Civil & Human Rights

Why we can’t have legal weed right now. Because they’re anti-choicers.

by

Crossposted from DemocraticDiva.com

pot leaf

Per Howie Fischer:

He admits the plan is a political longshot.

But Rep. Mark Cardenas, D-Phoenix, hopes to convince colleagues to approve legalizing marijuana for recreational use by adults, if for no other reason than the alternative is having voters adopt their own plan. And if that happens, that locks lawmakers out of the process entirely.

His legislation, HB 2007, would make it legal for those 21 and older to possess up to an ounce of the drug…

…What might fare better is Cardenas’ backup plan: HB 2006 would decriminalize possession of up to an ounce of marijuana, imposing a civil penalty of no more than $100.

Now, possession of any amount is a felony, meaning more than a year in state prison.

But these are usually handled as misdemeanors. And a 1996 voter-approved law generally precludes incarceration for first and second offenses.

“I’m willing to look at that,” Farnsworth said. But he said any decision whether to even grant that a hearing depends on whether police and prosecutors believe such a change will impair their anti-drug efforts.

Read more

SCOTUS Conference on January 9 to consider same-sex marriage appeals

by

The U.S. Supreme Court returns to work on January 9, 2015. Its Conference Calendar for that date includes four same-sex marriage appeals from the Sixth Circuit, the only circuit court to uphold state same-sex marriage bans to date, and an appeal from Louisiana seeking to bypass Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals review, another case in … Read more

SCOTUS allows same-sex marriages to proceed in Florida

by

Over the dissents of two Justices, the Supreme Court late Friday afternoon refused to delay — beyond January 5 — a federal judge’s order that would permit same-sex couples in Florida to marry after that day. Lyle Denniston at SCOTUSblog reports, Court won’t add to delay of Florida same-sex marriages:

EqualNeither the apparent majority of seven nor the two dissenters gave any explanation.  Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas simply noted that they would have granted the plea by state officials to extend the postponement beyond the early January date.

In refusing the request by Florida officials, the Court followed the pattern that it had maintained for the past two-and-a-half months of routinely turning aside requests to put on hold lower court rulings that had struck down state bans on same-sex marriage.

This one appeared to be different from the others in two respects.  First, there was no need for an immediate postponement because the trial judge who nullified the Florida ban had put his decision on hold until January 5.  Second, the federal appeals court that presides in the geographic region that includes Florida — the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit — has yet to rule on the validity of that state’s ban.

Read more

DREAMers to get drivers licenses beginning Monday

by

On Thursday, Judge David Campbell of the Maricopa County Superior Court, acting on an order from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, ordered the state of Arizona to issue drivers licenses to Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals (DACA) beginning on Monday. Merry Christmas! Judge: Arizona dreamers can apply for licenses Monday:

DREAmactYoung immigrants known as dreamers will be able to begin applying for driver’s licenses on Monday, according to a court ruling handed down Thursday by U.S. District Court Judge David G. Campbell.

Campbell issued a preliminary injunction ordering Arizona to stop denying driver’s licenses to young immigrants known as dreamers.

The ruling means the state is now compelled to begin allowing dreamers who have received work permits through President Barack Obama’s 2012 deferred action program to apply for driver’s licenses.

George Wallace in a dress, Governor Jan Brewer, is sounding like a deranged parrot squawking “States rights! States rights! Awk!”

[I]n a statement issued Thursday evening, the outgoing governor made it clear she is not giving up the fight yet.

“The right to determine who is issued a driver license is reserved for the states – not the federal government or an unelected judiciary,” she said in the statement..

“It is important to remember that courts have yet to consider the full merits of the case, and I believe that Arizona will ultimately prevail. Consequently, I have instructed my legal team to move forward in pursuing a full review of this matter before the United States Supreme Court as soon as possible.”

Read more