State Policy Network is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2024 Bob Williams Awards for Outstanding Policy Achievement. The Bob Williams Awards celebrate state think tanks doing exceptional work to develop and disseminate credible policy research and ideas that can help states implement free-market solutions that will have national impact.
The awards celebrate achievements in five categories: Most Influential Research, Best Issue Campaign, Biggest Home State Win, Biggest Win for Freedom, and Best State Based Litigation.
The 2024 award trophies will be handed out at the annual Celebration of Success Awards Dinner at this year’s SPN Annual Meeting in Phoenix.
Voting for the 2024 winners is now open to Annual Meeting registrants. Cast your vote here.
Recognizes the organization whose original research achieved a high level of influence in academia, media, or policy-making arenas. Submissions described a piece of research—either a single publication or a closely related series of research publication—and finalists were selected based on the research publication’s impact.
Mississippi’s antiquated school funding formula had not been reformed since the 1990s. This meant money went to school districts regardless of performance and enrollment numbers.
In 2024 this changed after Empower Mississippi and the Mississippi Center for Public Policy (MCPP) helped create a new formula to fund students, not a system. Working collaboratively with a coalition of several other organizations, Empower Mississippi and MCPP helped produce the new funding model and created an interactive online funding simulator to enable policymakers to understand the implications of what they were proposing.
This led to the enactment of House Bill 4130, giving approximately 450,000 students a personalized budget designed to meet their individual needs using a weighted formula. Now that money follows the student in Mississippi, this reform makes it easier to advance policies that will allow students to allocate their personalized budget at a school of their choice.
In 2017, Governor Roy Cooper initiated a Clean Energy Plan that would cut electricity-based greenhouse gas emissions by 70% by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 by means of solar and wind—both of which are incredibly unreliable and costly.
The governor’s Clean Energy Plan would have ballooned prices for ratepayers, imperiling those on fixed and lower incomes the most, according to Duke Energy’s cost estimates and future grid scenario modeling. Cooper’s plan was a risky, wasteful, and high stakes approach to reducing the state’s emissions goals.
Through timely and thorough research, Locke provided an alternative to the misguided proposals coming from the governor’s office. Energy Crossroads is a first-of-its-kind examination of North Carolina’s two potential energy futures; the state is at a crossroads and how legislators proceeded could either pave a path for abundance or a path of austerity. Would North Carolinians have affordable, reliable energy or would they be subjected to a future of rolling blackouts and rising electricity prices?
The impact of Locke’s research has translated into tangible victories for North Carolina ratepayers. Duke Energy abandoned its initial plan to shoehorn renewables like wind and solar, and North Carolina is poised to retire coal power facilities at a sensible rate, secure grid reliability, maintain energy affordability, all while moving toward a cleaner environment.
In October 2023, the Texas Public Policy Foundation released “Overcharged Expectations: Unmasking the True Costs of Electric Vehicles,” a research paper that investigates the myriad ways the federal government and state governments are subsidizing electric vehicles (EVs). The study found the average EV sold in 2021 received subsidies totaling nearly $50,000, and total subsidies for EVs in 2021 exceeded $20 billion. If the subsidies are translated into fueling costs, the equivalent cost of fueling an EV is over $18 per gallon, not less than $2 per gallon as EV proponents claim.
The research on the true cost of electric vehicles significantly impacted the discourse on EV adoption by challenging the prevailing narrative that EVs are reaching cost parity with gasoline vehicles. In reality, EVs still cost at least twice as much to produce as gasoline vehicles, and subsidies are the reason their sales price is nearing parity. The research has been cited hundreds of times across local, state, and national media outlets and has broadened the discussion of subsidies beyond the federal tax credits and into the more important realms of fuel economy regulations, environmental regulations, and infrastructure costs. It shined a light on how the cost of charging EVs is largely being socialized and how the prices of gasoline vehicles are increasing in order to subsidize EVs.
Recognizes the organization that ran the highest quality issue education campaign. Finalists were selected based on measures of execution, not necessarily whether a win was achieved. Measures of execution include strategic thinking, exemplary use of outreach tactics, ability to reach target audiences, and team alignment.
Despite ranking 7th in percentage of students benefiting from educational choice programs, Pennsylvania has a glaring absence in its landscape: Education Savings Accounts (ESAs). As more and more states enact ESAs, Commonwealth Foundation has sought to bring the popular and innovative concept to Pennsylvania, the largest swing state in the nation and the only one with a full-time, divided legislature.
Lifeline Scholarships, also known as the Pennsylvania Award for Student Success (PASS) program, would provide low-income students assigned to the bottom 15% of public schools with scholarships of between $2,500 (half day kindergarten) to $15,000 (for special needs students) to attend a private school.
Commonwealth’s goal was to ensure that Lifeline Scholarships were included in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 state budget negotiations. Due to their efforts, Lifeline was the central issue in lawmaker negotiations in 2023.
While Lifeline Scholarships did not become law, Commonwealth’s efforts did expand educational freedom. The 2023 budget deal included a $150 million increase for the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) programs—the largest ever increase for these programs. Of this, $130 million of this funding is for K-12 scholarships, enough to provide approximately 35,000 additional students with scholarships in 2024 while raising the average scholarship amount.
