Health care providers should be aware of a proposed rule recently issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that expands the regulations governing physician self-referrals, (the "Stark Law"). The Stark Law prohibits a physician from making...
PLDO Law Blog
Month: August 2015
Private Foundation or Charity? Cracking the “Code” on 501(c)(3) Organizations
If you have been involved in the not-for-profit sector, particularly that subsect of the industry involving federally tax-exempt organizations under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, then you have probably come across well-intentioned colleagues using the words...
Do you have a record retention policy?
Hopefully you read the article Deflate Gate: A Key Lesson for Businesses in our August edition of Business Matters. The article discussed "litigation holds" and the need to preserve information relevant to a lawsuit; as well as the potential penalties for failing to...
Major Setback for Privacy Advocates in Facebook Warrant Case
In a major setback for privacy advocates who seek to preserve the confidentiality of consumer data, the New York Supreme Court recently ruled that Facebook lacks legal standing to challenge search warrants on behalf of its users. The case pits Facebook against the...
HOW TO LEGALLY CHANGE OR REVOKE A WILL IN RHODE ISLAND
A last will and testament is a legal document that states your final wishes for your assets and estate. Commonly, the will you originally create will need to be amended or modified as life circumstances change. For example, births, marriages, divorces, and deaths...
WHAT IS A SUBCHAPTER V BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDING? WHY MORE BUSINESSES SHOULD CONSIDER FILING
On August 23, 2019, the Small Business Reorganization Act of 2019 (“SBRA”) was signed into law and became effective on February 19, 2020, which added Subchapter V to Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. Subchapter V is a relatively new and underused avenue...
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE HIRING PROCESS: EMPLOYERS BEWARE
The rapid rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the workplace is outpacing our ability to keep up with it. For example, companies are struggling whether and how to allow employees to use ChatGPT at work given the numerous privacy and security risks posed by this new...
FLORIDA CANNABIS LAWS UPDATE
While Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has made clear his opposition to legalizing recreational cannabis use in Florida, trends certainly seem like they are going in that direction. For example, in April, the state doubled the number of licenses available to cultivators...
COMPREHENSIVE CHANGES TO LAND USE AND ZONING LAWS
As part of the 2023 legislative session, the Rhode Island General Assembly passed numerous laws, all with varying degrees of impact on zoning and land use issues. One such bill changes the standard by which municipal zoning boards judge applications for a dimensional...
