LANSING, Mich. (Dec. 16, 2015) – A bill filed in Michigan yesterday would not only support efforts to turn off water and electricity to NSA facilities in Utah, Texas and other states, but also would have immediate practical effects on federal surveillance programs if passed. Rep. Martin Howrylak, along with 21 cosponsors from both sides of…
CONCORD, N.H. (Dec. 16, 2015) – A New Hampshire bill pre-filed for 2016 would set the foundation to nullify in practice some Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rules that deny access to experimental treatments by terminally ill patients. Pre-filed by Rep. Frank Edelbut (R-Wilbut), House Bill 1138 (HB1138) would give terminally ill patients access to…
LANSING, Mich. (Dec. 15, 2015) – A Michigan bill that would nullify in practice certain federal “voluntary” checkpoints in the state continues to move through the legislative process. Rep. Jim Runestad (R-44) introduced House Bill 4870 (HB4870) on Sept. 16. The legislation would prohibit state and local law enforcement agencies and personnel from participating in,…
Wisconsin AB537 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. It must pass through the Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety before…
TRENTON, NJ. (Dec. 15, 2015) – Last week, a New Jersey Assembly committee passed a bill to authorize the farming, production, and sale of industrial hemp in the state. This bill would effectively nullify in practice the unconstitutional federal prohibition on the same. Introduced in Feb. by Asm. Reed Gusciora (D-Mercer), Assembly Bill 2719 (A2719) sets…
South Carolina H.4496 would completely ban the use of automatic license plate readers by law enforcement in the state. It would also throw significant roadblocks in the way of a federal program using states to help track the location of millions of everyday people through pictures of their license plates. It must pass through the House Judiciary…
CONCORD, N.H. (Dec. 14, 2015) – A bill prefiled in the New Hampshire House would prohibit state and local law enforcement agencies from obtaining most types of military hardware, thereby rejecting federal militarization of police officers. Rep. J.R. Hoell and seven other representatives have prefiled House Bill 1402 (HB1402). The legislation would prohibit state and…
COLUMBUS, Ohio (Dec. 14, 2015) – A bill introduced in the Ohio Senate 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. Sen. Michael Skindell (D) and Sen. Kris Jordan…
CONCORD, N.H. (Dec. 14, 2015) –A bill has been filed in the New Hampshire state House that would end mandatory government licensing of marriages in the state, effectively nullifying in practice both major sides of the contentious national debate over government-sanctioned marriage. HB1596 acknowledges the right of two individuals to marry and that because of this “it is…
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Dec. 12, 2015) – A Missouri bill prefiled for the 2016 legislative session would create the foundation to organize a compact of states dedicated to nullifying EPA emission regulations. But while conceptually strong, there exists little likelihood that the compact would ever come into existence because it requires congressional approval. Rep. Eric…