March 14, 2025
Week in Review: March 14, 2025
In Ohio, the governor’s 2025 State of the State speech highlighted several policies championed by The Buckeye Institute. From the need to cut regulations, reform Ohio’s energy policies, shift to outcomes-based funding in higher education, increase educational training, and restore the formerly incarcerated to the workforce, Buckeye-championed policies are front and center in the Buckeye State.
The Buckeye Institute urged support for Ohio’s proposed Medicaid work and community engagement requirement waiver, which, if granted, will enhance the program’s integrity and will promote economic stability, financial independence, and improved health outcomes.
The Yankee Institute critiqued the movement to enshrine environmental rights—referred to as “green” amendments—into state and federal constitutions.
IRG released a new poll focusing on how and why Milwaukee parents choose their schools. Milwaukee schools are losing students at an alarming rate and IRG aims to educate parents about the variety of choice and charter schools in the area.
IRG also started releasing their Court Watch primers leading up to the Wisconsin Supreme Court election in April. This week, their primer focused on the ramifications this election could have on Wisconsin’s Second Amendment rights. The goal is to get voters to see this election as more than just “voting for a judge”
Kansas Policy Institute released a short explainer video on what educational choice would mean for Kansas families.
The Liberty Justice Center’s Reilly Stephens appeared on Cville Right Now’s The Schilling Show to discuss the attack on therapists’ right to Free Speech in Chiles v. Salazar, which the US Supreme Court has agreed to hear.
The Mississippi Center for Public Policy’s Patriotism Project, which teaches children about the ideas that underpin American exceptionalism, grew rapidly with their book “What Makes America Special” going into a third print run, and sales in 38 states.
The Dick and Betsy DeVos Foundation has made a generous $250,000 donation to the ESTF Families Fund, an initiative launched by Palmetto Promise Institute to assist low-income families impacted by the South Carolina Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the state’s Education Scholarship Trust Fund (ESTF) last fall.
Sutherland Institute recently held a panel conversation with author Yuval Levin, and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox on the state of freedom in America.
The Buckeye Institute filed an amicus brief with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in Lutheran Home at Kane v. Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, calling on the court to “abandon deference to administrative agencies and reassert judicial authority in interpreting laws and regulations.”
The Liberty Justice Center continues its historic work from Janus v. AFSCME by filing three lawsuits on behalf of government employees against their unions: two against unions forcing dues deductions and one urging a union to produce audits for its members.
The Liberty Justice Center filed a lawsuit to defend the First Amendment rights of a Kentucky whistleblower whose online speech was censored after he exposed unethical behavior by county government officials.
The Mountain States Policy Center highlighted how Montana has amended and repealed 25% of state regulations over the past four years.
The Caesar Rodney Institute highlighted ways to fix Delaware’s budget.
Institute for Reforming Government released a new report focused on Wisconsin’s REINS Act, which limits state agencies’ powers to enact new legislation.
John Locke Foundation published a new report on occupational licensing.
The Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy, in partnership with EdChoice, has released an analysis of the fiscal effects of two Education Freedom Account expansion proposals in New Hampshire.
Fiscal reform in Kansas is urgently needed. The Kansas Policy Institute released the Green Book 2025 , which provides a valuable resource for economic and fiscal data to compare over time and with other states for improvement areas.
The Virginia Institute of Public Policy released a report highlighting the success of the Virginia Model in reducing regulatory burdens.
The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) released a new report which found that since the enactment of Wisconsin’s voter ID requirements 10 years ago, overall voter turnout in the state has increased.
Arkansas: Opportunity Arkansas is advocating for real solutions to generational problems, including two key foster care bills—SB325 and SB326—which just moved out of committee. SB325 improves the reinstatement of parental rights and fixes issues with the Child Maltreatment Registry, while SB326 strengthens child welfare laws to ensure better placements and protections for kids.
Georgia: A new job licensing measure in Georgia, Senate Bill 207, would open career pathways for formerly incarcerated individuals by updating job licensing processes (Georgia Center for Opportunity).
Idaho: The Mountain States Policy Center highlighted a bill that would bring Truth in Taxation to Idaho.
Illinois: The Illinois Policy Institute highlighted legislation in the Illinois House that would empower inspectors general, restrict lobbying by elected leaders, add protections against conflicts of interest and end last-minute amendments to legislation.
Iowa: The Iowa Legislature introduced a major property tax bill that would cap city and county property tax collections at 2% with exceptions for new growth, according to Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation.
Kentucky: Kentucky took another step toward scrapping the state income tax (FGA).
Louisiana: Louisiana voters will head to the polls over the next few weeks to vote on Constitutional Amendment #2, the proposed new “Government Growth Limit” (Pelican Institute).
Nevada: The Nevada Legislature is considering a bill that would reduce the initial state business license fee (Nevada Policy).
North Carolina: North Carolina is considering a REINS Act bill that would require the General Assembly to ratify a bill of approval for any new proposed agency rules deemed to have a significant economic impact (John Locke Foundation).
Texas: A Texas representative introduced House Bill 3 that creates a universal education savings account program (Texas Public Policy Foundation).
