Laboratories Of Democracy

Illinois Ranked Last In Personal Freedoms, New Hampshire #4

"We’re ranked #45 overall for freedom, and dead last for personal freedoms. We’ve been at the bottom of that list since 2007. The reasons? It’s hard to get high and/or carry a gun around here. Illinois also has harsh asset forfeiture laws, which put the burden of proof on property owners and grant 90 percent of proceeds from seized property to law enforcement. The freest state, according to the study, is North Dakota, which has low taxes and loose gun laws. The freest state, according to the study, is North Dakota, which has low taxes and loose gun laws. New Hampshire’s motto is 'Live Free or Die' (and indeed, New Hampshire ranked #4 in the survey)." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIllinois Ranked Last In Personal Freedoms, New Hampshire #4

Unhappy about new limits, gun makers urged to move to New Hampshire

"Firearms manufacturers upset over newly restrictive gun laws and proposals in their home states are getting a message from other places: Move here, where the climate is favorable to your products, and so are the tax codes. When the debate over gun laws reignited after the mass shooting in Newtown, Conn., in December, critics of proposals to toughen state laws cautioned that gun manufacturers could move and take local jobs with them. And indeed, now lawmakers and residents in a few states are using restrictions on guns recently passed and proposed elsewhere as an opportunity to attract affected businesses." Continue reading →

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San Diego mayor OK with a certain company’s marijuana vending machines

"The San Diego mayor’s office accepts the use of some marijuana vending machines, according to a major manufacturer of the drug-dispensing devices. Though the company’s automated dispensing machine resembles typical vending machines, it differs in key ways. The touch-screen Canna MedBox can only be accessed via a special pre-paid card and fingerprint scan. The machine is also armored to prevent thefts and keeps a record of every transaction." Continue reading →

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Massachusetts Attorney General: Pot shops allowed statewide

"Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley ruled Wednesday that medical marijuana dispensaries must be allowed statewide and individual municipalities cannot legally block them. The ruling (PDF) was issued by Coakley’s Municipal Law Unit in response to a 2012 bylaw passed by officials in Wakefield, Massachusetts. Two other nearby towns also passed a similar ordinance. It says that the legalization of medical marijuana, enshrined in state law, 'cannot be served if a municipality were to prohibit treatment centers within its borders, for if one municipality were allowed to do so, all could do so, making reasonable access impossible.'" Continue reading →

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Possessing a little marijuana no longer criminal in Rhode Island

"A law decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana went into effect in Rhode Island on Monday after the state last year became the 15th in the United States to enact such legislation. Governor Lincoln Chafee signed the legislation into law in June but it did not take effect until Monday, a move intended to allow time for officials to work out procedures, said state Representative John Edwards, a co-sponsor of the measure. Possession of one ounce (28 grams) or less of marijuana in Rhode Island now constitutes a civil offense punishable by a $150 fine and forfeiture of the drug, though three offenses in an 18-month period amount to a misdemeanor." Continue reading →

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The Rocky Mountain Road to Legal Marijuana Commerce

"The clock is ticking in Colorado. The voters have already voted to legalize marijuana. Either the legislature passes regulations to implement it -- and quite possibly puts anticipated taxes on the ballot, as required by state law for any new taxes -- and Colorado has legal, taxed and regulated marijuana commerce, or it simply has legal marijuana possession with no taxes and no regulations. The threat of the latter should be enough to ensure the success of the former." Continue reading →

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What Can We Learn by Comparing the Employment Situation in Texas vs. California?

"One of the great things about federalism, above and beyond the fact that it both constrains the power of governments and is faithful to the Constitution, is that is turns every state into an experiment. We can learn what works best (though the President seems incapable of learning the right lesson). We know, for instance, that people are leaving high-tax states and migrating to low-tax states. We also know that low-tax states grow faster and create more jobs. I particularly enjoy comparisons between Texas and California. The Lone Star State is kicking the you-know-what out of the Golden State in terms of overall economic performance." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWhat Can We Learn by Comparing the Employment Situation in Texas vs. California?

Ranking the States for Economic and Personal Freedom

"Here are the full rankings from the newly released Freedom in the 50 States from the Mercatus Center, showing North Dakota as the state with the most freedom, with South Dakota (#2), Tennessee (#3), New Hampshire (#4), and Oklahoma (#5) also deserving praise for high scores. What makes Freedom in the 50 States so interesting is that you can mix and match variables based on your own preferences. I checked the 'fiscal' and 'tax burden' categories, and South Dakota (no state income tax!) jumped to #1 for both of those measures. You won’t be surprised to learn that New York is the worst state, not only overall, but also for various fiscal policy measures." Continue reading →

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Kentucky Legislature Passes Hemp Bill, Rand Paul Vows Support From D.C.

"The Kentucky Senate joined the House in approving a hemp regulation bill last night. This morning, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) released a statement applauding the bill's passage and promising to continue to push for a federal waiver from the Controlled Substances Act for future Kentucky hemp growers." Continue reading →

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Medical marijuana bill approved by New Hampshire House

"New Hampshire is one step closer to becoming the 19th state to legalize medical marijuana. On Wednesday, the state House voted 286-64 to approve legislation that would allow patients with chronic or terminal diseases to use medical marijuana if their doctors recommended it. The bill allows for state-licensed marijuana dispensaries to open, and grants patients or caregivers the right to grow up to three cannabis plants." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMedical marijuana bill approved by New Hampshire House