China Moves Toward Nationwide Autonomous Vehicle Regulation
The Chinese government recently took a significant step toward establishing nationwide standards for autonomous vehicles. On April 13, the public comment period closed on the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s new proposal for mandatory safety standards. Titled Safety Requirements for Autonomous Driving Systems of Intelligent Connected Vehicles, the 62-page proposal, if finalized, would further the country’s ambitions to be the world leader in autonomous vehicles (AVs).
Hot Off the Press: What Employers Should Know About OSHA’s Updated National Emphasis Program for Heat Illness
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has revised its National Emphasis Program (NEP) for heat, removing a specific inspection-growth target that had been part of the initiative when the Program first launched back in 2022. In OSHA’s April 10, 2026 news release, it announced that the revised directive took effect immediately and will remain in place for five years. OSHA made a few changes to the Program, including removing outdated background information, updating Program links, and reorganizing appendices addressing heat program evaluation and citation guidance.
Washington State Allows Direct Sales of Electric Vehicles
A new statute in Washington state allows certain manufacturers of electric vehicles to sell their vehicles directly to consumers, rather than through independent dealers. The law, passed as SB 6354, makes a meaningful change to the state’s automotive dealer-franchise framework through a carefully crafted exception. It allows a manufacturer to own, operate, or control a dealership selling its own vehicles and further allows the manufacturer to offer related financing, leasing, and servicing.
New Guidance to Federal Agencies Adopting and Applying Categorical Exclusions to Environmental Review
In the latest attempt to unify federal agencies’ independent application of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) issued new guidance to federal agencies for establishing, revising, adopting, and applying NEPA categorical exclusions (CatEx or CatExes)—those “major federal actions” that do not “normally” significantly affect the quality of the human environment.
