The Affordable Care Act recently suffered a significant blow as a federal judge ruled against its individual mandate. Here, Align Public Strategies discusses how the ruling impacts the issue, the political process, and most importantly, restaurant operators.

Also, immigration is back in the news with some saying that it is negatively affecting food safety. The Align crew talks about this issue and the marijuana debate operators find themselves in the middle of.

The team also interviews Martha Miller, president and managing director of Platinum Advisors, a leading California public affairs firm, to get a take on what to expect in the Golden State in 2019. Align goes over all of these stories and then concludes with the weekly legislative scorecard.

Align Public Strategies is a full-service public affairs and creative firm that helps corporate brands, governments and non-profit organizations navigate the outside world and inform their internal decision-making. This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of Nation's Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality.