COLUMBIA S.C. (Dec. 7, 2015) – A bill introduced in the South Carolina House would completely ban the use “stingrays” to track the location of phones and sweep up electronic communications. Passage of the bill would not only protect privacy in the Palmetto State, but would also hinder one aspect of the federal surveillance state.…
TALLAHASSEE, FL. (Dec, 7, 2015) – A bill that would allow terminally ill patients access to medicinal marijuana, further nullifying in effect federal prohibition of cannabis, passed unanimously out of a second Senate committee last Thursday. The legislation expands on a recently passed “right to try” law that effectively nullifies in practice some Food and…
BOSTON, Mass. (Dec. 7, 2015) – An important Massachusetts committee held a hearing this week about a proposal that would drastically limit the impact of federal programs that facilitate the militarization of local police. House Bill 2144 (H.2144) was introduced on March 11 by Rep. Mary Keefe (D-Worcester) and 13 co-sponsors. The legislation would prohibit…
JEFFERSON CITY, MO. (Dec. 5, 2015) – This week, a bill was prefiled in the Missouri State Senate to authorize the farming, production, and sale of industrial hemp in the state, effectively nullifying in practice the unconstitutional federal prohibition on the same. Prefiled on Dec. 1 for introduction during the 2016 legislative session by Sen.…
COLUMBIA, S.C. (Dec. 4, 2015) – Several bills introduced in the South Carolina legislature would end state cooperation with some contentious federal refugee resettlement programs, a significant step towards nullifying them in practice in the state. Legislators have filed five different bills that would limit state cooperation with Syrian refugee resettlement to varying degrees by denying…
MADISON, Wis. (Dec. 4, 2015) – A bill introduced in the Wisconsin House would reform asset forfeiture laws to prohibit the state from taking property without a criminal conviction. The legislation also takes on federal forfeiture programs by banning prosecutors from circumventing state laws by passing cases off to the feds in most situations. A…
Within hours of the tragic shooting in San Bernardino Wednesday, the political class was already clamoring to use the incident to push policies from gun control, to increased surveillance, to more militarized cops. While none of these proposals will prevent the next tragedy, they could have profound ramifications on our day-to-day lives. Fear has a…
Michigan HB5026 would put severe restrictions on the government use of drones in the state. HB5026 must pass through the House Committee on Government Operations before the bill can receive a vote in the full House. PLEASE TAKE THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS to support this important bill. 1. Call the House Committee on Government Operations Chair,…
The federal government spies on you. A lot. And it operates behind a veil of ignorance. Despite revelations by Edward Snowden and other whistleblowers, many Americans still apparently believe warrantless surveillance only happens to “bad guys,” and they have nothing to worry about because of the “I have nothing to hide” myth. Americans simply don’t…
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Dec. 3, 2015) – A bill prefiled in the Alabama Senate would essentially nullify the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade, along with subsequent cases, and make most abortions in the state illegal. Sen. Gerald Allen (R-Tuscaloosa) recently prefiled Senate Bill 9 (SB9). The legislation would make it illegal for a doctor…