Law

Rhode Island lawmakers recently passed legislation designed to attract a broader range of investments in limited-liability companies with nonprofit missions. The measure creates a new corporate structure – the low-profit, limited-liability company, or “L3C” – with the policy goal of making Rhode Island the Silicon Valley of social ventures. May 19

Medical-marijuana dispensaries should be financially viable under the size limits passed by lawmakers last week, advocates of the centers say, even if the reduced scale will not meet demand for their services from patients. May 19

To paraphrase Mark Twain, “A lender is a fellow who charges you for his umbrella when the sun is shining, but wants it back the minute it begins to rain.” If that’s the case, a Rhode Island payday lender is the fellow that lends you a paper umbrella for the mere cost of 260 percent annual interest when it starts raining and then wants it back minutes later in the middle of the rain to sell you another one. May 19

Bentley Wealth Advisors LLC has merged with Wakefield-based Wealth Management Solutions, the company announced Wednesday. May 16

PROVIDENCE – Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin joined 50 other state and territorial attorneys general this month in urging Congress to increase the cap on the Crime Victims Fund. May 12

PROVIDENCE – The Senate last week passed legislation that will update the state fire code and increase flexibility and options for businesses that must comply with it. May 12

PROVIDENCE – A federal appeals court ruled last week that Gov. Lincoln D. Chafee must surrender a prisoner to federal authorities to potentially face the death penalty, The Associated Press reported. May 12

The Hotel Viking used to fill its many summer job openings with foreign workers temporarily performing labor through the federal government’s H-2B work-visa program. Now the hotel is using foreign students under a different program, called J-1, and General Manager Mark P. Gervais couldn’t be happier. May 12

To the Editor: The Great Recession led to a quiet crisis of justice in Rhode Island and across our nation. Reduced funding forced courts to cut the hours they were open, lay off essential staff, and even delay civil trials. Making matters worse, crime victims are not getting the restitution they are legally owed because until recently there has not been a mechanism to collect that debt. May 12

Rhode Island will receive more than $2.3 million as part of a $1.5 billion health care fraud settlement with Abbott Park, Ill.-based Abbott Laboratories over the illegal off-label marketing of an anti-seizure drug. May 7