State & Local Executive Branches

The battle is joined over dispensaries in Washington, and the clock is ticking. (Image via Wikimedia.org

Fed Threat Puts Washington Medical Marijuana Dispensary Bill in Doubt

Federal prosecutors threw a stink bomb in the room just as the Washington legislature was finalizing a medical marijuana dispensary bill. Now, the bill's future is in doubt.

ACLU Urges Washington State Senators to Move Medical Marijuana Bill

The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington is urging state senators to ignore Gov. Chris Gregoire's threat to veto a bill that would set up a regulated medical marijuana dispensary system. The House and Senate have passed legislation to license dispensaries. After a warning from federal prosecutors of arrest liability for employees who break federal law, Gregoire said she'd veto legislation that requires state workers to implement a licensing system.

Delaware State House, Dover (image via wikimedia.org)

Delaware Senate Passes Drug Sentencing Reform Bill

Simple drug possession is about to become a misdemeanor in Delaware, as a major drug sentencing reform bill awaits one last procedural vote.

Gov. Schweitzer heeds the will of the voters, not the legislature.

Montana Governor Vetoes Medical Marijuana Repeal

Montana's Republican legislature wanted to repeal the state's voter-approved medical marijuana law, but the Democratic governor struck it down with the veto pen.

Gov. Schweitzer Vetoes Repeal of Montana's Medical Marijuana Law

Gov. Brian Schweitzer has vetoed a Republican bill that would have repealed the state's voter-approved medical marijuana law. Schweitzer vetoed the bill along with several others he called "frivolous, unconstitutional or in direct contradiction to the expressed will of the people of Montana." Voters in 2004 overwhelmingly approved the use of medical marijuana.

medical marijuana (courtesy Coaster420 and wikimedia.org)

Washington House Passes Medical Marijuana Dispensary Bill

A bill that would authorize medical marijuana dispensaries and increase patient protections in Washington state has passed both houses, but faces a reconciliation vote in the Senate and a less-than-committed governor.

DC's Medical Marijuana Program to Get Off Ground on April 15

After months of delay, Washington, DC Mayor Vince Gray announced that the rules and regulations governing the District's medical marijuana program will go into effect on Friday, April 15 when they're published in the D.C. Register. The news comes as advocates of the program started complaining loudly about delays in its implementation, which dates back almost a year.

California Gov. Jerry Brown takes a tiny step toward corrections reform.

California Corrections "Realignment" Not Nearly Enough [FEATURE]

California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a bill "realigning" corrections in the state, but that's just the tiniest of baby steps toward fixing an out of control prison system. How about some real sentencing reform?

There's plenty more where this came from, governor. (Image via Wikimedia)

Drug Test Protestors Send Urine Sample to Florida Governor

A Florida group formed to protest the governor's order that state employees be subjected to random drug testing has come up with an apt, if smelly, form of protest.

Florida Political Action Committee Protests Gov. Rick Scott's New Drug Testing Policy by Sending Him Urine

Last month, Gov. Scott signed an executive order allowing random drug testing of state employees and a bill is currently working its way through Florida's legislature that would require welfare and food stamp recipients to undergo drug testing. The Committee for the Positive Insistence on a Sane Society, or PISS, is calling the smelly "gift" a peaceful protest. "In one breath our CEO professes to be focusing on cutting wasteful government spending and laying off tens of thousands of state employees, while at the same time he announces a program to drug test state employees without any legitimate basis for such an invasion of privacy," a PISS press release stated.

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