HELENA, Mont. (April 10, 2017) – On Saturday, the Montana Senate gave final approval to a bill that would take big steps toward making the state a sanctuary for gun rights by prohibiting state enforcement of most federal acts restricting firearms, magazines or ammunition. If signed into law, it would effectively stop any such federal acts in practice…
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (April 10, 2017) – Today, the Maryland House gave final approval to a bill that would set the foundation to nullify in practice some Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rules that deny access to experimental treatments by terminally ill patients. Introduced by Del. Karen Young (D-Frederick) and 18 bipartisan co-sponsors, House Bill 584…
HELENA, Mont. (April 10, 2017) – After initially tabling it, a Montana Senate committee reversed course and passed a bill late last week that would legalize limited raw milk sales in the state. Despite the victory in committee, the bill still faces an uphill fight in the full Senate. Rep. Nancy Ballance (R-Hamilton) introduced House…
AUSTIN, Texas (April 10, 2017) – A Texas bill to prohibit state expenditures on enforcement of any federal action not authorized by state law has received a committee assignment. This legislation would set the stage to effectively block some federal laws in the Lone Star State. Rep. Valoree Swanson (R-Spring) introduced House Bill 2808 (HB2808)…
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (April 7, 2017) – Yesterday, an important Illinois Senate committee passed a bill that would reform the state’s asset forfeiture laws to prohibit the state from taking property without a criminal conviction in most cases. The legislation also takes on federal forfeiture programs by banning prosecutors from circumventing state laws by passing cases…
ALBANY, N.Y., (Apr. 7, 2017) – A bill introduced in the New York House would allow certain students to opt out of Common Core Standards and testing, a small step toward nullifying nationalized education in the state. The law would provide additional legal backing to some of the hundreds of thousands of New York parents…
CHARLESTON, W. Va. (April 6, 2017) – Yesterday, the West Virginia House gave final approval to a bill that would legalize medical marijuana and take a step toward nullifying federal marijuana prohibition in the state. Sen. Richard Ojeda (D – Logan, 07) sponsored Senate Bill 386 (SB386), along with 11 bipartisan co-sponsors. The legislation would…
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (April 7, 2017) – A Republican-dominated Tennessee House subcommittee killed a bill that would have legalized the open carry of firearms without a permit by law-abiding citizens last week. House Bill 40 (HB40) was introduced by Rep. Micah Van Huss (R-Jonesborough), along with 15 co-sponsors. The legislation would have expanded gun rights for…
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (April 6, 2017) – Yesterday, an important Missouri House committee unanimously passed a bill that would close a loophole allowing state and local police to circumvent stringent state asset forfeiture laws by passing cases off to the feds. Rep. Shamed Dogan (R-St. Louis) filed House Bill 231 (HB231) in January. The legislation…
MADISON, Wisc. (April 6, 2017) – A bill introduced in the Wisconsin House would legalize commercial industrial hemp production in the state, setting the foundation to end federal prohibition in effect. A bipartisan coalition of 28 representatives introduced House Bill 183 (AB183) on March 28. Under the proposed law, industrial hemp would be treated as an…