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New Hampshire's new law protecting gunmakers faces first test in court over Sig Sauer lawsuit
New Hampshire's new law protecting gunmakers faces first test in court over Sig Sauer lawsuit

The Independent

time15 hours ago

  • Politics
  • The Independent

New Hampshire's new law protecting gunmakers faces first test in court over Sig Sauer lawsuit

A new state law in New Hampshire that makes it harder to take gunmaker Sig Sauer to court is getting its first test before a judge on Monday. The 2-month-old law was created by the Republican-led Legislature in response to mounting lawsuits faced by the Newington-based manufacturer over its popular P320 pistol. The lawsuits say that the gun can go off without the trigger being pulled, an allegation Sig Sauer denies. Sig Sauer, which employs over 2,000 people in New Hampshire, said the gun is safe and the problem is user error. Several large, multi-plaintiff cases filed since 2022 in New Hampshire's federal court representing nearly 80 people accuse Sig Sauer of defective product design, marketing, and negligence, in addition to lawsuits filed in other states. Many of the plaintiffs are current and former law enforcement officers who say they were wounded by the gun. They say the P320 design requires an external mechanical safety, a feature that is optional. The most recent New Hampshire case, representing 22 plaintiffs in 16 states, was filed in March. It's the focus of Monday's hearing. The new law on product liability claims against Sig Sauer and other gun manufacturers covers the 'absence or presence' of the external safety and several other optional features. Claims can still be filed over manufacturing defects. Attorneys for Sig Sauer argue it should apply to the March case, even though the law didn't exist at the time. 'New Hampshire has a clearly articulated position against such claims being cognizable in this state,' they argue in court documents for breaking up the cases and transferring them to court districts where the plaintiffs live. Lawyers from a Philadelphia-based firm representing the plaintiffs, disagree, saying the law 'has zero implication' on the case and only applies to future lawsuits. New Hampshire was the chosen location because federal rules allow lawsuits against a company in its home state, the plaintiff's attorneys say. Those lawsuits have been assigned to one federal judge in Concord. Sig Sauer is trying to decentralize the case, they say. Sig Sauer has prevailed in some cases. It has appealed two recent multimillion-dollar verdicts against it, in Pennsylvania and Georgia. A judge recently allowed the Pennsylvania verdict to stand, but vacated $10 million in punitive damages awarded to the plaintiff.

CF veterans homeless shelter to close
CF veterans homeless shelter to close

Yahoo

time15-07-2025

  • Business
  • Yahoo

CF veterans homeless shelter to close

CHIPPEWA FALLS — The Veteran Housing and Recovery Program located at Klein Hall in Chippewa Falls will close by Sept. 30, Gov. Tony Evers announced Monday. The two-floor, 30,400-square-foot Klein Hall increased its capacity from 40 homeless Veterans to 48 in 2020. Veterans have generally been allowed to stay in the transitional housing program for two years, with a few exceptions. The program seeks to provide homeless Veterans with the job training, education, counseling and rehabilitative services they need to help them find steady employment, affordable housing and the skills to sustain a productive lifestyle. Evers, a Democrat, sent out a press release announcing the closure of the Veterans campus in Chippewa Falls and another one in Green Bay. In the press release, Evers blamed the Republican-led Legislature for 'failing to approve his full biennial budget request to support Wisconsin's Veterans, which is now causing housing location closures.' Evers continued: 'Republican lawmakers who control the state's budget committee, the Joint Committee on Finance, refused to approve the governor's funding request, which included $1.9 million for the Veteran Housing and Recovery Program (VHRP). 'As the Legislature was deliberating the 2025-27 Biennial Budget, the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau noted for Republicans on the Joint Committee on Finance that, without additional funding, the Department [of Veterans Affairs] would not have sufficient resources to maintain the program's three sites,' the press release reads. 'Nevertheless, Republican lawmakers ultimately rejected Gov. Evers' request, instead approving $0 in new funding for the program, which will now cause two of the three VHRP locations to close. VHRP, overseen by the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA), provides housing and supportive services to military Veterans who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless to help them obtain permanent housing.' Monday was the last day that applications were reviewed at the Chippewa Falls and Green Bay locations. Applications will continue to be accepted for the Union Grove location, which will remain open, Evers announced. 'We make a promise to our Veterans that when they return home to their civilian life, we will support and serve them just as they have supported and served us,' Evers said in the press release. 'Our Veterans should not have to worry about being able to afford to keep a roof over their heads. Period. I want to personally thank the wonderful folks at Lutheran Social Services who staff these locations for their tireless work on behalf of the Veterans who reside there. The bottom line is that there will now be fewer options for homeless Veterans as a result of the Legislature's irresponsible decision to reject the investments that I proposed. To our Wisconsin Veterans, make no mistake—we will not stop fighting for you. When the Legislature comes back to work this fall, providing more support for our Veterans must be a top priority. I will continue to urge Republican lawmakers to make the investments our Veterans deserve that they should have approved in our state budget.' Veterans currently residing at the Chippewa Falls and Green Bay facilities will be offered alternative placement options and will continue to receive assistance through supportive services. 'We have a duty to support Veterans, especially in their darkest times,' said WDVA Secretary James Bond. 'Even with these closures, we remain committed to assisting Veterans and connecting them to resources. VHRP has been integral in helping Veterans find stability and succeed in their communities, and along with our partners on the ground, we intend to still carry out that mission to the best of our ability.' Klein Hall opened on the campus of the Northern Wisconsin Center for the Developmentally Disabled in December 2007 in the Oak Grove building, 2820 E. Park Ave., which was officially renamed Klein Hall in honor of Bill Klein, who started the shelters for homeless Veterans. Klein died in 2003. In December 2006, the State Building Commission approved using the empty Oak Grove building for the Veterans campus. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs awarded a $116,000 grant in November 2006 to help the state open the shelter.