For decades, numerous special interests have fought back against the slightest attempt to reform Georgia’s oppressive certificate-of-need (CON) laws. The Georgia Public Policy Foundation launched a video series and social media campaign highlighting the negative impact of the state’s existing CON laws on patients and providers. Their primary focus was raising awareness among everyday Georgians on how these laws raise costs and restrict access.
The Foundation helped Georgia repeal CON laws in three significant areas thanks to their stories detailing 1) the impact on an Atlanta patient when a health system closed her local hospital—after years spent fighting to keep out any new providers 2) the inability of an Augusta midwife to open a birthing center without first securing approval from her local hospitals and 3) an Athens patient with Stage 4 lung cancer forced to drive to a hospital for PET scans after his oncologist was prevented from acquiring the same equipment. While the final legislation ultimately did not go as far as the Foundation hoped, thanks to the organization Georgia secured CON repeal in all three of these focus areas.
Michigan taxpayers enjoyed much-needed relief in 2023 after the state income tax rate was reduced from 4.25% to 4.05%. Unfortunately, that relief was short-lived. Shortly after treasury officials said that taxes would come down, Michigan Treasurer Rachel Eubanks adopted an opinion that she had requested from Attorney General Dana Nessel. The opinion stated that the reduction would only be temporary.
This clearly violated the law as it was written. The Mackinac Center for Public Policy, on behalf of a coalition of business groups, individuals, and lawmakers, filed a lawsuit in August 2023, demanding that the state treasurer adhere to the original intent of the law.
After the Mackinac Center received disappointing decisions from the lower courts, it appealed the case to the Michigan Supreme Court. The state’s highest court will soon decide whether to hear the case.
Taking up the legal challenge was just one facet of this campaign. Informing and persuading the general public was another. Most Michiganders were unaware that their tax cut was being unjustly taken from them. The Mackinac Center carried out a robust campaign to raise awareness of this issue and gain public support for a permanent tax reduction. Through earned media, commentary, social media ads, and videos, Mackinac has been reaching hundreds of thousands of people across the state.
Recognizes the organization that achieved a significant policy win in their home state. A win can come from any jurisdiction in the organization’s home state: local government, executive, judicial, legislative,etc. Finalists were selected based on the significance of the victory and how important the organization’s contribution was to the victory.
The Pelican Institute for Public Policy achieved a significant victory in 2024 with the enactment of the universal Giving All True Opportunity to Rise (GATOR) Educational Savings Account (ESA) program to give every child a school that fits his or her individual needs. Pelican’s multi-year research, strategy, advocacy, and coalition-building helped overcome a multitude of challenges to gain strong public support and the support of Louisiana’s new governor, legislature, and state education board.
In a state where just 33% of public school students are performing on grade level and deep poverty and outmigration persist, this victory will change thousands of lives for the better and transform the historically underperforming and impoverished state into one of opportunity.
Alabama became the first state to enact school choice in 2024 with the CHOOSE Act. The Alabama Policy Institute (API) led a bipartisan coalition to become the 11th state to pass universal school choice with a year-long issue campaign that created the momentum necessary to make the bill’s passage possible.
API relentlessly advocated for freedom for families to make educational decisions for each of their children regardless of their zip code or the political influence of the powerful public sector union. API was able to create and implement a comprehensive issue campaign which included extensive research, a 47-page report and one-pager, bill drafting/analysis, coalition building, regional coordinators, a professional marketing plan, legislative strategy execution, a state and national media campaign, and a perfectly timed press conference and public event.
Due to the Independence Institute’s tireless efforts of educating Colorado citizens through research, numerous op-eds, radio and TV appearances, videos, and other outreach, Colorado voters rejected Proposition HH (despite misleading language on the ballot)—a ballot initiative that would have significantly raised taxes on Colorado families.
If it passed, Prop HH would have cost Coloradans an estimated net $21 billion through 2040. The defeat of Prop HH continues to show how Independence is a leader in the defense of Colorado taxpayers. The policy win shows the importance of defending Colorado’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR), an amendment that says state lawmakers must give any excess revenue back to taxpayers. Independence Institute continues to be the thought leaders on holding the line for TABOR while also advocating for lower taxes and a zero-income tax in Colorado.
Recognizes the organization whose effort was instrumental toward securing a significant policy victory this year. Wins can be single-state or multi-state outcome; offense or defense; state or national. Finalists were selected based on significance of the victory and how important the organization’s contribution was to the victory.
Hawaii is renowned as paradise, but the state has a severe lack of housing and the nation’s highest housing prices. To address this crisis, the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii successfully promoted during the 2024 Hawaii legislative session the enactment of two landmark bills—SB3202 and HB2090—that will allow construction of affordable “missing middle” options such as accessory dwelling units and triplexes, as well as conversion of commercial spaces into housing.
Despite opposition from NIMBY groups, including the Honolulu City Council, Grassroot built a broad coalition, conducted outreach, and leveraged policy expertise to secure legislative wins. This elevated Grassroot to being one of the most prominent pro-housing voices in Hawaii, providing momentum for bolder reforms in the future.
