Announcements
The Goldwater Institute announced an upcoming virtual event on November 21, exploring the life and legacy of Benjamin Franklin.
The Independent Institute published a new book, Beyond Homeless: Good Intentions, Bad Outcomes, Transformative Solutions.
The ITR Foundation emphasized that the solution to Iowa’s property tax crisis lies in controlling local government budgets.
Kansas Policy Institute launched BeeHonestKansas.com, a new initiative to rein in unaffordable property taxes.
The Mackinac Center promoted David Guenthner to lead their Workers for Opportunity Initiative.
The Mississippi Center for Public Policy hosted a gala celebrating state successes featuring Governor Reeves and National Review’s Rich Lowry.
The Pacific Research Institute noted that the ongoing federal government shutdown centers around insurance subsidies.
Success Stories
The Mountain States Policy Center was named one of five national winners of The Heritage Foundation’s Innovation Prize, recognizing outstanding projects that strengthen civic education and advance America’s founding principles.
Freedom through the Courts: The Latest Litigation Efforts across the Network
The Buckeye Institute filed an appeal in Vanderveer v. OAPSE with Ohio’s Sixth District Court of Appeals, urging the court to reverse the case’s dismissal and stop union wage theft in Ohio—a decision that will determine whether Mrs. Vanderveer and other Ohioans can have their day in court.
The Liberty Justice Center filed Jakiche v. Board of Regents of the University of New Mexico, challenging the medical school’s unconstitutional use of race in admissions and seeking to enforce the Supreme Court’s ban on race-based policies.
The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty noted that the Wisconsin Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Scarlett Johnson, affirming that her comments about the school district were opinions and not defamatory.
Solutions from the States: This Week’s Policy Briefs
The California Policy Center released a new study indicating that school choice significantly improved student outcomes in Arkansas.
The Georgia Public Policy Foundation showed the need for regulatory reform and updated zoning codes to combat barriers to opportunity and housing shortages.
The Idaho Freedom Foundation highlighted the flaws in Idaho’s sales tax on groceries, noting that the existing “food tax credit” fails to adequately support taxpayers.
The Illinois Policy Institute outlined seven principles for transportation reform in Illinois, emphasizing the need for affordability, accountability, and efficiency.
The Institute for Reforming Government released a report recommending structural reforms for judicial selection in Wisconsin.
The Kansas Policy Institute raised concerns regarding Medicaid expansion, arguing that empowering patients is a more effective approach than expanding a failing federal program.
The Oklahoma Council on Public Affairs highlighted a new law enabling price transparency for medical procedures—making Oklahoma a national leader in healthcare transparency.
The Palmetto Promise Institute noted that South Carolina ranked 5th in State Policy Network’s Federalism Scorecard.
The Platte Institute noted that the federal tax-exempt economy now constitutes 15% of GDP, raising questions about the long-term implications of this favorable tax treatment for nonprofits.
The Rio Grande Foundation highlighted that over 20% of New Mexico’s population relies on SNAP benefits—raising concerns over the state’s dependency on federal welfare.
Tracking Positive Reforms: Updates from Network Affiliates
The Buckeye Institute urged Ohio lawmakers to boost transparency and accountability by ending costly public perks, posting local revenues and expenditures online, and positioning Ohio as a leader in AI and data processing by preventing inconsistent local regulations.
The Kansas School Board Resource Center, part of Kansas Policy Institute’s durable freedom infrastructure, hosted its 3rd annual conference for school board members and superintendents.
Jobs in the Network
Public Policy Reporter — John Locke Foundation (Hybrid in Raleigh, North Carolina)
Executive Editor — Badger Institute (WI)
New Editor — The Daily Signal Institute (District of Columbia)
Policy News from the States
Topics:
K-12 Education
Education: a new source of swing voters?
