SALEM, Ore. (May 10, 2016) – Legislation passed in the Oregon legislature just a few months ago already shows signs of delivering on promises to further open up the state’s budding hemp market, a development that will help further nullify federal prohibition in practice. Oregon Governor Kate Brown signed House Bill 4060 (HB4060) into law…
MONTPELIER, Vt. (May 10, 2016) – The Vermont legislature has passed a sweeping bill that would establish robust privacy protections in the state, If ultimately signed into law, it would not only limit warrantless surveillance and help ensure electronic privacy in Vermont, but would also hinder several federal surveillance programs that rely on cooperation and data…
BOSTON, Mass. (May 10, 2016) – An initiative petition filed last year needs one final push to allow voters to nullify Common Core educational standards in November after the legislature refused to act during this year’s legislative session. House Bill 3929 (H.3929) was the result of a initiative petition filed by End Common Core Massachusetts last…
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (May 9, 2016) – A California bill that would restrict warrantless drone surveillance by state and local law enforcement passed its final Assembly committee last Wednesday. If ultimately signed into law, the legislation would not only establish important privacy protections at the state level, it would also help thwart the federal surveillance state.…
CONCORD, N.H. (May 9, 2016) – Last week, the New Hampshire Senate passed 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. Sponsored by Rep. Frank Edelbut (R-Wilbut), House Bill 1138 (HB1138) would give terminally ill…
BOSTON, Mass. (May 6, 2016) – Yesterday, the Massachusetts Senate overwhelmingly passed an agriculture bill that would expand raw milk sales in the state. Passage of the bill into law would facilitate the process of nullifying the federal prohibition scheme in practice. The Senate Ways and Means Committee created Senate Bill 2258 (S.2258) to incorporate…
LANSING, Mich. (May 6, 2016) – Yesterday, a Michigan Senate committee passed a bill that declares firearms, firearms accessories and ammunition manufactured and maintained in the state of Michigan exempt from federal regulation. Passage of the bill would set the stage to nullify some federal regulations on some firearms in practice. Sen. Phil Pavlov (R) introduced Senate…
PHOENIX, Ariz. (May 5, 2016) – Yesterday, the Arizona Senate concurred with House amendments to a bill that would “legalize the Constitution” by defining gold and silver specie as legal tender and encouraging their use as currency, sending it to the governor’s desk. Sen. David C. Farnsworth and Rep. Doug Coleman, along with seven cosponsors,…
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (May 5, 2016) – On Tuesday, an Illinois House committee passed a bill that would ban the use of “stingrays” to track the location of phones and sweep up electronic communications without a warrant in most situations. The proposed legislation would not only protect privacy in the Illinois, but would also hinder one…
BOSTON, Mass. (May 5, 2016) – A Massachusetts Senate committee has passed a bill that would put limitations on the storage and sharing of information collected by law enforcement agencies using Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) in the state, and place significant roadblocks in the way of a federal program using states to help track the…