context: Our analysis of the enabling statute and of DOH's implementing regulation does no violence to the time-honored dictum that courts should construe a penal statute strictly. Strict construction, however, does not mean that courts should adopt irrational interpretations that would thwart or impede the underlying purpose of the statute.
citation_a.signal: no signal
citation_a.identifier: 625 A.2d 1350, 1353
citation_a.parenthetical: "with respect to penal statutes this court will not interpret a statute literally when to do so would lead to an absurd or unreasonable result or would impede a clear legislative intent"
citation_a.sentence: State v. Lusi 625 A.2d 1350, 1353 (R.I.1993) (“with respect to penal statutes this court will not interpret a statute literally when to do so would lead to an absurd or unreasonable result or would impede a clear legislative intent”); see also State v. Gonsalves, 476 A.2d 108, 111 (R.I.1984) (“[Ple-na! statutes are to be strictly construed, [but] they should not be interpreted in a manner that would thwart a clear legislative intent. * * * [Thus], we will not attribute to the Legislature a meaningless or absurd result.”).
citation_b.signal: see also
citation_b.identifier: 476 A.2d 108, 111
citation_b.parenthetical: "[Ple-na! statutes are to be strictly construed, [but] they should not be interpreted in a manner that would thwart a clear legislative intent. * * * [Thus], we will not attribute to the Legislature a meaningless or absurd result."
citation_b.sentence: State v. Lusi 625 A.2d 1350, 1353 (R.I.1993) (“with respect to penal statutes this court will not interpret a statute literally when to do so would lead to an absurd or unreasonable result or would impede a clear legislative intent”); see also State v. Gonsalves, 476 A.2d 108, 111 (R.I.1984) (“[Ple-na! statutes are to be strictly construed, [but] they should not be interpreted in a manner that would thwart a clear legislative intent. * * * [Thus], we will not attribute to the Legislature a meaningless or absurd result.”).