December 6, 2024
Week in Review: December 6, 2024
Several groups in the Network were featured in the latest issue of American Habits, which highlights state and federal policy solutions for many of the problems that are affecting everyday Americans.
A leader in cutting government red tape and occupational licensing reform, The Buckeye Institute called on Ohio lawmakers to adopt Buckeye’s recommendations and eliminate or cut occupational license requirements to make Ohio more economically competitive and make it easier for Ohioans to earn a living.
The Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA) issued a strong warning against efforts to expand the authority of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a small agency that has already vastly exceeded its authority
The Idaho Freedom Foundation has uncovered that officials at Bannock County and Idaho State University have circumvented the law by misusing $850,000 in state funds.
The Idaho Freedom Foundation highlighted how the state’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system is going to be a net loss for taxpayers.
Investigative journalists at Kansas Policy Institute exposed Johnson County Commissioners giving themselves a 23% pay increase while raising property taxes on businesses and homeowners.
Investigative journalists at Kansas Policy Institute also exposed a city threatening to cancel land leases with homeowners unless they agree to annexation.
Kansas Justice Institute released a video highlighting their recent civil forfeiture victories.
The Platte Institute released a new video that discusses the challenges Nebraska faces due to excessive regulations that hinder economic growth and community development.
The Washington Policy Center highlighted the undue burden Washington farmers are facing, even as grocery prices rise.
The Washington Policy Center exposed a business killing policy in Washington’s third largest city, Tacoma, requiring grease traps that will cost restaurants $100,000.
WILL launched a new initiative—Restoring American Education—to engage parents, school board members, and teachers with not just an understanding of these concerns and trends, but with solutions and resources available to them.
The Buckeye Institute filed an amicus brief in a consolidation of eight cases, calling on the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit to rein in unaccountable government regulators and stop the Biden administration from forcing a de facto electric-vehicle mandate on the American people—a mandate Congress did not give the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration the power to impose.
Center of the American Experiment sued the Minnesota Department of Education for withholding public data on controversial ethnic studies K-12 framework.
A disabled US Army veteran was not charged with a crime, yet the government used civil forfeiture laws to take and try to keep his car. Kansas Policy Institute’s legal arm, Kansas Justice Institute, helped him to fight back and win.
Thanks in part to the Pelican Institute, Louisiana cut taxes during a special legislative session.
A Wisconsin judge ruled that a lawsuit against the Wisconsin Department of Revenue may continue. Two small business owners, represented by the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) are seeking to mitigate the harmful impacts of Wisconsin Act 73, a special interest driven law which will put them out of business.
WILL is also applauding the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for its recent decision to back away from certain components of a proposed federal rule that would have required kidney transplant hospitals to submit “health equity plans” to the agency under the threat of penalty.
A new Empire Center analysis of New York’s Medicaid program reveals a ballooning disparity between its rising enrollment and the state’s declining poverty rates.
A new report by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii challenges the common claim that ‘Jones Act jobs’ have been increasing.
The Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy, in conjunction with Canada’s Fraser Institute released the Economic Freedom of North America report.
As the Michigan Legislature considers a new wave of corporate welfare handouts during its lame-duck session, a new study from the Mackinac Center for Public Policy sheds light on two decades of broken promises tied to taxpayer-funded business subsidies. Mackinac also released a report on prison education programs, noting they have a positive impact on employment and recidivism rates.
Napa Legal released the second annual Faith and Freedom Index, which evaluates states’ legal landscape for civil society institutions, particularly faith-based nonprofits.
The Pioneer Institute released an examination of metropolitan housing markets and offers ways to improve affordability.
Platte Institute released two reports on reducing barriers in occupational licensing and streamlining regulations to promote economic growth.
The Show-Me Institute published a report that explores 17 policy areas in which common-sense reform could immediately and positively impact everyday life for Missourians.
The South Carolina Policy Council released a report that scores lawmakers’ votes on key bills that relate to their legislative agenda.
The James Madison Institute released a new policy brief on property insurance reform.
None this week.
Topics:
What is the Delaware Department of Education Trying to Hide?
Caesar Rodney Institute
Limits on School-Day Phone Use Will Free Students to Learn
Cascade Policy Institute
U.S. Math Scores Decline Dramatically on International Test
Center of the American Experiment
It’s Time to Give NC Test Scores a Good, Long Look, Part Two
John Locke Foundation
An Open Letter to the New Kansas State Board Of Education: Improve Student Outcomes And Ignore The Noise
Kansas Policy Institute
Closing the Gap: How Charter Schools Can Help Nevada’s At-Risk Students
Nevada Policy Research Institute
Low Adult Literacy Screams for Science-of-Reading Instruction in Schools
Pacific Research Institute
How Utah Can Prohibit Address Discrimination In Open Enrollment Policy
Sutherland Institute
Californian Energy Use Compared to the USA and the World
California Policy Center
Another Tech Giant Sees A Nuclear-Powered Future
Center of the American Experiment
North Dakota Case Could Strip Federal Environmental Agency’s Authority
Center of the American Experiment
Bozeman’s Plastic Bag Ban—What are the Costs and Benefits?