American Experiment
Testimony Before the PPS Bond Accountability Committee
Cascade Policy Institute
$117K Paywall: School Hides Curriculum After Teacher’s Anti-Kirk Comments
Goldwater Institute
Just 2-in-5 Chicago students read at grade level under lowered proficiency standards
Illinois Policy Institute
Half of Illinois students reading at grade level, fewer in math under loosened standards
Illinois Policy Institute
The Outstater
Indiana Policy
Stefanik book targets ‘moral rot’ at elite universities
John Locke Foundation
School attendance patterns still troubling in post-COVID times
John Locke Foundation
Lawmakers Push for Math Overhaul for Wisconsin School Kids
MacIver Institute
The Good, Bad, and Ugly of 2nd Session Bill Requests
Maine Policy Institute
Idaho families: Important dates for the Parental Choice Tax Credit program
Mountain States Policy Center
Meg Goudy joins MSPC as Director of the Baldwin Center for Education
Mountain States Policy Center
Florida, Texas schools shine in college rankings; OU and OSU fail to…
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
Oklahoma should build on 2024 draft social-studies standards, not…
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
States with little or no school choice are pushing homeschool…
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
Battleground of Freedom: Reviving Civic Spirit in the Palmetto State : Palmetto Promise Institute
Palmetto Promise Institute
Harvard’s Leo Damrosch on Robert Louis Stevenson & Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Pioneer Institute
From Milton Friedman to Modern School Choice with Robert Enlow
Show-Me Institute
Voluntary Open Enrollment Means No Open Enrollment
Show-Me Institute
Death by a Thousand Texts: How Social Media Shackles Our Children’s Minds
Texas Public Policy Foundation
Energy and Environment
New video: The truth about wind and solar
American Experiment
Minnesota gets ‘D’ for wind and solar decommissioning requirements
American Experiment
Tennessee’s Time for Energy Abundance
Beacon Center of Tennessee
Large Scale Desalination Could Transform California
California Policy Center
Chandrakumara: Data Centers
Indiana Policy
New report highlights wind turbines’ environmental damage
John Locke Foundation
More reliability coming for North Carolina power consumers
John Locke Foundation
State Lawsuit Latest Effort to Rid State of Plastic Bag Convenience
Pacific Research Institute
A sliver of information about Maxeon Solar, but what’s new with MLG’s other big solar company “Ebon?” – Errors of Enchantment
Rio Grande Foundation
The Iberian Blackout: Could It Happen in Texas?
Texas Public Policy Foundation
Healthcare
OH SNAP! Walz & Dems Lying…Again…
American Experiment
Keith Ellison sues Trump over SNAP benefits
American Experiment
As the shutdown bites, Minnesotans can help out
American Experiment
Don’t Follow Nevada’s Mental Health Mistake
James Madison Institute
Florida Politics: Florida Must Lead On Securing Health Care From China’s Influence
James Madison Institute
Shutdown raises awareness about reliance on food stamps
John Locke Foundation
Planned Parenthood no Longer “essential” Provider, Will Resume Abortions
MacIver Institute
Medicare Can’t Afford Not To Cover Ozempic
Pacific Research Institute
Court ratifies City of Albuquerque donation to Planned Parenthood
Rio Grande Foundation
Tipping Point NM episode 755 Healthcare Costs Continue to Skyrocket, NM LNG to Japan?, Southern NM Data Center and more – Errors of Enchantment
Rio Grande Foundation
Housing Affordability
Minneapolis voters should learn from, not follow, St. Paul on rent control
American Experiment
Kent visits again Johny and Steezy, touts potential of Open Hearings
Grassroot Institute
‘Inch by inch, everything’s a cinch!’
Grassroot Institute
New legislation on short-term rentals make sense for communities
Mackinac Center
Corporate home buyers are not ‘plundering’ U.S. neighborhoods
Pacific Research Institute
Missouri Should Scrap Parking Minimums to Reduce Housing Costs
Show-Me Institute
The New Jersey Playbook Connecticut Shouldn’t Copy
Yankee Institute
Jobs and State Economies
Mayor John Horhn: Jackson Rising
Empower Mississippi
Frightfully pricey treats: Why Halloween fun is costing Georgia families more
For Opportunity
Mitsui shares Grassroot message with receptive audiences in Japan
Grassroot Institute
Iowa’s Flat Tax Success Should Inspire the Next Chapter of Reform
ITR Foundation
2026 Florida Tech & Innovation Summit
James Madison Institute
Killing the I&D Tax leaps N.H. to No. 3 on national tax competitiveness index
The Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy
A look at governors’ track record on job growth
Mackinac Center
Right to Compute laws provide proper balance for AI oversight
Mackinac Center
Halloween is a free-market treat
Mackinac Center
U.S. beef prices don’t need “fixing”
Pacific Research Institute
Ronald Reagan Opposed Tariffs – And For Good Reason
Pacific Research Institute
Free Market Concerns—Argentinian Beef Imports
Platte Institute
MLG: Poverty is a policy choice (we agree, she and the Legislature make bad choices) – Errors of Enchantment
Rio Grande Foundation
Gavin Newsom: Nepo Baby
Texas Public Policy Foundation
For AI Startups, Washington is a Mixed Bag
Washington Policy Center
State Budgets
Days after ‘No Kings,’ Democrats urge president to usurp powers of legislative branch
American Experiment
An Illinois wealth tax would be a legal disaster.
