Overview
- The Supreme Court will hear arguments on April 27 in Monsanto v. Durnell, a case that tests whether the federal pesticide law known as FIFRA preempts state failure-to-warn lawsuits over Roundup and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
- Kentucky’s Republican-led legislature overrode Governor Andy Beshear’s veto Wednesday to enact a law stating that a federally approved pesticide label satisfies any duty to warn under state law.
- High-profile supporters filed briefs Wednesday backing the Missouri plaintiff, including Sen. Cory Booker and bipartisan coalitions of state attorneys general from Republican-led Texas, Florida, and Ohio and a Democratic-led group led by New Mexico.
- The U.S. Justice Department backed Monsanto, arguing that Environmental Protection Agency approval of Roundup’s label should preempt state cancer warnings and block failure-to-warn claims.
- A St. Louis judge granted preliminary approval in March to Bayer’s proposed $7.25 billion settlement, which starts an opt-out period through June 4 and would pay claimants even if the Court later rules for Bayer.