Diagnostics

The European Patent Office granted European Patent EP3451900A1 to Bates, James Stewart for automated medical diagnostics systems and methods. The patent covers IPC classifications G16H 50/20 and A61B 5/00. Protection extends to all designated contracting states including AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, LI, LT, LU, LV, MC, MK, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SI, SK, SM, and TR.

Siemens Healthineers Medical Imaging System Patent EP3651161

The European Patent Office published patent application EP3651161A1 for Siemens Healthineers AG, covering a method, system and medical imaging system for creating an image of an object to be examined. The patent application was published on April 15, 2026 with inventors Feiweier, Thorsten, Prinz, Carsten, Schneider, Michael, and Zenge, Michael. The application covers imaging technologies classified under G16H 40/63, G16H 30/20, G01R 33/54, and A61B 6/00.

EP Patent for Medical Instrument Patient Measurements, Bates

The European Patent Office published EP3451907A1, a patent application for systems and methods of medical instrument patient measurements, filed by inventor Bates, James Stewart. The patent covers IPC classifications G16H 40/63 (health informatics) and A61B 5/00 (medical diagnostic measurement). The application designates all relevant European Contracting States including Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain.

EP3776588A1: Vessel Obstruction Assessment via Machine Learning, Pie Medical Imaging

The EPO published patent application EP3776588A1 filed by Pie Medical Imaging BV covering a method and system for assessing vessel obstruction based on machine learning. The application, published April 15, 2026, is classified under IPC G16H 50/50 and G16H 50/20 (Health Informatics) with protection sought across all designated European states.

Heidelberg University Eye Treatment Optimization Patent EP3776566A1

The European Patent Office granted patent EP3776566A1 to Universität Heidelberg, covering systems and methods for testing and optimizing medical treatments for the human eye. The patent names inventors Friedmann, Dörsam, and Olkhovskiy, with IPC classifications in healthcare informatics (G16H 20/17 and G16H 50/50). The patent designates all relevant EU member states including Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain.

Medical Diagnosis Systems Patent EP3452990A1

The European Patent Office has published patent application EP3452990A1 for 'Systems and Methods for Generating Medical Diagnosis.' The patent names Bates, James Stewart as both applicant and inventor, with IPC classifications spanning graphics processing (G06T) and health informatics (G16H). The patent is designated across 32 EU and European Patent Organisation contracting states, extending coverage to all major European markets upon national phase entry.