BOSTON, Mass. (May 15, 2017) – Bills introduced in the Massachusetts House and Senate 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 off to the…
BATON ROUGE, La. (May 11, 2017) – On Wednesday, a Louisiana House committee unanimously passed a bill that would expand the state’s Right to Try law to include technology designed to help ALS patients with mobility. Passage into law would set the foundation to nullify in practice a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rules that…
AUSTIN, Texas (May 14, 2017) – On Friday, the Texas House unanimously passed a bill that would expand the Texas “Right to Try” law, setting the foundation to nullify in practice additional Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rules that deny access to experimental treatments by patients with severe chronic diseases. Rep. Tan Parker (R-Flower Mound)…
DOVER, Del. (May 14, 2017) – On Wednesday, a Delaware Assembly committee passed a bill to legalize marijuana for recreational use, taking a big step toward nullifying federal cannabis prohibition in practice. House Bill 110 (HB110) was introduced by Rep. Helene Keeley (D-South Wilmington) and 13 co-sponsors. The legislation would legalize marijuana under a tax-and-regulate…
AUSTIN, Texas (May 14, 2017) – On Wednesday, the Texas House unanimously passed a proposed state constitutional amendment that would authorize the legislature to exempt precious metals held in the Texas Bullion Depository from ad valorem taxation. Passage of the amendment would take another step toward the everyday use of gold and silver in financial transactions…
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (May 12, 2017) – Today, the Missouri House 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 law would not only protect privacy in the Show Me State, but would also hinder one…
ALBANY, N.Y. (May 12, 2017) – A New York electronic data protection bill would ban the use “stingrays” to track the location of phones and sweep up electronic communications without a warrant, and end warrantless collection of cell phone data in most situations. Passage of the bill would not only protect privacy in New York,…
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (May 11, 2017) – A state Senate committee has passed bill that would end the use of Common Core in Alabama schools. Sen. Harri Anne Smith (I-Slocomb) introduced Senate Bill 415 (SB415) on May 5. The legislation would void Common Core standards and create a framework to establish state standards to replace them. The…
DENVER Colo. (May 10, 2017) – Today, the Colorado legislature overwhelmingly passed a bill that would take a big step toward closing a federal asset forfeiture loophole. It now goes to the Governor’s desk for a signature. A bipartisan coalition of two representatives and two senators introduced House Bill 1313 (HB1313) on April 3. The legislation…
DENVER, Colo. (May 11, 2017) – A Colorado Senate committee killed a bill that would have barred the state from assisting in the enforcement of federal laws that prohibit actions protected by the state constitution. Rep. Steve Lebsock (D) and Sen. Tim Neville (R) sponsored House Bill 1331 (HB1331). The legislation would have prohibited a…