Wisconsin Supreme Court clears the way for a conversion therapy ban to be enacted
Wisconsin Supreme Court clears the way for a conversion therapy ban to be enacted

Washington Post

time08-07-2025

  • Politics
  • Washington Post

Wisconsin Supreme Court clears the way for a conversion therapy ban to be enacted

MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin Supreme Court cleared the way Tuesday for the state to institute a ban on conversion therapy. The court ruled that a Republican-controlled legislative committee's rejection of a state agency rule that would ban the practice of conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ people was unconstitutional. The 4-3 ruling from the liberal-controlled court comes amid the national battle over LGBTQ+ rights. It is also part of a broader effort by the Democratic governor, who has vetoed Republican bills targeting transgender high school athletes, to rein in the power of the GOP-controlled Legislature. What is known as conversion therapy is the scientifically discredited practice of using therapy to 'convert' LGBTQ+ people to heterosexuality or traditional gender expectations. The practice has been banned in 23 states and the District of Columbia, according to the Movement Advancement Project, an LGBTQ+ rights think tank. It is also banned in more than a dozen communities across Wisconsin. Since April 2024, the Wisconsin professional licensing board for therapists, counselors and social workers has labeled conversion therapy as unprofessional conduct. Advocates seeking to ban the practice want to forbid mental health professionals in the state from counseling clients with the goal of changing their sexual orientation or gender identity. The U.S. Supreme Court agreed in March to hear a Colorado case about whether state and local governments can enforce laws banning conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ children. The provision barring conversion therapy in Wisconsin has been blocked twice by the Legislature's powerful Joint Committee for the Review of Administrative Rules — a Republican-controlled panel in charge of approving state agency regulations. The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling means the conversion therapy ban can be enacted. The court ruled that the legislative committee has been overreaching its authority in blocking a variety of other state regulations during Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' administration. The lawsuit brought by Evers targeted two votes by the joint committee. One deals with the Department of Safety and Professional Services' conversion therapy ban. The other vote blocked an update to the state's commercial building standards. Republicans who supported suspending the conversion therapy ban have insisted the issue isn't the policy itself, but whether the licensing board had the authority to take the action it did. Evers has been trying since 2020 to get the ban enacted, but the Legislature has stopped it from going into effect. The Legislature's attorney argued that decades of precedent backed up their argument, including a 1992 Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling upholding the Legislature's right to suspend state agency rules. Overturning that ruling would be deeply disruptive, attorney Misha Tseytlin argued. Evers argued that by blocking the rule, the legislative committee is taking over powers that the state constitution assigns to the governor. The 1992 ruling conflicts with the constitution and has 'proved unworkable,' Evers said. The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed with Evers. The conversion therapy ban is one of several rules that have been blocked by the legislative committee. Others pertain to environmental regulations, vaccine requirements and public health protections. Evers argued in the lawsuit that the panel has effectively been exercising an unconstitutional 'legislative veto.'

Wisconsin Supreme Court clears the way for a conversion therapy ban to be enacted
Wisconsin Supreme Court clears the way for a conversion therapy ban to be enacted

The Independent

time08-07-2025

  • Politics
  • The Independent

Wisconsin Supreme Court clears the way for a conversion therapy ban to be enacted

