• States rejecting indefinite detentions
By Mark Anderson
On December 26, Michigan became the fourth state to sign into law a bill that formally tells Washington that Michigan will not cooperate with the federal government in arresting and indefinitely detaining American citizens on United States soil as “enemy combatants” under the broad National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
According to the Tenth Amendment Center (TAC), the apparent nerve center of this 10th Amendment movement, the Allegan County, Michigan Board of Commissioners was among the first local governing bodies to pass a resolution opposing federal “kidnapping powers” in the NDAA.
TAC, which describes itself as “a national think tank that works to preserve and protect the principles of strictly limited government through information, education, and activism,” has drawn up model resolutions for any state, county, town or other political subdivisions whose leaders want to officially state their displeasure with federal military policy during the “war on terror.”
The Michigan Bill, S.B. 94, and similar bills signed into law in three other states, are seen by TAC as “a first step to nullification” of the NDAA.
The overall NDAA is a broad, annual authorization of policies and directives affecting the entire military apparatus. The federal powers that states and localities are opposing were first found in Sections 1021 and 1022 of the 2012 NDAA signed into law on December 31, 2011.
Michigan’s S.B. 94 received resounding support, passing the Michigan Senate 37-0 March 6, 2013. It didn’t go to the House until December 10, where it passed 109-0. It was signed into law December 21, and then filed with the secretary of state December 26 to immediately take effect.
In Virginia, H.B. 1160, the Virginia Liberty Preservation Act, became law on July 1, 2012, making Virginia the first state in the nation to pass a law of this kind. In Alaska on June 21, 2013, H.B. 69 was signed into law for the same purpose. And on October 1, 2013, California Governor Jerry Brown signed A.B. 351, the California Liberty Preservation Act, into law.
States in which anti-NDAA measures have been introduced but have not yet passed either chamber are New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Kansas and Washington. In South Carolina, such a measure (S.92) was passed only in the state senate.
TAC encourages local-level actions in every state, regardless of whether or not the state government has taken any action.
Mark Anderson is AFP’s roving reporter. Listen to Mark’s weekly radio show on the AMERICAN FREE PRESS RADIO NETWORK.
