Testimony offered before the N.C. Commission of Inquiry on Torture (NCCIT) earlier this month revealed the culpability of state and local officials in a program of extraordinary rendition and torture. Knowing how states helped facilitate torture opens the door to take steps to keep it from happening again. On Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, the 11-member panel…
PHOENIX, Ariz. (Dec. 20, 2017) – A bill pre-filed in the Arizona House would decriminalize marijuana possession. Passage into law during the 2018 legislative session would take another step toward further nullifying federal cannabis prohibition in effect in the state. Rep. Mark Cardenas (D-Phoenix) prefiled House Bill 2014 (HB2014) for the 2018 legislative session. The…
COLUMBIA, S.C. (Dec. 19, 2017) – A bill prefiled in the South Carolina House would create a joint legislative committee to evaluate the constitutionality of federal laws, setting the stage to take further action to nullify unconstitutional federal acts in effect. Rep. Gary Smith (R-Greenville) prefiled House Bill 4453 (H.4453) for introduction in the 2018…
ALBANY, NY. (Dec. 19, 2017) – A bill introduced in the New York Senate would decriminalize marijuana possession. Passage into law would take another step toward nullifying federal cannabis prohibition in effect in the state. Introduced by Sen. Gustavo Rivera (D-Bronx), Senate Bill 7013 (S7013) would “ensure that laws are enforced equally and fairly and…
The state of Texas wants to prosecute a former Austin Police Department detective for using excessive force and killing a man, but the officer has so far avoided prosecution by claiming federal immunity because he was working on a task force organized by the FBI. Austin P.D. Detective Charles Kleinert was investigating another case at…
CONCORD, N.H. (Dec. 18, 2017) – A bill prefiled for the 2018 session in the New Hampshire House would prohibit the release of any information from the state’s medical marijuana registry to the federal government without a warrant. Passage of the legislation would take another small step toward nullifying federal cannabis prohibition in effect. A…
CONCORD, N.H. (Dec. 17, 2017) – A bill prefiled in the New Hampshire House would set the stage to prohibit the federal government from regulating food produced and sold wholly within the state as long as it is labeled “Made in New Hampshire.” A coalition of four Republican representatives prefiled House Bill 1669 (HB1669) in November.…
HONOLULU, Hawaii (Dec. 16, 2017) – During the 2018 legislative session, the Hawaii Senate will take up a bill that would limit the warrantless use of surveillance drones. The legislation would not only establish important privacy protections at the state level, it would also help thwart the federal surveillance state. Rep. Joseph Souki introduced House Bill…
HONOLULU, Hawaii (Dec. 13, 2017) – The Hawaii Senate will take up a bill in the 2018 legislative session that would expand the state’s industrial hemp program and authorize commercial production of the crop. Passage of the bill would spur development of a hemp industry in the Aloha State and set the foundation to end federal prohibition…
CONCORD, N.H. (Dec. 12, 2017) – A bill prefiled in the New Hampshire House would restrict the warrantless and weaponized use of drones by law enforcement. The legislation would not only establish important privacy protections at the state level, it would also help thwart the federal surveillance state. Rep. Neil Kurk prefiled House Bill 1759 (HB1759)…