The Wisconsin Supreme Court cleared the way Tuesday for the state to institute a ban on conversion therapy. The court ruled that a Republican-controlled legislative committee's rejection of a state agency rule that would ban the practice of conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ people was unconstitutional. The 4-3 ruling from the liberal-controlled court comes amid the national battle over LGBTQ+ rights. It is also part of a broader effort by the Democratic governor, who has vetoed Republican bills targeting transgender high school athletes, to rein in the power of the GOP-controlled Legislature. What is conversion therapy? What is known as conversion therapy is the scientifically discredited practice of using therapy to 'convert' LGBTQ+ people to heterosexuality or traditional gender expectations. The practice has been banned in 23 states and the District of Columbia, according to the Movement Advancement Project, an LGBTQ+ rights think tank. It is also banned in more than a dozen communities across Wisconsin. Since April 2024, the Wisconsin professional licensing board for therapists, counselors and social workers has labeled conversion therapy as unprofessional conduct. Advocates seeking to ban the practice want to forbid mental health professionals in the state from counseling clients with the goal of changing their sexual orientation or gender identity. The U.S. Supreme Court agreed in March to hear a Colorado case about whether state and local governments can enforce laws banning conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ children. What is happening in Wisconsin? The provision barring conversion therapy in Wisconsin has been blocked twice by the Legislature's powerful Joint Committee for the Review of Administrative Rules — a Republican-controlled panel in charge of approving state agency regulations. The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling means the conversion therapy ban can be enacted. The court ruled that the legislative committee has been overreaching its authority in blocking a variety of other state regulations during Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' administration. The lawsuit brought by Evers targeted two votes by the joint committee. One deals with the Department of Safety and Professional Services' conversion therapy ban. The other vote blocked an update to the state's commercial building standards. Republicans who supported suspending the conversion therapy ban have insisted the issue isn't the policy itself, but whether the licensing board had the authority to take the action it did. Evers has been trying since 2020 to get the ban enacted, but the Legislature has stopped it from going into effect. Legislative power at stake The Legislature's attorney argued that decades of precedent backed up their argument, including a 1992 Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling upholding the Legislature's right to suspend state agency rules. Overturning that ruling would be deeply disruptive, attorney Misha Tseytlin argued. Evers argued that by blocking the rule, the legislative committee is taking over powers that the state constitution assigns to the governor. The 1992 ruling conflicts with the constitution and has 'proved unworkable,' Evers said. The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed with Evers. The issue goes beyond conversion therapy The conversion therapy ban is one of several rules that have been blocked by the legislative committee. Others pertain to environmental regulations, vaccine requirements and public health protections. Evers argued in the lawsuit that the panel has effectively been exercising an unconstitutional 'legislative veto.'

Wisconsin Supreme Court clears the way for a conversion therapy ban to be enacted
Wisconsin Supreme Court clears the way for a conversion therapy ban to be enacted

Associated Press

time08-07-2025

  • Politics
  • Associated Press

Wisconsin Supreme Court clears the way for a conversion therapy ban to be enacted

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Supreme Court cleared the way Tuesday for the state to institute a ban on conversion therapy. The court ruled that a Republican-controlled legislative committee's rejection of a state agency rule that would ban the practice of conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ people was unconstitutional. The 4-3 ruling from the liberal-controlled court comes amid the national battle over LGBTQ+ rights. It is also part of a broader effort by the Democratic governor, who has vetoed Republican bills targeting transgender high school athletes, to rein in the power of the GOP-controlled Legislature. What is conversion therapy? What is known as conversion therapy is the scientifically discredited practice of using therapy to 'convert' LGBTQ+ people to heterosexuality or traditional gender expectations. The practice has been banned in 23 states and the District of Columbia, according to the Movement Advancement Project, an LGBTQ+ rights think tank. It is also banned in more than a dozen communities across Wisconsin. Since April 2024, the Wisconsin professional licensing board for therapists, counselors and social workers has labeled conversion therapy as unprofessional conduct. Advocates seeking to ban the practice want to forbid mental health professionals in the state from counseling clients with the goal of changing their sexual orientation or gender identity. The U.S. Supreme Court agreed in March to hear a Colorado case about whether state and local governments can enforce laws banning conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ children. What is happening in Wisconsin? The provision barring conversion therapy in Wisconsin has been blocked twice by the Legislature's powerful Joint Committee for the Review of Administrative Rules — a Republican-controlled panel in charge of approving state agency regulations. The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling means the conversion therapy ban can be enacted. The court ruled that the legislative committee has been overreaching its authority in blocking a variety of other state regulations during Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' administration. The lawsuit brought by Evers targeted two votes by the joint committee. One deals with the Department of Safety and Professional Services' conversion therapy ban. The other vote blocked an update to the state's commercial building standards. Republicans who supported suspending the conversion therapy ban have insisted the issue isn't the policy itself, but whether the licensing board had the authority to take the action it did. Evers has been trying since 2020 to get the ban enacted, but the Legislature has stopped it from going into effect. Legislative power at stake The Legislature's attorney argued that decades of precedent backed up their argument, including a 1992 Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling upholding the Legislature's right to suspend state agency rules. Overturning that ruling would be deeply disruptive, attorney Misha Tseytlin argued. Evers argued that by blocking the rule, the legislative committee is taking over powers that the state constitution assigns to the governor. The 1992 ruling conflicts with the constitution and has 'proved unworkable,' Evers said. The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed with Evers. The issue goes beyond conversion therapy The conversion therapy ban is one of several rules that have been blocked by the legislative committee. Others pertain to environmental regulations, vaccine requirements and public health protections. Evers argued in the lawsuit that the panel has effectively been exercising an unconstitutional 'legislative veto.'

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