Frontier Institute
CON Laws: The Latest Research
Cardinal Institute
Why Crossing State Lines Can Make Health Insurance More Affordable Nevada Policy Research Institute
Why Hawaii’s Housing Costs Are Among The Highest In The Nation
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
‘Inclusionary Zoning’ Excludes Chicago’s Poor From Housing
Illinois Policy Institute
ReBuild NC Debacle: Millions Wasted, and Thousands Still Without Homes
John Locke Foundation
Can Cities Keep Up as California Steps Up Housing Lawsuits?
Pacific Research Institute
Metrics Show Free-Market Reforms Lead to Broad Prosperity in Wisconsin
Badger Institute
Portland to Expand Streetcar, Riders Not Included
Cascade Policy Institute
13 Things for Minnesota’s Legislators to Do
Center of the American Experiment
Chicago Business Licenses Hit Lowest Level Since Pandemic
Illinois Policy Institute
Minnesota Budget Forecast: The Growing Welfare Spending Problem
Center of the American Experiment
No More Tax Hikes
Center of the American Experiment
Chicago Mayor Refuses to Stop Pushing $300M In Tax Hikes
Illinois Policy Institute
Iowa Has the Homefield Advantage… with Taxes
Iowans for Tax Reform Foundation
Film Subsidies Encourage Youth Smoking And Cancer
Mackinac Center
Michigan Government Can Afford To Spend More On Roads
Mackinac Center
Idaho’s Grocery Tax Is A Real Turkey, But State Income Tax Is The Pig
Mountain States Policy Center
Montana Fights For Pole Position On Lowest Regional Income Tax Rate
Mountain States Policy Center
Voters Slam California With New Local Taxes And Bonds
Pacific Research Institute
Unions Give Thanks for Trump’s Labor Pick
California Policy Center
Rigged: The Injustice of Corporate Welfare—An Excerpt from “Modern Davids”
Beacon Center
Tree Stands & Thanksgiving Tables
Cardinal Institute
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Eventual Pension Payout Could Exceed $5M
Illinois Policy Institute
Some Constitutional Takeaways from the 2024 Presidential Election
Independence Institute
Five Man-Made Reasons to Be Thankful For Living in New Hampshire
Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy
Bah Humbug To Excessive Federal Land Management
Mountain States Policy Center
Wyoming Land Sale Pushed Through Without Enough Scrutiny
Mountain States Policy Center
PRI’s 2024 Holiday Book List
Pacific Research Institute
Kansas City and St. Louis Road Quality
Show-Me Institute
Giving Thanks for What Makes America Great
Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy
In The Wall Street Journal, the California Policy Center’s Edward Ring notes ‘climate action’ has California’s energy economy on its knees.
In the Oregon Catalyst, the Cascade Policy Institute’s Kathryn Hickok outlines three ways Oregon can help students get back on track in 2025.
In the Washington Examiner, the Commonwealth Foundation’s Andrew Lewis notes America needs Trump to unleash natural gas.
At National Review, the Commonwealth Foundation’s David R. Osborne highlights how the states can mitigate the power and influence of public sector unions.
At RedState, the Freedom Foundation argues the pharmacy guild, like the dock workers union, cares more about control than compassion.
In The Washington Times, the Free State Foundation’s Randolph May reflects on Thanksgiving 2024 as a time to cherish family bonds and shared gratitude amid societal challenges.
In his recent column, the Georgia Public Policy Foundation’s Kyle Wingfield encourages lawmakers to make more steady, broad-based tax reforms.
In the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii’s Joe Kent notes Honolulu is not the right venue for an effective empty-homes tax.
In his recent column, the Independence Institute’s Jon Caldara thanks taxpayers for his new electric car.
In the Los Angeles Daily News, the Independent Institute’s Christopher Calton notes LA County’s homelessness spending policies expect success while subsidizing failure.
In the Chicago Tribune, the Illinois Policy Institute’s Paul Vallas notes the CTU is a bigger threat to public education in Chicago than Trump.
In the Chicago Sun-Times, the Illinois Policy Institute’s Micky Horstman encourages policymakers to put a pension amendment on the ballot.
In Crain’s Chicago Business, Liberty Justice Center Senior Counsel Jeffrey Schwab argues that Illinois’ move to ban employers from talking about politics and religion is unconstitutional.
In the Washington Examiner, the Pacific Research Institute’s Sally Pipes notes Trump can fix Medicaid.
At Townhall, the Pacific Research Institute’s Sally Pipes points out drug price controls threaten cancer cures.
In the Los Angeles Daily News, the Pacific Research Institute’s Daniel M. Kolkey notes Newsom’s special session is a misuse of gubernatorial power.
In a Letter to the Editor for The Wall Street Journal, SPN’s Jennifer Butler encourages Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy’s DOGE to embrace federalism.
In the Deseret News, Sutherland Institute’s Devin McCormick and Caden Rosenbaum note Utah’s Operation Gigawatt should be a blueprint for the country.
