MONTGOMERY, Ala. (June 1, 2018) – Today, an Alabama law exempting the sale of gold and silver bullion from state sales and use tax, encouraging its use and taking the first step toward breaking the Federal Reserve’s monopoly on money went into effect. Sen. Tim Melson (R-Florence) introduced Senate Bill 156 (SB156) on Jan. 11. The…
DENVER, Colo. (May 31, 2018) – On Tuesday, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper signed a bill into law expanding asset forfeiture reporting requirements instituted last year. Rep. Leslie Herod (D-Denver) introduced House Bill 1020 (HB1020) on Jan. 10. The legislation expands asset forfeiture reporting requirements by redefining the agencies required to submit reports. Last year, Hickenlooper signed a…
SACRAMENTO. Calif. (May 31, 2018) – Yesterday, the California Assembly overwhelmingly passed a bill that would sever a link between state and federal tax law, allowing individuals to deduct expenses from legal marijuana businesses for state income tax purposes. Passage of the bill would encourage the growth of the legal marijuana market in California and further…
Taxation was the flashpoint between colonists and the British government, but a deeper issue was underneath - Parliament's power over the colonies and the rights of the colonists as Englishmen.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (May 30, 2018) – Today, the Illinois Senate gave final approval to a bill that would legalize industrial hemp in the state and take a first step toward nullifying federal prohibition of the plant in effect. Sen. Tori Hutchinson (D-Chicago Heights) introduced Senate Bill 2298 (SB2298) in January. The legislation would legalize industrial hemp…
Individuals are the ultimate nullifiers. Legislation can set the stage to nullify federal acts by withdrawing cooperation and removing a lawyer of laws, but ultimately nullification is most effective when individuals are willing to do the things governments prohibit. The lack of regulation when state and local police stand down creates space for markets to…
It was revealed publicly last week that law enforcement agents are using facial recognition technology marketed by Amazon to profile people in real time. It is being used in the Orlando, Fla., area as well as Washington County in Oregon and will soon be rolled out in more areas throughout the country. These developments serve…
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (May 30, 2018) – Last Friday, a final California Senate committee passed a bill that would increase oversight and transparency of law enforcement surveillance technology. Passage of the bill would take the first step toward limiting the unchecked use of surveillance technologies that violate basic privacy rights and feed into a broader national…
In this podcast, I challenge this ignorant mantra and explain exactly why we should care about surveillance.
On May 29, 1790, Rhode Island ratified the Constitution of the United States, becoming the last of the original founding colonies to enter the Union. Rhode Island was the only state that failed to send a representative to the Philadelphia Convention, which had approved the final draft on Sept. 17, 1787. The state acted slowly…