Illinois Policy Institute
Illinois House Democrats push first-in-the-world wealth tax, streaming, concert taxes in $1.5 billion tax hike
Illinois Policy Institute
Harvey needs a way out of its crippling pension debt
Illinois Policy Institute
Propositions LL & MM a warm up for much bigger tax hike – Independence Institute
Independence Institute
The Outstater
Indiana Policy
Debunking 2 more property tax myths: setting mill rates and blaming legislators for unfunded mandates
Kansas Policy Institute
Rep Born Clarifies Agreement with Gov on Prisons
MacIver Institute
Protesting Trump? Reduce Michigan’s reliance on federal dollars
Mackinac Center
Workplace Freedom
New Video Exposes How Unions Trap Public Employees in Membership
Freedom Foundation
Chicago Teachers Union spent $173K on poolside recording studio, won’t show audit to members
Illinois Policy Institute
Microsoft Lied To Sen. Cruz About NewsGuard, Continued Censorship Push
Texas Public Policy Foundation
Other
Minnesota For Sale: work in progress
American Experiment
Metro Transit use has been declining for a decade
American Experiment
Feeding Our Future: November preview
American Experiment
Area man threatens Pam Bondi
American Experiment
Governor Braun on Making a More Efficient, Accountable Government
The Foundation for Government Accountability
Chicago ranks among America’s least safe cities
Illinois Policy Institute
Illinois’ trick-or-treating rules: What to know
Illinois Policy Institute
Franke: The Role of Citizenship
Indiana Policy
Is federalism the cause of our national ills?
ITR Foundation
Documents reveal details of Biden DOJ weaponization
John Locke Foundation
University leaders believe ‘organized networks’ drove anti-Israel protests
John Locke Foundation
Now that the General Assembly has redrawn congressional districts redrawn, consider reform
John Locke Foundation
Schwarzenegger terminates gerrymandering narrative
John Locke Foundation
Dissecting the details of protest fashion
John Locke Foundation
Mamdani displays skewed view of 9/11’s impact
John Locke Foundation
‘Quit fixing it, you’re only making it worse’: The case against the…
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
Oklahoma’s commonsense petition reforms are clearly constitutional
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
OSU scandal highlights unequal treatment of conservatives
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
Ten years in the making: Out-of-state group with left-wing ties…
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
Self-described socialist Zohran Mamdani would love New Mexico policies – Errors of Enchantment
Rio Grande Foundation
Court ratifies City of Albuquerque donation to Planned Parenthood – Errors of Enchantment
Rio Grande Foundation
Risks Arise Again for Age-Verification Requirements
Washington Policy Center
Beef purchase plan escalates concerns in ag country
Washington Policy Center
Nichols v. DOT
Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty
WILL Identifies Growing Number of Voter Roll Errors in Wisconsin
Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty
WILL Asks for Federal DOJ Review of Unmatched Wisconsin Voters
Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty
The Network in the News
In The Wall Street Journal, Brad Smith, chair of The Buckeye Institute‘s Board of Trustees, and Daniel Shuchman, a member of the Institute for Free Speech‘s board, highlight how the SEC violates the First Amendment Rights of the companies and workers it regulates.
In the Washington Examiner, the Frontier Institute’s Tanner Avery points out that restoring the American dream requires restoring property rights.
At NJ.com, the Garden State Initiative’s Audrey Lane argues that New Jersey must prioritize affordable, reliable energy—and warns that the state’s next governor should rethink the current plan.
At Governing, the Georgia Center for Opportunity’s Josh Crawford points out that states do not save a lot of money by cutting prison populations.
At The American Spectator, Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation’s John Hendrickson explains why Iowa should not abandon its primary system for a complicated, multiple-choice voting process.
In The American Spectator, the Independent Institute’s Lloyd Billingsley considers a California proposal to hike taxes to help the homeless.
Senior Fellow Mark Janus of the Liberty Justice Center published a Letter to the Editor in The Wall Street Journal detailing the ways union bosses “mislead, subvert and treat their members like ATM machines.”
In the Tallahassee Democrat, The James Madison Institute’s Turner Loesel notes Florida’s established approach to kids’ online safety doesn’t need tweaking.
In his recent column, OCPA’s Jonathan Small highlights Oklahoma’s reading challenges and reforms to improve literacy in the state.
In the Omaha World-Herald, the Platte Institute’s Jim Vokal notes Nebraska’s Truth in Taxation law has improved transparency around rising property taxes, but it lacks the accountability measures seen in states like Kansas and Utah, where hearings occur before budgets are finalized.
In The Hill, the Foundation for Government Accountability’s Tarren Bragdon notes Democrats are entirely to blame for the coming food stamp cuts.
The Wall Street Journal’s Kim Strassel interviewed SPN’s Tony Woodlief on her podcast, All Things with Kim Strassel, to discuss how the government shutdown is impacting the states.
