New Laws in Kansas and Virginia Require Strict Asset Forfeiture Reporting; An Important Step Forward

(July 2, 2018) – Yesterdat, laws went into effect in Kansas and Virginia implementing strict reporting requirements for all asset forfeitures, including cases passed off to the federal government. These new laws take a first step that could lead to more substantive reforms.  The Kansas House Committee on Judiciary sponsored House Bill 2459 (HB2459). In Virginia,…

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Republicans Join Democrats to Expand Obamacare in Virginia

RICHMOND, Va. (June 6, 2018) – After refusing to do so for years, Republicans in Virginia helped Democrats expand Medicaid, and by extension Obamacare. The Republican-controlled Senate passed a budget bill including Medicaid expansion last week after four GOP senators joined ranks with the Democrats. Nineteen Republicans also voted in favor of the bill in…

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Signed by the Governor: Virginia Law Requires Strict Asset Forfeiture Reporting; First Step Toward Reform

RICHMOND, Va. (April 11, 2018) – Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam has signed a bill into law implementing reporting requirements for all asset forfeitures in the state, including cases passed off to the federal government. The bill takes the first step that could lead to substantive reforms.  Sen. Mark Peake (R) and Sen. Adam Ebbin (D)…

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Virginia House Passes Bill to Reform Asset Forfeiture Laws, Federal Loophole Remains

RICHMOND, Va. (Feb. 16, 2018) – Last Friday, the Virginia House approved a measure that would reform the state’s asset forfeiture laws, making it more difficult for police to seize property. But a loophole would allow prosecutors to circumvent the more stringent state law by passing cases to the federal government. Rep.Nicholas J. Freitas (R-Culpeper)…

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Virginia Bill Would Restrict Police Access to Cellphone Location Data, Help Thwart Federal Surveillance Program

RICHMOND, Va. (Jan. 17, 2018) – A Virginia bill would end warrantless collection of a person’s historical location data. The legislation would not only increase privacy protections in the state, it would also hinder some federal surveillance programs. Del. Betsy Carr (D-Richmond) introduced House Bill 604 (HB604) on Jan. 8. The legislation would prohibit a…

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Today in History: Virginia Passes the Statute for Religious Freedom

On this day in 1789, the Virginia General Assembly adopted Thomas Jefferson’s landmark Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which later would become the basis for the First Amendment to the Constitution for the United States. It was authored by Jefferson and ushered through the Assembly by James Madison. Jefferson considered this one of his most…

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Virginia Bill Would Decriminalize Marijuana Possession, Take Step Toward Nullifying Federal Prohibition

RICHMOND, Va. (Jan. 8, 2017) – A bill introduced in the Virginia Senate would decriminalize marijuana possession. Passage into law would take a step toward nullifying federal cannabis prohibition in effect in the state. Introduced by Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria), Senate Bill 111 (SB111) would make marijuana possession “subject to a civil penalty of no…

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Now in Effect: Virginia Law Takes First Step to Support Sound Money

RICHMOND, Va. (Jan. 7, 2018) –  On Jan. 1, a Virginia law that repeals sales taxes from some purchases of gold and silver went into effect. It represents an important first step toward encouraging its regular use as currency and breaking the Federal Reserve’s monopoly on money. A bipartisan coalition of delegates and senators sponsored House…

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Now In Effect: New Indiana and Virginia Laws Expand Health Freedom

(July 5, 2017) – While Congressional Republicans have yet to put forth a bill to get rid of Obamacare, last week new laws went into effect in Indiana and Virginia that will help facilitate healthcare freedom and set the stage to nullify national healthcare in practice in both states. Indiana Sen. Eric Koch (R) sponsored…

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Signed by the Governor: Virginia Law Expands Healthcare Freedom

RICHMOND, Va. (April 27, 2017) – Yesterday, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe signed legislation into law that will help facilitate healthcare freedom in the state. Del. R. Steven Landes (R-Verona) sponsored House Bill 2053 (HB2053). Sen. William Stanley Jr. (R-Moneta) sponsored the Senate companion bill (SB800). The legislation specifies that direct primary care agreements (sometimes called…

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