RICHMOND, Va. (Jan. 21, 2016) – Yesterday, a state House committee passed a bill to authorize the farming, and production of industrial hemp in the state for commercial purposes, setting the foundation to nullify in practice the unconstitutional federal prohibition on the same. The vote was 22-0. Introduced by Del. Brenda Pogge (R-Norge), House Bill 699 (HB699)…
CHARLESTON, W.V., (Jan. 20, 2016) – Legislation filed in West Virginia last week would ban warrantless drone surveillance in the state, prohibit state and local government from using weaponized drones, and also serve to thwart one aspect of the federal surveillance state. Introduced by Del. Cindy Frich and eight cosponsors, House Bill 2653 (HB2653)requires law enforcement to obtain a warrant…
OKLAHOMA CITY (Jan. 20, 2016) – A bill prefiled in the Oklahoma Senate would put limitations on the storage and sharing of information collected by Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) by law enforcement in the state, and place significant roadblocks in the way of a federal program using states to help track the location of millions of…
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (Jan. 20, 2016) – A bill introduced in the Illinois legislature would ban the use “stingrays” to track the location of phones and sweep up electronic communications without a warrant in most situations. Passage of the bill would not only protect privacy in the Illinois, but would also hinder one aspect of the…
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Jan. 20, 2016) – A bill introduced in the Missouri legislature would ban the use “stingrays” to track the location of phones and sweep up electronic communications without a warrant in most situations. Passage of the bill would not only protect privacy in the the Show-Me State, but would also hinder one…
OKLAHOMA CITY (Jan. 20, 2016) – A bill filed in Oklahoma this week would significantly limit drone surveillance in the state, and also serve to thwart one aspect of the federal surveillance state. Rep. Paul Wesselhoft introduced House Bill 2337 (HB2337), the Oklahoma Unmanned Aerial Surveillance Act. The bill requires law enforcement to obtain a warrant before…
PHOENIX, Ariz. (Jan. 20, 2016) – A bill introduced in the Arizona 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. Rep.…
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (Jan. 19, 2016) – An Indiana bill would allow the state hemp seed commissioner to issue licenses for industrial hemp production without first obtaining federal waivers. Passage of this legislation would set the foundation to nullify in practice the unconstitutional federal prohibition of hemp within the state. Rep. Lloyd Arnold (R-Dist. 74) introduced House Bill…
PHOENIX, Ariz. – (Jan. 19, 2016) – An Arizona bill would prohibit state cooperation with the enforcement all future federal gun control measures, effectively nullifying them in practice within the state. Rep. Anthony Kern (R-Glendale), Rep. Darin Mitchell (R-Dist. 13) and Rep. Steve Montenegro (R-Avondale) filed House Bill 2300 (HB2300) last week with three other…
Virginia HB83 would prohibit state cooperation with the enforcement of any future federal laws, regulations, or executive orders relating to firearms, ammunition or firearms components, effectively nullifying any such acts in practice within the state. The bill must pass in the House Appropriations Committee before moving forward. PLEASE TAKE THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS to support this important…