The R Street Institute has shifted much of its focus to responding to COVID-19 policy implications. When this crisis began, R Street quickly realized its work on occupational licensing, zoning, alcohol regulations, criminal justice reform, and telehealth is all relevant at this time. R Street has been highlighting good reforms in the states while offering new policy ideas.

Medical regulatory reforms, including opening access to telehealth, allowing doctors to work across state lines, and expanding nurse and pharmacist scope-of-practice is vital to increasing access to care right now. Certificate-of-need (CON) law reform can help increase the number of hospital beds, but CON law reforms will be most helpful for future pandemics. R Street has also addressed why there’s a doctor shortage.

R Street has focused on how to help the beverage and restaurant industries at a time when people can’t eat out, and in particular highlighting why home delivery matters. Whether it’s for expanding delivery options or reducing the need for people to go outside to move their cars, temporary regulatory reforms, such as suspending certain parking and traffic laws, can be helpful.

R Street’s criminal justice scholars have addressed cash bail, policing, and immigrant detention centers in the time of coronavirus. Incarceration at this time can worsen the outbreak, and policymakers need to think through the consequences.

Looking forward, R Street has discussed future regulatory reforms, pandemic insurance ,and why good budgeting matters.

For more of R Street’s work on the implications of COVID-19, please click here.