BATON ROUGE, La. (May 22, 2017) – Last week, the Louisiana House passed a bill that would effectively prohibit so-called “sanctuary cities” that refuse to help enforce some federal immigration laws. Rep. Valarie Hodges (R-Denham Springs) is the sponsor of House Bill 676 (HB676). The legislation would ban state agencies and political subdivisions from enacting or…
DES MOINES, Iowa (May 20, 2017) – Last week, Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad signed a bill into law that takes a step toward reforming the state’s asset forfeiture laws, but fails to close a loophole that allows police to circumvent state laws by passing cases off to the feds. As introduced by the Senate Judiciary committee…
CONCORD, N.H. (May 20, 2017) – For the second straight year, the New Hampshire Senate has killed a bill to require state courts to fully inform jurors of their right to nullify, Passage of House Bill 133 (HB133) would have required courts to “inform the jury of its right to judge the facts and the application…
HELENA, Mont. (May 20, 2017) – Montana Gov. Steve Bullock vetoed a bill that would take big steps toward making the state a sanctuary for gun rights by prohibiting state enforcement of most federal acts restricting firearms, magazines or ammunition, but an effort to override the veto is underway. Sen. Cary Smith (R-Billings) introduced Senate Bill 99…
AUSTIN, Texas (May 19, 2017) – Today, the Texas Senate passed a bill that would expand raw milk sales in the state. If signed into law, the legislation would help nullify a federal prohibition scheme in practice. Sen. Bob Hall (R-Dist 2) prefiled Senate Bill 95 (SB95) last fall. The legislation would expand raw milk sales…
BOSTON, Mass. (May 19, 2017) – Bills introduced in the Massachusetts House and Senate would put strict limitations on the use of automated license plate reader systems (ALPRs) by the state. Passage into law would also place significant roadblocks in the way of a federal program using states to help track the location of millions of…
CONCORD, N.H. (May 18, 2017) – Today, the New Hampshire Senate passed a bill that would ban the use of “stingrays” to track the location of phones and sweep up electronic communications without a warrant in most situations. The proposed law would not only protect privacy in New Hampshire, but would also hinder one aspect…
AUGUSTA, Maine (May 17, 2017) – The Maine legislature came together in a rare display of bipartisanship to kill a bill that would have reformed the state’s asset forfeiture laws. The legislation also took on federal forfeiture programs by banning prosecutors from circumventing state laws by passing cases off to the feds in most situations.…
BATON ROUGE, La. (May 18, 2017) – Yesterday, the Louisiana House unanimously passed a bill that would expand the state’s Right to Try law to include technology designed to help ALS patients with mobility. Passage into law would set the foundation to nullify in practice a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rules that currently denies…
The governor has until May 22 to sign or veto the bill. If he fails to act, it will become law without his signature.