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Connecticut probing Amazon's e-book deals with publishers
(AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)HARTFORD, Conn. – Connecticut authorities are investigating whether Amazon's e-book deals with certain publishers are anticompetitive and violate antitrust laws, state Attorney General William Tong said Thursday. He said the state attorney general's office has previous taken action against Apple and e-book publishers to protect competition in the marketplace. Amazon has become the dominant force in print book sales and e-book sales in the U.S. Tong's office issued a subpoena to Amazon in 2019 requesting documents about the company's dealings with five book publishers: HarperCollins Publishers, Hachette Book Group, Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster and Macmillan. The publishers all settled and signed consent decrees prohibiting them from restricting e-book retailers’ ability to set prices.
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Federal funding threatened over transgender athlete policy
The U.S. Department of Education is threatening to withhold some federal funding for Connecticut school districts if they follow a state policy that allows transgender girls to compete as girls in high school sports. (AP Photo/Pat Eaton-Robb, File)HARTFORD, Conn. – The U.S. Department of Education is threatening to withhold some federal funding from Connecticut school districts if they follow a state policy that allows transgender girls to compete as girls in high school sports. But the U.S. Education Department's Office for Civil Rights argues the policy violates the civil rights of girls who are not transgender under Title IX, the federal law that guarantees equal opportunities in education. The ACLU of Connecticut, which is representing the transgender athletes, said the Trump administration is trying to pressure schools into denying transgender athletes an opportunity to compete. “Transgender girls are girls, and the Office of the Attorney General will continue to protect every woman and girl in this state against discrimination.
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Suit filed over Sandy Hook-inspired law limiting gun rounds
Gun rights supporters are suing Connecticut officials over part of a 2013 state gun control law passed after the Sandy Hook school shooting, saying it unconstitutionally bans people from loading more than 10 rounds of ammunition into their firearms. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)HARTFORD, Conn. – Gun rights supporters are suing Connecticut officials over part of a 2013 state gun control law passed after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, saying it unconstitutionally bans people from loading more than 10 rounds of ammunition into their firearms. The laws included a ban on ammunition magazines that hold more than 10 bullets. Gun control supporters say the law can save lives by limiting how many bullets a shooter can fire before having to reload. But gun rights supporters say that magazines that hold more than 10 rounds are considered standard and that many firearms are not available with magazines that hold fewer than 10 rounds.

Investigation launched into Juul's marketing practices, health claims
In particular, the state is investigating Juul's promotional pricing offers and "seeks information as to how and why JUUL selects its targeted marketing groups," according to a press release. Also under investigation is Juul's "Enterprise Markets Team." Our investigation will seek to determine whether JUUL is making health claims without FDA approval in violation of the law," said Tong. The comments came at a hearing organized by the House Oversight Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, which is investigating Juul's role in the youth vaping epidemic. In addition to the congressional probe and the Connecticut investigation, Juul was sued in May by North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein over "harmful and unfair marketing practices."