Altria Group, Inc.

Text (OCR of the scan at left; may contain errors)

IN THE MATTER OF ALTRIA GROUP, INC., AND JUUL LABS, INC.

Docket No. 9393. Order, April 13, 2020 Order extending the stay of the administrative proceeding and rescheduling the evidentiary hearing date. SECOND ORDER REGARDING SCHEDULING IN LIGHT OF PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY By order dated April 3, 2020, the Commission has already stayed this proceeding until April 20, 2020. Because of the declared public health emergency1 associated with the outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (“COVID-19”), also known as SARS-Cov-2; and because it has been advised that gatherings of ten or more persons may facilitate the spread of the disease, the Commission has determined that it is in the public interest to mitigate the transmission and impact of COVID-19, and that good cause exists to stay this proceeding for an additional 45 days and to reschedule the evidentiary hearing, currently set to begin on January 5, 2021. Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that this proceeding be fully stayed, except for matters of settlement, for an additional 45 calendar days; and IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the evidentiary hearing date in this proceeding be extended by the number of calendar days of this additional stay. The Administrative Law Judge retains discretion to make a recommendation to the Commission regarding an alternative hearing date.

By the Commission.

1 Pursuant to the Public Health Services Act, 42 U.S.C. 247d, on January 31, 2020, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services issued a declaration that a health emergency exists because of COVID-19; and on March 13, 2020, the President of the United States issued a proclamation that a national emergency exists concerning COVID-19. Remarks by President Trump, available at 1https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/remarkspresident-trump-vice-president-pence-members-coronavirus-task-force-press-conference-3/ (Mar. 13, 2020). VOLUME 169 Interlocutory Orders, Etc.