Latest news with #PeterNeronha
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Judge rules that Rhode Island's gun permit system does not violate Second Amendment
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A federal judge says Rhode Island's gun permit system, which requires residents to show 'a need' to openly carry a firearm throughout the state, does not violate the Second Amendment. In a ruling handed down Friday, U.S. District Judge William Smith granted Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha's motion for summary judgment that dismisses a lawsuit filed by a coalition of gun owners in 2023. The lawsuit stems from a Rhode Island law dictating how the state issues firearms permits. According to the statute, local officials are required to issue concealed-carry permits to anyone who meets the specific criteria outlined in the statute. However, it also allows the attorney general's office to issue open-carry permits 'upon a proper showing of need.' Unlike municipalities, the attorney general is not required to issue such permits. The plaintiffs, largely led by Michael O'Neil, a lobbyist for the Rhode Island 2nd Amendment Coalition and a firearm instructor, said in their initial complaint that the attorney general's office denied all seven of their applications in 2021 for an 'unrestricted' firearm permit, allowing both open and concealed carry. Court documents show that the attorney general's office denied their permits because all of them had been granted 'restricted' permits, which only allowed concealed carry. Smith said in his ruling that unrestricted permits 'are a privilege and there is no constitutionally protected liberty interest in obtaining one.' The plaintiffs had hoped for a similar ruling handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022, where the justices struck down a New York state law that had restricted who could obtain a permit to carry a gun in public. Similar to Rhode Island, New York's law had required residents to show an actual need to carry a concealed handgun in public for self-defense. Yet, notably, Smith said in his ruling that the high court's 2022 ruling did not declare that the Second Amendment 'requires open carry,' but even if it did, Rhode Island's law 'is within the Nation's historical tradition of regulation.' Frank Saccoccio, the attorney representing the gun owners, said in an email Monday that they did not believe Smith's decision was in line with the 2022 SCOTUS decision and would be appealing. Timothy Rondeau, a spokesperson for the attorney general's office, said the decision reaffirmed 'the constitutionality of Rhode Island's permitting system for the public carry of handguns.' 'The Attorney General will continue to vigorously defend Rhode Island's gun violence prevention laws to ensure the public safety of all Rhode Islanders,' he said. Solve the daily Crossword
Toronto Star
04-08-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Star
Judge rules that Rhode Island's gun permit system does not violate Second Amendment
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A federal judge says Rhode Island's gun permit system, which requires residents to show 'a need' to openly carry a firearm throughout the state, does not violate the Second Amendment. In a ruling handed down Friday, U.S. District Judge William Smith granted Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha's motion for summary judgment that dismisses a lawsuit filed by a coalition of gun owners in 2023.
The Independent
04-08-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Judge rules that Rhode Island's gun permit system does not violate Second Amendment
A federal judge says Rhode Island 's gun permit system, which requires residents to show 'a need' to openly carry a firearm throughout the state, does not violate the Second Amendment. In a ruling handed down Friday, U.S. District Judge William Smith granted Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha's motion for summary judgment that dismisses a lawsuit filed by a coalition of gun owners in 2023. The lawsuit stems from a Rhode Island law dictating how the state issues firearms permits. According to the statute, local officials are required to issue concealed-carry permits to anyone who meets the specific criteria outlined in the statute. However, it also allows the attorney general's office to issue open-carry permits 'upon a proper showing of need.' Unlike municipalities, the attorney general is not required to issue such permits. The plaintiffs, largely led by Michael O'Neil, a lobbyist for the Rhode Island 2nd Amendment Coalition and a firearm instructor, said in their initial complaint that the attorney general's office denied all seven of their applications in 2021 for an 'unrestricted' firearm permit, allowing both open and concealed carry. Court documents show that the attorney general's office denied their permits because all of them had been granted 'restricted' permits, which only allowed concealed carry. Smith said in his ruling that unrestricted permits 'are a privilege and there is no constitutionally protected liberty interest in obtaining one.' The plaintiffs had hoped for a similar ruling handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022, where the justices struck down a New York state law that had restricted who could obtain a permit to carry a gun in public. Similar to Rhode Island, New York's law had required residents to show an actual need to carry a concealed handgun in public for self-defense. Yet, notably, Smith said in his ruling that the high court's 2022 ruling did not declare that the Second Amendment 'requires open carry,' but even if it did, Rhode Island's law 'is within the Nation's historical tradition of regulation.' Frank Saccoccio, the attorney representing the gun owners, said in an email Monday that they did not believe Smith's decision was in line with the 2022 SCOTUS decision and would be appealing. An email seeking comment from the attorney general was sent on Monday.
