Crime does pay…the State
North Carolina’s “drug taxes” on substances ranging from marijuana to moonshine are reaping a major reward. [...]
Legislative and Policy
Highlighting state and national legislative news, focusing on some of the most important policy issues of the day.
Are North Carolina’s homeschooling laws really helping students?
The lack of homeschool regulation in North Carolina may mean that the State has inadequate information and data on homeschooled student success. [...]
Planned Parenthood of Indiana filed suit against Indiana over new restrictions on abortion
Indiana becomes the next state to enact a law placing restrictions on abortions and Planned Parenthood reacts with a lawsuit. [...]
To Elect or Retention Elect, that is the question
The North Carolina Supreme Court is gearing up to rule how the term “elected” is defined within the state constitution, which will have implications on their own elections as justices [...]
While marijuana may be legal in some states, employers can still drug test and terminate employees
Five states in the United States have legalized recreational marijuana, twenty-three states have legalized medical marijuana, but employers in these states can still require drug tests and fire an employee over a failed drug test, even though the conduct is no longer criminalized. [...]
NC State legislators v. Charlotte City Council
The NC General Assembly knocks out the Charlotte City Council’s recent ordinance providing discrimination protections for the LGBT community, but the legislation does so much more. [...]
Clinton continues to campaign amid indictment talk
Amid a Presidential campaign, Hillary Clinton continues to face scrutiny as an investigation for after-labeled classified emails sent on a private server during her time as Secretary of State. [...]
Giving credit where credit is due: SCOTUS forces Alabama to recognize same-sex adoption
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court of the United States reversed a decision of the Alabama Supreme Court that failed to recognize the validity of a same-sex adoption ordered by a Georgia court on the ground that the Alabama Supreme Court’s decision ran afoul to the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the United States Constitution. [...]
Fifth Circuit’s ruling on abortion regulations: to protect women’s health or a cover-up?
With a new abortion law on the books in Louisiana making putting more requirements in place that would affect access to abortions, the court’s intentions in its decision are uncertain. [...]
Will gerrymandering in North Carolina ever come to an end?
Given North Carolina’s history with redistricting and its continuous struggle with gerrymandering district lines, a recent lawsuit regarding the 2011 redistricting forced North Carolina legislators to take another look at the district lines. [...]
How New Jersey could pave the way for Vegas style sports betting in other states
The result of the rehearing to determine whether New Jersey’s Sports Wagering Act is legal may affect whether other states will propose laws to regulate and permit wagering on professional and collegiate sport games across the nation. [...]
Get rich or high tryin’— Marijuana sales continue to bring in “high” revenues across the U.S.
The legalization of marijuana has produced pros and cons to dispensaries across the United States, including increased state revenue but high federal taxes. [...]
Would Wrongful Termination Claim be Appropriate for Employee Refusing Drug Test Conducted in Unauthorized Laboratory?
When employers terminate at-will employees for any reason or no reason, their conduct is often permissive, unless the termination is in violation of public policy, among other exceptions. However, could there be a claim for a wrongful termination action against an employer when an employee fails to submit to a drug test that is to be conducted by an unapproved laboratory? [...]
The Mass Shooting Manifest
It seems like almost every day a person is killed by a mass shooting in the United States. The truth is there have been many shootings in this country and the next one is impossible to predict. Some say that wherever there are guns there will be killings. A gun is just like a knife and just like a bomb: something that can be used to do something terrible. Most sites that present statistics on recent mass shootings either slant the information for or against gun rights. The problem is [...]
NRA Fails at Challenging Seattle Firearms Tax
Seattle successfully passes a tax on firearm sales within its City limits despite NRA’s efforts to block the tax. [...]