In addition, the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii was a key reason why state leaders passed the biggest income tax cut in state history in June 2024. The reform lowers the state income tax burden for average families by almost 70% by 2031—saving taxpayers roughly $5 billion during that period. These reforms will help the state recover after the devastating fires last August that killed more than 100 people and caused billions in damages.
The Platte Institute, Mountain States Policy Center, Cascade Policy Institute, Maine Policy Institute, and the Pioneer Institute collectively made possible the biggest win for freedom this year: ending home equity theft in Nebraska, Idaho, Oregon, Maine, and Massachusetts, respectively.
By changing the law in their states, these five SPN affiliates protected property rights for some of their most vulnerable residents. Their actions built on Pacific Legal Foundation’s 2023 Supreme Court victory Tyler v. Hennepin County. That case set a national precedent clarifying that government cannot take more than it’s owed when collecting delinquent property taxes. The equity in property is just as protected as property itself. But even unanimous Supreme Court victories don’t become state law by themselves. These five SPN affiliates took the reins, changed the law to comply with Tyler, and ended home equity theft in their states, thereby protecting the property rights of 3.85 million Americans.
The Caesar Rodney Institute promoted federal legislation to recycle used nuclear fuel rods. These rods still contain 90% of their potential energy and recycling the current stockpile could power the entire US electric grid for one hundred years while reducing waste by 95%. Working with US Senator Carper and staff, Caesar Rodney added a recycling amendment to his bill designed to speed up nuclear power plant permit approvals. The bill passed with large bipartisan support.
Caesar Rodney then began meeting with House Energy & Natural Resources Committee Vice-Chair Rep. Byron Donalds and his staff. Their efforts were rewarded when the US House incorporated their amendment into the Atomic Energy Advancement Act, passing with overwhelming support, tallying 365 to 36 this February. A reconciliation bill will add funding from the “Nuclear Waste Fund,” establish a dedicated agency or corporation for this endeavor, and set a target of achieving commercial-ready technical success by 2030.
This reform opens the door to solving the nuclear waste problem and providing a new clean reliable power source.
Recognizes the organization whose litigative efforts at the state and local level help to advance the cause of free markets and federalism. Finalists were selected based on measures of execution (not necessarily a court victory), impact of the court case on the present legal landscape, and how much the case could advance other Network efforts in the future.
The US Constitution mandates equal treatment under the law and prohibits the federal government from discriminating on race. However, President Biden’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act established the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Business Center Program to assist businesses based on the race or ethnicity of the owner.
In March 2023, the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty sued the Biden Administration on behalf of three white small business owners, who were denied MBDA assistance solely due to their race. WILL sought to declare the MBDA program unconstitutional and prevent racial discrimination in its operations. In April 2023, a preliminary injunction was granted, and in March 2024, a permanent injunction was issued. District Judge Mark Pittman ruled that the MBDA’s design violated constitutional rights, also awarding WILL $350,000 in legal fees.
The Pelican Institute’s legal arm, with the help of the Goldwater Institute, filed a lawsuit on behalf of Randy Boudreaux, a Louisiana lawyer and a civil rights advocate in Louisiana. Randy was challenging mandatory membership with the Louisiana State Bar Association (LSBA). Randy disagreed with what the state bar was saying and doing in his name and agreed to stand on principle and challenge his compelled membership and compelled speech as a plaintiff in the action.
Following oral argument in July 2023, the US Fifth Circuit ruled that the LSBA engaged in nongermane speech in violation of Randy Boudreaux’s rights to free speech and free association. As a result, the LSBA was forced to dismantle its Legislative Committee and abandon its legislative advocacy policies, which it would not have done but for Randy’s challenge.
This case is a First Amendment victory for Louisiana’s nearly 20,000 lawyers. Prior to this challenge, the LSBA used member dues to subsidize its political and ideological speech by supporting or opposing bills being considered by the Louisiana Legislature. In fact, the LSBA’s Legislation Committee took positions on 503 bills between 2007 and 2021.
Randy Boudreaux’s case advances freedom of speech and association because it is a step towards the demise of Keller v. State Bar of Wisconsin and mandatory bar membership. For too long, state bars have mandated membership in order for lawyers to practice their profession, only to then go and lobby and speak in their name.
The Liberty Justice Center (LJC) was the first to file a complaint and ask for an injunction against Assembly Bill (AB 2098), a law authorizing the Medical Board of California to punish doctors with license revocation for sharing “misinformation” about COVID-19. The law defined “misinformation” as anything “contradicted by contemporary scientific consensus”—a vague, constantly shifting standard that chilled doctors’ free speech.
What set LJC apart was their ability to be first and file just four days after the law was signed. LJC did not know when Governor Newsom would sign the legislation, so they found two doctors to serve as plaintiffs and were monitoring the Governor’s office for signing details.
On October 1, 2023, after a year of litigation, California conceded the inevitable and repealed California Assembly Bill 2098 (AB2098), the State’s blatantly unconstitutional attempt to censor the free speech of doctors throughout the state.
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