Illinois Bill Takes on “Policing for Profit” via Asset Forfeiture; Closes Federal Loophole

SPRINGFIELD, Ill (Feb. 22, 2016) – An Illinois bill 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. Rep. John Cavaletto (R-107th) introduced…

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Kansas Bill Would End State Participation In Resettlement of Refugees from Syria and Iraq

TOPEKA, Kan. (Feb. 22, 2016) – A Kansas bill would prohibit state cooperation with some contentious federal refugee resettlement programs. The legislation would take a significant step towards nullifying these programs in practice within the state. A coalition of 22 representatives introduced House Bill 2661 (HB2661) on Feb. 10. The legislation would bar state participation or…

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Republicans Maintain Unconstitutional Status Quo; Kill Industrial Hemp Bill in South Dakota

PIERRE, S.D. (Feb. 22, 2016) – After passing the House by a 57-11 margin on Feb. 4, five Republican senators killed a bill that would have legalized industrial hemp for commercial production and distribution in South Dakota. Rep. Mike Verchio (R-Hill City) along with a bipartisan coalition of 39 cosponsors introduced House Bill 1054 (HB1054) earlier…

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Nebraska Bill to Stop ALPR and Stingray Spying Passes Committee 6-1

LINCOLN, Neb. (Feb. 22, 2016) – A Nebraska bill that would put limitations on the storage and sharing of information collected with Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) by law enforcement in the state, and place significant roadblocks in the way of a federal program using states to help track the location of millions of everyday…

Continue ReadingNebraska Bill to Stop ALPR and Stingray Spying Passes Committee 6-1

Oklahoma Committee Passes Bill to Restrict ALPRs; Help Block National License Plate Tracking Program

OKLAHOMA CITY (Feb. 19, 2016) – Yesterday, an Oklahoma Senate Committee passed a bill that would put limitations on the storage and sharing of information collected by Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) by law enforcement in the state, and place significant roadblocks in the way of a federal program using states to help track the location of…

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Arizona House Passes Bill Setting Foundation to Reject Federal Acts

PHOENIX, Ariz. (Feb. 19, 2016) – A bill that would set the stage for the state to refuse cooperation with federal acts passed the House yesterday. Introduced by Rep. Bob Thorpe and a coalition of 12 sponsors and cosponsors, House Bill 2201 (HB2201) would prohibit state participation or cooperation with any action of the United States government that constitutes…

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Kansas Bill Withdrawing State from Common Core Passes House Committee

TOPEKA, Kan. (Feb. 19, 2016) – A Kansas bill that would withdraw the state from Common Core standards passed out of an important committee on Wednesday. The legislation represents an important step toward nullifying nationalized education in the state. A coalition of five representatives introduced House Bill 2676 (HB2676) on Feb. 10. The legislation declares…

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Missouri Senate Committee Passes Bill Creating Mechanism to Review and Block Federal Laws and Regulations

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Feb. 19, 2016) – A Missouri bill setting the stage for the state to review and reject any federal acts passed out of an important Senate committee Wednesday. Sen. Mike Parson prefiled Senate Bill 593 (SB593) on Dec. 1. The original draft of the legislation would have required the Missouri general assembly’s…

Continue ReadingMissouri Senate Committee Passes Bill Creating Mechanism to Review and Block Federal Laws and Regulations

Missouri Senate Committee Passes Bill Creating Mechanism to Review and Block Federal Laws and Regulations

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Feb. 19, 2016) – A Missouri bill setting the stage for the state to review and reject any federal acts passed out of an important Senate committee Wednesday. Sen. Mike Parson prefiled Senate Bill 593 (SB593) on Dec. 1. The original draft of the legislation would have required the Missouri general assembly’s…

Continue ReadingMissouri Senate Committee Passes Bill Creating Mechanism to Review and Block Federal Laws and Regulations

Oklahoma Committee Passes Bill to Create Mechanism to Review and Reject Federal Rules and Regulations

OKLAHOMA CITY (Feb. 18, 2016) – An Oklahoma bill that would require legislative approval before a state agency could adopt or enforce any new federal rule or regulation passed out of an important Senate committee Monday. If the bill ultimately passes into law, it will set the stage to nullify such rules and regulations in practice.…

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