Associated Press
04-08-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Judge rules that Rhode Island's gun permit system does not violate Second Amendment
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A federal judge says Rhode Island's gun permit system, which requires residents to show 'a need' to openly carry a firearm throughout the state, does not violate the Second Amendment. In a ruling handed down Friday, U.S. District Judge William Smith granted Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha's motion for summary judgment that dismisses a lawsuit filed by a coalition of gun owners in 2023. The lawsuit stems from a Rhode Island law dictating how the state issues firearms permits. According to the statute, local officials are required to issue concealed-carry permits to anyone who meets the specific criteria outlined in the statute. However, it also allows the attorney general's office to issue open-carry permits 'upon a proper showing of need.' Unlike municipalities, the attorney general is not required to issue such permits. The plaintiffs, largely led by Michael O'Neil, a lobbyist for the Rhode Island 2nd Amendment Coalition and a firearm instructor, said in their initial complaint that the attorney general's office denied all seven of their applications in 2021 for an 'unrestricted' firearm permit, allowing both open and concealed carry. Court documents show that the attorney general's office denied their permits because all of them had been granted 'restricted' permits, which only allowed concealed carry. Smith said in his ruling that unrestricted permits 'are a privilege and there is no constitutionally protected liberty interest in obtaining one.' The plaintiffs had hoped for a similar ruling handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022, where the justices struck down a New York state law that had restricted who could obtain a permit to carry a gun in public. Similar to Rhode Island, New York's law had required residents to show an actual need to carry a concealed handgun in public for self-defense. Yet, notably, Smith said in his ruling that the high court's 2022 ruling did not declare that the Second Amendment 'requires open carry,' but even if it did, Rhode Island's law 'is within the Nation's historical tradition of regulation.' Frank Saccoccio, the attorney representing the gun owners, said in an email Monday that they did not believe Smith's decision was in line with the 2022 SCOTUS decision and would be appealing. An email seeking comment from the attorney general was sent on Monday.
Yahoo
01-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Roger Williams, Our Lady of Fatima hospitals sale to move forward. Here's why
PROVIDENCE – Attorney General Peter Neronha announced Thursday, July 31 an amended decision to facilitate the sale of Roger Williams Medical Center and Our Lady of Fatima Hospital. The decision – the second amended in the sale process – reduces the cash-on-hand requirement for the Centurion Foundation, a Georgia-based nonprofit, from $80 million to $45 million for closing the deal. The reduction of cash-on-hand, explained Neronha at a press conference, was due to Centurion having difficulties selling bonds to raise funds for the purchase of the hospitals. But the amended decision also requires Centurion and CharterCARE to secure an additional $35 million within 90 days, bringing the funds back to $80 million. Neronha said the parties have given him assurances on their ability to raise funds post-sale that, in his judgment, could be relied on. The attorney general also said he secured the remaining $50 million – from an original $80 million in an escrow account – to create a hospital fund as part of the transaction. Additional conditions have also been attached to the sale, among them: A requirement for the parties to spend at least $50 million on capital expenses at the hospitals within three years of the transaction A requirement for the parties to not contest the attorney general's right to file a petition for the appointment of a receiver in case of insolvency The detainment of a consultant, at the expense of the parties, to report on the financial and operation state of the hospitals 'While this is a complicated process, our goal is simple: make sure our safety net hospitals are in the best position possible to serve our communities for as long as possible,' Neronha said in a written statement following the press event. Neronha explained that the hospitals were not yet entirely out of danger but that progress has been made: the hospitals are staying provisionally open, are shifting from for-profit to nonprofit and the attorney general's office will have levers to pull in case of an insolvency. 'I don't want to stand here and gaslight Rhode Islanders and make them believer, or have them believe, that all the problems have been solved. They haven't,' Neronha said at the July 31 press conference. 'But we have made some steps forward.' The attorney general added that Rhode Island's chronic low reimbursement rates from public and private insurance need to be addressed to treat the health system's ailments. 'Until we make a Rhode Island patient mean the same financially as a Massachusetts or a Connecticut patient, our hospital systems and our providers and our workers are always going to be at a state of disadvantage,' Neronha said. The anticipated closing date for the sale – pending approval by a bankruptcy court in Texas – is sometime in late August or mid-September. The full amended decision is available here. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Roger Williams, Our Lady of Fatima hospital sales moving forward Solve the daily Crossword
