Yet another town has rejected grants covered by HUD’s Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule, effectively nullifying a federal program designed to gain control over local communities. Castle Rock, a city of 55,000 people in central Colorado, along with Sedgwick County, Kansas, and Douglas County, Colorado, have all recently refused funds from the federal government’s Department…
LEBANON, Tenn. (Sept. 23, 2016) – A small-town Tennessee police department recently deployed an automatic license plate reader (ALPR) system that allows officers to collect and store data on the location of drivers in the city and potentially feed it into a federal database. The Lebanon Police Department debuted its new M Mobile ALPR Camera…
AUSTIN, Texas (Sept. 22, 2016) – Texas has threatened to pull the plug on state assistance to refugees if the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) does not unconditionally approve the state’s revised resettlement plan by Sept. 30. The move would significantly hinder refugee resettlement in the Lone Star State. The state’s refugee coordinator sent…
RICHMOND, Va. (Sept. 22, 2016) A Virginia bill introduced this month would restore gun rights to people convicted of non-violent felonies without them having to ask permission from the state. An indirect result of this legislation would be to deprive the state and feds of a political weapon against patriotic dissent. Sponsored by House Delegate…
Two more counties have joined a Colorado town in rejecting grants covered by HUD’s Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule, effectively nullifying a federal program designed to gain control over local communities. Castle Rock, a community of 55,000 people in central Colorado, recently decided to refuse funds from the federal government’s Department of Housing and Urban…
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Sept. 20, 2016) – A bill prefiled for the 2017 legislative session would direct the state to refuse to enforce any foreign law that conflicts with U.S. or Kentucky constitutions, nullifying such laws in effect in the commonwealth. Rep. Kim King (R-Harrodsburg) prefiled BR149 on Sept. 14. The legislation would specifically direct state…
TRENTON, N.J. (Sept. 19, 2016) – Last Wednesday, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie signed a measure expanding the state’s medical marijuana law, further nullifying federal prohibition in practice. A coalition of representatives introduced Assembly Bill 457 (A457) in January. The the new law adds post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to the list of debilitating medical conditions…
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Sept. 13, 2016) – During the 2017 session, the Kentucky legislature will consider a resolution declaring state sovereignty over powers not delegated to the federal government and demanding that the federal government cease enforcing mandates beyond its constitutionally delegated powers. Rep. Kevin Bratcher (R-Louisville) prefiled the resolution (BR84) in July. It builds on…
RICHMOND, Va. (Sept. 12, 2016) – During the 2017 session, the Virginia legislature will consider a bill that would broadly ban warrantless surveillance and limit the use of automatic license plate readers (ALPRs). If passed into law, the bill would not only protect privacy in Virginia, but would also hinder some aspects of the federal…
RICHMOND, Va. (Sept 8, 2016) – In 2017, the Virginia legislature will consider two bills that would not only protect privacy in Virginia, but also hinder at least two aspects of the federal surveillance state. Del. L. Mark Dudenhefer (R-Garrisonville) introduced House Bill 1332 (HB1332) last January, and Sen. J. Chapman Petersen (D-Fairfax) introduced a…