Laboratories Of Democracy

New Hampshire House Votes To Prohibit Private Prisons

"The move is an abrupt shift in New Hampshire, where just last year the legislature had considered a bill to send its entire male prison population to private prisons. The problems with private prisons are too numerous to spell out in full, but here are a few highlights. At its core, the entire private prison industry profits when people are imprisoned, meaning stricter drug and immigration laws produce larger profits. Private prison operators know this, and have spent more than $45 million on lobbying federal and state lawmakers over the past decade, including top Republicans influencing the immigration debate." Continue reading →

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Gold and Silver Coins in Arizona May Become Legal Tender

"Arizona is likely to become the second state after Utah to pass a law specifying that gold and silver coins will be regarded as legal tender inside the borders of the state. The important thing about this legislation, as well as the law in Utah, is that it is now becoming clear to more voters that there is something fundamentally wrong with a monetary system that is run by a committee of tenured bureaucrats in Washington. This kind of legislation would have been inconceivable 10 years ago. The legislation is important mainly as an economic indicator of a change in public opinion, at least in Western states, regarding the future of fiat money." Continue reading →

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Tarrant lawmaker seeks to create Texas Bullion Depository

"Call it the Rick Perry gold rush: The governor wants to bring the state's gold reserves back from a New York vault to Texas. And he may have legislative support to do it. Freshman Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake, is carrying a bill that would establish the Texas Bullion Depository, a secure state-based bank to house $1 billion worth of gold bars owned by the University of Texas Investment Management Co., or UTIMCO, and stored by the Federal Reserve. Capriglione said the bill is not about putting Texas on its own gold standard. Rather, a depository would give the state a reputation as being more financially secure in the event of a financial crisis." Continue reading →

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Washington cops working to ‘desensitize’ drug dogs to marijuana smell

"Police in Washington state are working to retrain their drug-sniffing dogs so that they’re less likely to alert when they smell marijuana. The retraining is part of the state’s law enforcement reforms following November’s voter-backed legalization measure, which will ultimately require police to notify judges as to whether a drug dog used to obtain probable cause for a search has been trained to comply with state law. While most departments are going along with the change, including the Washington State Patrol, the Tacoma Police Department is refusing to comply." Continue reading →

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South Carolina Introduces Anti-NDAA Legislation

"South Carolina Senator Tom Davis has sponsored the Liberty Preservation Act to nullify the National Defense Authorization Act. The bill addresses the fact that 'Section 1021 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012 purports to assert the President’s authority to not only arrest suspected terrorists, but also to determine whether a trial, including the type of trial, will be held for those arrested;' and that 'Section 1022 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012 requires detention without trial by the military for a certain class of terrorist and authorizes, but does not require, the same for citizens of the United States.'" Continue reading →

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Maryland lawmakers ban death penalty

"The Maryland General Assembly approved a ban of the death penalty on Friday, CNN reported. The bill, which passed in an 82-56 voted, now goes to Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) for approval. According to WUSA-TV, he is expected to sign the bill into effect and make Maryland the 18th state to abolish the death penalty. O’Malley will also have the option of commuting the sentences of the state’s five inmates currently on death row to life in prison." Continue reading →

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Maryland Senate Passes Marijuana Decriminalization

"A bill that would decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana in Maryland passed the state Senate Tuesday by a nearly two-to-one margin. The vote was 30-16. Senate Bill 297 would make possession of 10 grams (about a third of an ounce) or less a civil offense punishable by no more than a $100 fine. A state legislative fiscal and policy analysis of the bill estimated that it would result in small losses in fine revenues, small savings from decreases in the number of jail days, and would significantly reduce caseloads in the Office of the Public Defender. The bill now proceeds to the House, where it has been assigned to the Judiciary Committee." Continue reading →

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Packed Seattle hearing on new pot law

"They came in suits and cowboy hats, with cropped gray hair and long ponytails, and they filled one room at Seattle City Hall and spilled into another, about 400 strong. They were there to express views about the state’s new legal-marijuana law enacted last fall by Initiative 502. Growers, breeders, sellers and advocates came out to push a variety of platforms. Washington’s new law, which allows those 21 and older to possess up to an ounce of pot, must be implemented by December. In theory, adults will then be able to walk into stores around the state and buy locally grown pot that is licensed, taxed and regulated by the state." Continue reading →

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Strong smell of marijuana reported inside Colorado Capitol

"A strong smell of marijuana was reported inside the Colorado Capitol Wednesday morning. The entire Senate chamber smelled like marijuana, said Doug Schepman, communications director for the Senate Democrats. 'It wasn't like a car just passing by and catching a whiff,' said Schepman. 'It was bad.' Senate President John Morse cracked up fellow lawmakers during the session by asking: 'Do you smell marijuana in here, or is it just me?' On the recording of the morning's proceedings, Morse can be heard asking, 'If the Sergeants would please douse all the doobies in the area.' There's still no word on the source of the smell." Continue reading →

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Task force: Tourists welcome to get stoned in Colorado

"The task force agreed that tourists should be sold smaller amounts than residents, and only Colorado residents who’ve lived in the state two or more years should be allowed to sell marijuana at retail. Retail locations would also be required to sell only what they grow. Additionally, starting in 2014 only licensed medical marijuana dispensary owners will be allowed to apply for recreational sales permits, but the application process would open to all Colorado residents starting in 2015." Continue reading →

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