LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (March 21, 2017) – Last week, the Arkansas House passed a bill that would help facilitate healthcare freedom and set the stage to nullify federally run healthcare in practice in the state. Rep. Justin Gonzales (R-Okolona) introduced House Bill 2240 (HB2240) on March 6. The legislation specifies that direct primary care agreements…
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (March 20, 2017) – Today, the Maryland House of Delegates passed a bill to withdraw state participation from the enforcement of most federal immigration laws. Passage into law is far from certain, as the Governor has promised to veto the bill and the 83-55 vote in the House is two short of a veto-override.…
FRANKFORT, Ky. (March 20, 2017) – Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin has signed a bill into law that will help facilitate healthcare freedom and set the stage to nullify federally run healthcare in practice in the state. A coalition of three Republican senators introduced Senate Bill 97 (SB97) on Jan 3. The law specifies that direct…
SANTA FE, N.M. (March 20, 2017) – Last week, the New Mexico House gave final approval for a bill known as the Electronic Communication Privacy Act. If signed by the governor, the bill would not only protect privacy in New Mexico, but would also hinder at least two aspects of the federal surveillance state. Sen. Peter…
AUSTIN, Texas (March 20, 2017) – A bill introduced in the Texas House would legalize the production and processing of industrial hemp for commercial purposes, rejecting the unconstitutional federal prohibition on the same. Rep. Bill Zedler (R-Arlington) introduced House Bill 3587 (HB3587) on March 9. Under the proposed law, industrial hemp would be treated as…
CHARLESTON, W. Va. . (Mar. 20, 2017) – On Saturday, the West Virginia Senate passed a bill to withdraw the state from Common Core. Sen. Patricia Rucker (R-Jefferson) introduced Senate Bill 524 (SB524) to void Common Core standards in the state. It reads, in part: Effective July 1, 2018, the state board is prohibited from…
Arizona House Bill 2477 (HB2477) would require prosecutors to establish a higher evidentiary standard for asset forfeiture. The bill also takes on federal forfeiture programs by banning prosecutors from circumventing state laws by passing cases off to the feds in most situations. It passed the House by a unanimous 60-0 vote. (learn more here) It now…
DENVER, Colo. (March 21, 2017) – A Republican controlled Colorado Senate committee killed a bill that would have closed an asset forfeiture loophole that allows state and local police to circumvent more stringent state asset forfeiture laws. Despite bipartisan sponsorship, Senate Bill 136 (SB136) failed to advance out of the Senate Committee on Judiciary by a…
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Mar. 17, 2017) – Bills introduced in the Rhode Island legislature would legalize marijuana for recreational use, taking a big step toward nullifying federal cannabis prohibition in practice in the state. Senate Bill 420 (S420) was introduced by Sen. Joshua Miller (D-Cranston) and four bipartisan co-sponsors to legalize marijuana under a tax-and-regulate system…
HELENA, Mont. (March 17, 2017) – Yesterday, an important Senate committee unanimously passed a bill that would limit the use of Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) in the state. Passage into law would also place significant roadblocks in the way of a federal program using states to help track the location of millions of everyday…