Spence Purnell is director of technology policy at the Reason Foundation.
Prior to joining Reason, Spence worked as director of business development at Florida startup Dealers United and as an analyst for the state of Florida's Executive Office of the Governor (Florida Gubernatorial Fellowship).
Spence graduated from Stetson University with a bachelors degree in political science and is working on an MPA at Florida State, where his research has focused on database infrastructure and analytics, economic development, and policy evaluation methods.
Purnell is based in Florida.
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Texas social media law violates the First Amendment
Prohibiting social media companies from engaging in content moderation would harm consumers.
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Annual Highway Report: Ranking each state’s highway conditions and cost-effectiveness
The Annual Highway Report examines every state's pavement and bridge conditions, traffic fatalities, congestion delays, spending per mile, administrative costs, and more.
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States Reform Act would automatically expunge federal criminal records for marijuana offenses
Decriminalization and legalization of marijuana should go hand-in-hand with expunging past cannabis-related criminal records.
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Online retail sales haven’t grown as fast as you may think, report says
Census data reveal online sales still only make up about 15% of total retail sales.
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Medical marijuana users have Second Amendment rights, deserve the right to self-defense
Due to federal drug laws, medical marijuana patients are losing their Second Amendment gun rights.
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Congress Needs to Stop Blocking Legal Marijuana Sales in Washington, D.C.
The answer isn't more police enforcement, the answer is to enable legal marijuana markets in the city.
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Missouri Law Restores Medical Marijuana Users’ Second Amendment Rights
Due to federal regulations, legal medical marijuana cardholders are unable to legally purchase or own firearms under federal law.
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President Biden Says Drug Users Shouldn’t Go To Jail
“No one should go to jail for a drug offense, no one should go to jail for the use of a drug," President Joe Biden said.
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Drug Policy Newsletter: Federal Marijuana Reform, Expunging Cannabis Convictions, and More
Plus: How state and local marijuana market regulations often lead to corruption, states fighting voter-approved marijuana legalization, and more.
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25th Annual Highway Report
The 25th Annual Highway Report measures the condition and cost-effectiveness of state-controlled highways in 13 categories, including pavement condition, traffic congestion, fatalities, and spending per mile.
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New Michigan Law Will Automatically Expunge Some Criminal Records
But the law does not automatically expunge the huge backlog of marijuana-related crimes that are no longer illegal in the state.
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Maryland Ballot Initiative Analysis: Question 2 (2020)
Maryland's Question 2 would legalize betting on sports and events at licensed facilities in Maryland.
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Oregon Ballot Initiative Analysis: Measure 108 (2020)
Oregon's Measure 108 would increase taxes on traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes.
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Kentucky Ballot Initiative Analysis: Amendment 1 (2020)
Kentucky's Amendment 1 would implement a set of victim’s rights policies adopted in other states titled “Marsy’s Law.”
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Watch Experts Evaluate the Various Approaches to Marijuana Taxation
A panel discussion on what states have done right and wrong as they've legalized and taxed marijuana.
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California Ballot Initiative Analysis: Proposition 25 (2020)
California's Proposition 25 would allow voters to approve or overturn the state's decision to replace cash bail with a risk assessment system.
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Michigan Ballot Initiative Analysis: Proposal 2 (2020)
Michigan's Proposal 2 would require police to obtain a warrant to search electronic communications data.