Connecticut is considering a bill that would direct the Commissioner of Education to develop a program expanding school choice in Connecticut (Yankee Institute).
Topics:
Teacher Morale Comparatively Low in Wisconsin
Badger Institute
Minnesota Can No Longer Hide in its Averages
Center of the American Experiment
Cyber Charters are Crucial for Pennsylvania’s Most Vulnerable Students
Commonwealth Foundation
What Would Happen if the U.S. Dept. of Education Went Away
Freedom Foundation of Minnesota
New Opportunity Scholarship Numbers Show Sustained Demand
John Locke Foundation
Poll Shows Support For Open Enrollment in NC Public Schools
John Locke Foundation
Why The Road to Education Choice In Idaho Was So Bumpy
Mountain States Policy Center
Families Say School Choice Program Is Changing Lives
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
Historical Record Proves ESAs are Constitutional: The Story of Governor John West and His Rosetta Stone
Palmetto Promise Institute
Use the Budget to Improve Math Education
Thomas Jefferson Institute
Federal Government Inaction Leaves Uranium Alongside Lake Michigan
Badger Institute
Retirements of Coal Generators Accelerating in 2025
Center of the American Experiment
No Evidence That Forcing Drug Discounts Helps Patients
Mackinac Center
Medicaid’s Checkup: Part 4
Show-Me Institute
Family caregivers for beneficiaries of WA Cares will require state-approved training
Washington Policy Center
The Hidden Problems with Rent Control: Why It Hurts Housing
Nevada Policy
Report: Illinoisans Pay Nation’s Highest Combined State, Local Taxes
Illinois Policy Institute
Time For Michigan to Walk the Walk On Licensing Reform
Mackinac Center
Lawmakers Owe Minnesotans Serious Discussion on Budget Deficit
Center of the American Experiment
Lawmakers Should Consider 5 Principles for Funding Roads
Mackinac Center
State Resolutions Demand Federal Fiscal Restraints
Mountain States Policy Center
Fix Nebraska’s Truth in Taxation Timeline and Tax Rate Rollback
Platte Institute
Frasier Institute North American Freedom Ranking
Platte Institute
Public Sector Union Reform is Needed in Idaho
Idaho Freedom Foundation
Alabama Must Limit Dependence on the Federal Government
Alabama Policy Institute
Wisconsin Should Prohibit Purchase of Candy and Soft Drinks With Foodshare
Badger Institute
What Survived Deadline Day?
Empower Mississippi
2025 MTLeg Weekly Debrief: Halftime Report
Frontier Institute
Georgia’s ‘Jackpot Justice Juries’ Prompt Calls For Tort Reform
Georgia Public Policy Foundation
Kefalas Hits Highs and Lows Of 2025 Legislative Session At Halfway Point
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Defending Our Right to Open Government From Bad Actors
Mountain States Policy Center
Proposed Law in Idaho Would Stop the Practice of Eliminating Lanes on High-Traffic Roads
Mountain States Policy Center
Louisiana’s DOGE: A Model for Fiscal Responsibility
Pelican Institute
Where’s Show-Me DOGE?
Show-Me Institute
Legislative Winners and Losers so far
Washington Policy Center
In an op-ed for the Northern Kentucky Tribune, the Bluegrass Institute’s Jim Waters discusses the potential shutdown of the Kentucky Virtual Academy (KVA), an online school operated by the Cloverport Independent School District.
In a piece for the Los Angeles Daily News, the California Policy Center’s Thomas Buckley criticizes California’s college admissions system for using race-based criteria.
In an op-ed forInsideSources, the Commonwealth Foundation’s Elizabeth Stelle notes the ACA isn’t working for Pennsylvanians.
In USA Today, FGA’s Tarren Bragdon argues food stamps shouldn’t pay for soda and candy.
In The Federalist, the Goldwater Institute’s Matt Beienburg points out a federal school choice program would create more problems than it solves.
In his recent column, John Hood considers a bill to raise teacher pay in North Carolina.
In The Daily Caller, the Illinois Policy Institute’s Jim Long highlights the benefits of the Educational Choice for Children Act.
In the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Independent Institute’s William F. Shughart II makes the case for standard time.
In The Clarion Ledger, the Mississippi Center for Public Policy’s Douglas Carswell highlights some of the great conservative bills alive in the Mississippi Legislature.
In his recent column, the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs’ Jonathan Small outlines the problems with Medicaid expansion.
In The Detroit News, the Pacific Research Institute’s Sally Pipes notes Medicare fraud should be next in line for DOGE.
In The Advocate, the Pelican Institute’s Daniel Erspamer outlines the many benefits of Louisiana’s Constitutional Amendment 2.
In the Santa Fe New Mexican, Rio Grande Foundation’s Paul Gessing and People United for Privacy Foundation’s Matt Nese break down a New Mexico bill’s threat to free speech and donor privacy.
In Forbes, Dr. James Broughel highlights his Virginia Institute study on the “Virginia Model of Regulatory Reform,” which cut state regulations by 21% and saves Virginians $1.2 billion annually.
