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“We Buy Ugly Houses” CEO Steps Down Following ProPublica Investigation
David Hicks, CEO of HomeVestors of America, said in a letter announcing his retirement that recent press coverage of the company’s homebuying practices has taken a “personal toll on me.”
The Group That Governs U.S. Transplant Policies Voted to Require Testing of At-Risk Organ Donors for Chagas Disease
Bob Naedele died in 2018 after receiving a heart infected with the parasite that causes Chagas disease. The change in U.S. screening policy could prevent such deaths in the future.
Baker College Faces Federal Investigation Over “Recruitment and Marketing Practices”
ProPublica and the Detroit Free Press found that Baker College spent more on marketing than it did on financial aid. Now, the school faces an inquiry by the U.S. Department of Education.
Senators, Regulator Call for More Scrutiny of “We Buy Ugly Houses” Company
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s head said the Department of Justice and state attorneys general should be made aware of predatory house-flipping practices, following ProPublica reporting on HomeVestors of America.
Health Care Workers Who Cover Up Patient Abuse Face Stiffer Penalties Under New Illinois Law
The legislation, spurred by a news investigation, allows workers to be barred from health care jobs for obstructing investigations into staff misconduct. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the bill on Friday.
Texas Pulls Funding for Child ID Kits After Investigation Finds Little Evidence of Their Effectiveness
Lawmakers were slated to spend millions of taxpayer dollars for the kits but changed course after a series of revelations in a ProPublica and Texas Tribune investigation.
Colorado Becomes the First State to Limit Court Use of Family Reunification Camps
A new bill restricts the use of reunification programs and requires domestic violence training for experts in custody cases. Lawmakers credit ProPublica’s reporting for exposing the need for reforms in the family court system.
The Federal Government Plans to Reform “Star” Workplace Safety Program That Reduced Inspections at Some Manufacturers
After ProPublica raised questions about the rigor of inspections at Star Program facilities that used asbestos but received limited unannounced OSHA visits, regulators are seeking input about how to reform it.
The IRS Tiptoes Into Offering Free Online Tax Filing — and Possible Competition With TurboTax
In the wake of ProPublica’s reporting on the misleading tactics of the major tax-prep companies, Congress asked the IRS to examine whether it could offer free filing directly with the tax agency. A new pilot program will test the concept.
Congressional Committee, Regulators Question Cigna System That Lets Its Doctors Deny Claims Without Reading Patient Files
The probes follow an investigation by ProPublica and The Capitol Forum that Cigna allows its doctors to reject hundreds of thousands of claims a month.
Minnesota Board of Nursing Executive Director Steps Down Amid Accusations of Mismanagement
The Minnesota Nursing Board was weighing terminating Executive Director Kimberly Miller, who had been criticized for a growing backlog of complaints against nurses.
Colorado Law Will Require Homes to Be More Wildfire Resistant
The state will develop building standards for homes in high-risk areas after ProPublica’s reporting showed previous efforts to require fire-resistant housing materials had been repeatedly stymied by developers and municipalities.
The Met Will “More Thoroughly” Investigate Artwork Origins With Hire of Provenance Researchers
The museum announced this week that it will hire additional experts to look more deeply into the histories of works in its collections. The plans follow news reports and criminal investigations on the origins of some items.
Library Official Resigns After Publication of Her Secretly Recorded Inflammatory Comments
Judy Eledge, deputy director of the Anchorage Public Library, is leaving her post after ProPublica and the Anchorage Daily News documented her history of offensive comments and social media posts about Native Alaskans and the LGBTQ+ community.
States Prepare to Send Checks to Consumers Tricked Into Paying for TurboTax
A year after a $141 million settlement with Intuit, the maker of TurboTax, that emerged from an investigation sparked by ProPublica’s reporting, 4.4 million customers will receive compensation.
Colorado Lawmakers Mandate Audit of Halfway Houses Following ProPublica Investigation
The facilities often lack adequate employment training and effective drug treatment while residents are burdened with debt. A lack of transparency, limiting lawmakers’ ability to gauge their effectiveness, has been a barrier to reform.
Blocked Crossings Crisis Draws Local and National Calls for Action
After seeing images of kids crawling under trains, regulators ask companies to address blocked crossings, lawmakers demand consequences, residents clamor for solutions and Norfolk Southern’s CEO calls a mayor to work out a fix.
Washington State Legislature Strengthens Oversight of Private Special Education Schools
In response to a Seattle Times and ProPublica series, the state is getting more power to regulate schools for students with disabilities.
Senate Committee Probes Top Universities, Museums Over Failures to Repatriate Human Remains
U.S. senators want five institutions to explain why they continue to hold thousands of Native American remains and belongings, following reporting from ProPublica and NBC News. “It’s immoral, it’s hypocritical, and it has to stop,” one senator said.
Another Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Punching Handcuffed Man
The conviction is the latest development in the extensive fallout from an investigation into the criminal justice system in Elkhart, Indiana, by ProPublica and the South Bend Tribune.
