On Friday March 27th, while physical and digital cavalries amassed in opposition to Indiana Governor Mike Pence’s Thursday signing of the state’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), the Arkansas state Senate voted 24-7 in favor of its state’s own version of the bill. HB 1228, a bill declaring that “a state action shall not substantially
In the wake of the global auto industry facing an enormous amount of recalls and legal actions, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) has endured a sizeable amount of scrutiny in recent years. Some, including myself, have raised questions regarding lax testing standards, and allegations of cronyism between the agency and automakers. Given the
Indiana became the 11th state last week to sign a controversial ‘Right to Try’ bill into law, allowing some desperately ill patients easier access to non FDA-approved experimental medications. The cause has been popularized in recent years due to the critically-acclaimed film, “Dallas Buyers Club,” which was about smuggling unapproved medications in order to help
On March 27th, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal committed to signing into law the “Haley’s Hope” bill legalizing a certain form of cannabis called CBD. This strain of marijuana is different from the typical THC-laden plant that is predominantly used medically and recreationally. While non-intoxicating, CBD strains have been shown to dramatically reduce epileptic seizures in
Governor Mike Pence signed Indiana’s version of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) into law on Thursday, March 26th. The RFRA gives businesses and citizens the right to object to conduct that compromises their religious beliefs. The law is based on the federal act of the same name, which was adopted in 1993. In the
While the General Motors ignition switch recall has dominated recent automotive headlines, it has been far from the only major automaker to face recent massive legal challenges. Over 60 million vehicles were recalled in 2014, and the 80,000 complaints received was more than twice the previous record set in 2004. Each of the top 8
Amazon drone delivery took a step closer to becoming a reality on Thursday, March 19th, when the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) softened its 2014 ruling on drone regulations that had essentially put delivery off-limits. The most recent ruling allows Amazon to test drones “for research and development and crew training.” The prior 2014 ruling allowed
A Supreme Court hearing that began Monday regarding personalized Texas license plates will likely reignite the debate over protected speech and could potentially redefine the ways that governments collect revenue. Like many states, Texas offers drivers the opportunity to purchase specialty plates advertising causes or non-profit groups. Many groups pay the state to produce the
The Federal Highway Administration recently gave passing grades to the ET-Plus guardrail in four recent crash tests; however, both the agency and embattled manufacturer, Trinity Industries, are now facing an even higher degree of scrutiny. The ET-Plus passed despite the final test causing a sizeable gash in the driver’s side door, causing extensive damage to
A bill introduced by Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), coinciding with a massive national awareness campaign by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) Action Fund may soon put asbestos exposure near the forefront of American consciousness. The goal of the Reducing Exposure to Asbestos Database (READ) Act is to modernize the 1988 Asbestos Information Act, signed by