Key Takeaways from the National Association of Attorneys General Eastern Region Meeting on September 29–30, 2026, entitled “Strengthening Public Institutions Together”

On September 29 and 30, 2026, the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) held its Eastern Region Meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Throughout the meeting, attorneys general, their senior staff, federal officials, and other subject-matter experts presented on a series of topics addressing important policy issues and the latest legal developments.  Although the panels addressed a diverse set of topics, the main theme of the meeting was “Strengthening Public Institutions Together,” and thus the panelists focused on ways attorneys general continue their bipartisan collaboration, often in concert with federal counterparts on issues affecting citizens across state lines.

The meeting kicked off with a Fireside Chat with U.S. Senator David McCormick by the meeting’s host, Dave Sunday, Pennsylvania Attorney General. Senator McCormick shared that he has found a number of ways to work in Congress in a bipartisan manner on a number of issues and Attorney General Sunday emphasized that theme throughout the two-day conference.

Protecting Our Seniors from Abusive and Exploitative Practices

Utah Attorney General Derek Brown led a discussion with Anabel Butler, District of Columbia Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights & Elder Justice Section, Elizabeth Scheider, Chief Deputy Attorney General, Elder Exploitation Section, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, and Chantelle Smith, Elder Justice Initiative, U.S. Department of Justice, regarding the vital role state attorneys general play in combating elder abuse and exploitation. The discussion included strategies for prevention and the civil and criminal statutes available to attorneys general to investigate elder abuse. The group explained that there is a trove of information available to law enforcement related to perpetrators of elder abuse but that the key is to mine that data to find trends and connect the dots. The panelists also emphasized that elder abuse is an issue that affects everyone in all states and in all workplaces, so it is an issue on which attorneys general can work together in a bipartisan manner and with federal law enforcement.

The Real Impact of Organized Retail Crime

Led by Ben Gilmore, Senior Advisor, Arkansas Attorney General’s Office, this panel addressed how attorneys general are working to combat organized retail crime.  The panelists included Lisa Rufolo, Senior Executive Vice President, Retail Industry Leaders Association, Patrick Schulte, Chief Deputy Attorney General, Criminal Division, and Aaron Vitale, Supervisory Special Agent, both from the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office. This session focused on the latest developments in organized retail crime as well as strategies for investigation and prosecution. The panelists from the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office shared that recent state legislation giving that office specific criminal jurisdiction for organized retail crime has allowed the office to build larger and more impactful cases, with more than $5 million in losses recovered to date. The panel discussed the rise of cargo theft and gift card fraud, and the Retailers Industry Leaders Association shared its ability to connect federal, state, and local law enforcement for intel sharing and consumer education. In keeping with the bipartisan theme of the meeting, the Retailers Industry Leaders Association shared a public service announcement featuring a nonpartisan Attorneys General Council lead by the attorneys general from Pennsylvania and Michigan along with the Association of Attorneys General.

Other Panels

The meeting also featured industry- and topic area-specific panels on “Rising Health Care Costs: Hospital Closures and Other Factors” and “Reducing Recidivism: A Focus on Reentry from Incarceration,” both of which were led by senior leaders in the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office. There also were two other panels on “Combatting Human Trafficking and Exploitation,” led by Jennifer Davenport, New Jersey Attorney General, and “Mental Health and the Law: Reframing the Narrative,” led by Drew Wrigley, North Dakota Attorney General. Each of these four panels provided expert insight into how attorneys general are working in a bipartisan manner to address a number of critical issues.

Summary

The panels at this year’s Eastern Region Meeting highlight the breadth of areas on which attorneys general are able to work together in a bipartisan manner, including issues related to elder abuse, organized retail fraud, and human trafficking and exploitation.