MADISON, Wis. (Dec. 4, 2015) – A bill introduced in the Wisconsin House would reform asset forfeiture laws to prohibit the state from taking property without a criminal conviction. The legislation also takes on federal forfeiture programs by banning prosecutors from circumventing state laws by passing cases off to the feds in most situations. A…
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Dec. 3, 2015) – A bill prefiled in the Alabama Senate would essentially nullify the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade, along with subsequent cases, and make most abortions in the state illegal. Sen. Gerald Allen (R-Tuscaloosa) recently prefiled Senate Bill 9 (SB9). The legislation would make it illegal for a doctor…
RICHMOND, Va. (Dec. 2, 2015) – A bill prefiled in the Virginia House of Delegates takes an interesting first step toward protecting the right to keep and bear arms from federal infringement by defining it in statute as an individual right unconnected with the militia. Delegates Mark L. Cole and (R) Charles D. Poindexter (R)…
RICHMOND, Va. (Nov. 30, 2015) – A bill prefiled in the Virginia House for the 2016 legislative session would reform the state’s asset forfeiture laws, making it more difficult for police to seize property. But a loophole in the legislation would allow law enforcement to work with the feds to skirt the more stringent state laws. Del.…
LANSING, Mich. (Nov. 24, 2015) – A bill under consideration in the Michigan House would restrict the use of drones by state and local law enforcement. The legislation would not only establish important privacy protections at the state level, it would also help thwart the federal surveillance state. Rep. Jim Runestad introduced House Bill 5026…
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Nov. 20, 2015) – A Florida bill that would help facilitate healthcare freedom and set the stage to nullify Obamacare in practice overwhelmingly passed out of a House committee Thursday. Rep. Fred Costello introduced House Bill 37 (HB37) in August. The legislation specifies that direct primary care agreements (sometimes called medical retainer agreements)…
TALLAHASSEE, FL. (Nov. 19, 2015) – Two bills that would allow terminally ill patients access to medicinal marijuana, further nullifying in effect federal prohibition of cannabis, passed unanimously out of committees Tuesday. The legislation expands on a recently passed “right to try” law that effectively nullifies in practice some Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rules…
At least two states will consider bills in the upcoming legislative session that would take a small, but important, first step in setting the stage to nullify federal EPA rules and regulations. Legislation in both Virginia and Florida would essentially insert another layer into the state process involved in adopting plans to address EPA emission…
CONCORD, N.H. (Nov. 16, 2015) – Two bills that would restrict the use of drones by state and local law enforcement passed out of New Hampshire state House committees last week. The legislation would not only establish important privacy protections at the state level, they would also help thwart the federal surveillance state. Rep. Neil…
OKLAHOMA CITY (Nov. 6, 2015) – A bill up for consideration when the Oklahoma state legislature returns from recess in Feb. 2016 would reform asset forfeiture laws by prohibiting the state from taking property without a criminal conviction. But it leaves open a big loophole that would allow the practice to continue under federal forfeiture programs. Introduced by…