In the podcast, Regulations Matters: a CLEAR conversation, the Council on Licensure, Enforcement and Regulation (CLEAR) examines regulatory trends for 2021; CLEAR presidents from around the globe—both past and present—discuss their international perspectives on those trends in professional regulation. Listen to or read their feedback on various topics, including disciplining practitioners for COVID misinformation, discrimination in regulation, licensure problems for veterans and military members, as well as telepractice. The podcast aired on Feb. 8.
A man hit the jackpot at a slot machine at Las Vegas’ Treasure Island Hotel Casino, winning $230,000—but he never knew; the slot machine malfunctioned and failed to notify him or casino personnel. The man traveled back home to Arizona before anyone noticed the error. The Nevada Gaming Control Board, after an exhaustive search, including examining surveillance video and electronic purchase records, identified the winner. According to MSN on Feb. 7, gaming officials say Robert Taylor plans to travel back to Las Vegas to claim his prize.
Stephen Street, president of the Association of Inspectors General, a nonprofit membership group, estimates fraudsters will use about 10% or $120 billion of the federal infrastructure money heading to states and cities. Street, also Louisiana’s inspector general, explains “our experience has always been when you have a large amount of money—and this is pretty gargantuan—there will be an element of fraud built in.” Examples of fraud, he said, may include false documentation, reimbursements for money never spent and fake records. According to Stateline on Feb. 3, some watchdogs believe congress failed to provide adequate oversight provisions in the legislation that created the program.
The Washington State Department of Licensing reported that a data breach potentially exposed the personal information of millions of licensed professionals. After noticing suspicious activity on their online licensing system in January, the department shut down their online platform, Polaris, temporarily. The agency licenses approximately 40 categories of professionals and businesses. Polaris processes data from 23 professions and business types, according to Oregon Live on Feb. 6.
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