war on drugs

House Democrats Successfully Kill Welfare Drug Testing Bill

Ryan Poppe — Wed, 22 May 2013 20:03:22 +0000

House Democrats were able to stall a vote on a bill that would have mandated welfare recipients be drug screened before receiving benefits, an action that ultimately killed the bill entirely.

The bill would have required anyone applying for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits to be screened for illicit drug use and it immediately struck a chord with House Democrats like Rep. Sylvester Turner of Houston.

Senate Ends Week Passing Unemployment Drug Testing Bill

Ryan Poppe — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 15:04:09 +0000

Similar to the bill mandating welfare recipients be screened for drugs, this bill mandates that Texans receiving unemployment benefits also be drug-tested.

Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, authored the bill that would force all unemployment applicants to go through a drug-screening process with a counselor from the Texas Workforce Commission.

Senate Passes Bill Requiring Welfare Recipients To Be Drug Tested

Ryan Poppe — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:53:50 +0000

On a unanimous vote, a bill authored by Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, to require all welfare recipients to take a drug test passed the Texas Senate.

Caught With Pot? One Lawmaker Suggests A Ticket, Not Jail

Ryan Poppe — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 20:52:08 +0000

Could marijuana possession soon be the equivalent of a traffic ticket? A Texas House member wants it that way. Current law dictates that anyone caught with under an ounce of marijuana is subject to being convicted of a class B misdemeanor which can equal jail time, but Democrat Rep. Harold Dutton of Houston would like to change that, dropping that criminal charge down to a Class C misdemeanor, which would be punishable by a fine similar to the average traffic ticket.

Former Guadalupe County Judge Pleads Guilty In Marijuana Case

Eileen Pace — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 20:42:44 +0000

A former Guadalupe County Judge has pleaded guilty to a charge of marijuana possession, but the judge has a chance to get the verdict off his record.

Former Guadalupe County Judge Mike Wiggins entered the guilty plea last week, saying he was glad the ordeal is over. He was placed on six month deferred adjudication for the Class B Misdemeanor marijuana possession charge.

Questioning Criminal Charges Against Undocumented Immigrant Workers

Crystal Chavez — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 18:35:57 +0000

Record Year For Maritime Smuggling Into California From Mexico

Crystal Chavez — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 18:26:12 +0000

Authorities in Southern California are confronting the rise in maritime smuggling of illegal immigrants and drugs. If the nation plunges over the fiscal cliff, it would have an immeasurable impact on the border. Navajos have been especially vulnerable to questionable car sales tactics and Arizona school districts are grappling with a federal mandate to improve English language instruction.

Drug Testing Welfare Recipients, Drug Policy Makeovers, And Texas Tries To Secede. Again.

David Martin Davies — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 18:10:19 +0000

Texas Republicans propose a bill to drug test welfare recipients - should we drug test politicians as well? Laws legalizing the possession and use of marijuana passed in Colorado and Washington, is this the beginning of a new era in American drug policy? Mexico has a new president and many are hoping this will mark the beginning of a real solution to the war against the drug cartels. Finally, we just can't let this week go without continuing the discussion on Texas secession.

2012 Krost Symposium: Unlocking the Future Panel Discussion

Texas Lutheran University — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 20:39:07 +0000

Panelists: Harley Eagle, Cecila Menjivar, Doris Marie Provine, and David Doerfler. It was moderated by Carolyn Turner. The Panel Discussion is a culmination of all the views and issues presented at the symposium, which focused on the U.S. criminal justice system and, in particular, racism, the "drug war", immigration, and the concept of restorative justice.

Panelists Included

David Doerfler

2012 Krost Symposium: Dr. Doris Marie Provine

Texas Lutheran University — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 21:23:00 +0000

Dr. Provine is the director of the School of Justice and Social Inquiry at Arizona State University. Previously, she had a long tenure at Syracuse University and served as Director of the Law and Social Sciences Program at the National Science Foundation. Her areas of interest reflect her background in law (JD Cornell) and political science (Ph.D. Cornell).