Announcements

• Ethan Allen Institute announced a new podcast collaboration, Dialogues with Meg Hansen. The first episode launches February 21.
• The Frontier Institute announced a new monthly series called “Frontier History.” This new monthly column is authored by renowned writer and Frontier board member Larry Reed.
• The Institute for Reforming Government announced that Alison Prange, Vice President of External Relations at Ballotpedia, has joined its Board of Directors. 

This Week on SPN.org

10 State Health Policy Changes That Should Outlive Covid-19

Success Stories 

• Illinois lawmakers are considering bills that would expand scholarship opportunities for low-income students and families of modest means of all demographic backgrounds, including thousands of Black and Hispanic students. The Illinois Policy Institute noted Illinoisans should support the preservation and expansion of tax credit scholarships as ways to offer education lifelines to students and families who most need opportunities and choices.
• The Wisconsin Legislature is considering multiple bills aimed at reforming welfare and unemployment insurance in Wisconsin. The Institute for Reforming Government noted the goal of thebills is to continue weeding out fraud, fixing broken parts of the systems, while ensuring funds are protected and available for those that are facing hard times.
• In his State of the State address, the Oklahoma Governor endorsed Oklahoma Empowerment Accounts (OEAs) that will fund students, not buildings, and allow parents to choose any education option that best serves their child’s needs. The Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs noted passage of the OEA law would make Oklahoma a national leader in educational opportunity and—ultimately—improved academic outcomes.

Solutions from the states: This week’s policy briefs

How Ohio Should Spend Phase II of American Rescue Plan Funds
In a new policy memo, The Buckeye Institute recommends that Ohio use its second payment from the American Rescue Plan Act to “replenish the state’s unemployment trust fund to its pre-pandemic balance and safeguard families and businesses from future downturns and tax increases.” To take advantage of a federal grace period and avoid a “maintenance of effort” provision, state lawmakers must adopt this strategic use-of-funds policy before April 1, 2022.

Reducing Tax Complexity for Minnesotans
A new policy brief by the Center of the American Experiment encourages state policymakers to abolish the alternative minimum tax for individuals and eliminate the marriage tax penalty.

A Risky Plan: Connecticut’s Public Option Proposal 
Yankee Institute published a new paper taking a look at Connecticut’s attempts to create a public option healthcare plan. The study shows such a plan could slam taxpayers with significant costs. It further reveals how the state concealed tens of millions of dollars in losses at its existing “Partnership Plan,” which sells coverage to local governments and would provide the basis for a public option sold to the general public. Yankee Institute’s Director of Policy and Research Ken Girardin found “premium and claims data show the Partnership Plan has operated at a significant loss, engaged in predatory pricing to capture market share, and used premiums from new enrollees to conceal red ink.

Policy News From The States

Checking in on Legislative Sessions

Legislative Review: This Week In The State House
Alabama Policy Institute

Legislation To Ensure Students Can Engage In Political Activity Clears House
Empower Mississippi

Comparing House And Senate Tax Proposals
Empower Mississippi

Bill Hammond: Written Testimony To The Joint Legislative Fiscal Committees
Empire Center

Testimony: Sb3089 Lacks Legislative Check On Governor’s Emergency Powers
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii

Testimony: Digital Currency Bill Sb3025 Better Than Sb3076, But Still A Rat’s Nest
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii

Irg Action Helps Over 120 Parents Voice Their Support For The Parental Bill Of Rights
Institute for Reforming Government

Testimony To Oppose Ld 1894
Maine Policy Institute

Testimony To Oppose Ld 1693
Maine Policy Institute

Bill To Lower Food Stamp Reporting Requirements Is A Step Backward
Mississippi Center for Public Policy

House Or Senate Tax Plan For Transformative Tax Cuts?
Mississippi Center for Public Policy

Legislative Update: 6 February 2022
Virginia Institute for Public Policy

Education

A Huge Infusion Of Cash For Alaska’s School Districts
Alaska Policy Forum

Governor Carney’s Missed Opportunity
Caesar Rodney Institute

Parents Bill Of Rights Leads Education Agenda
Center of the American Experiment

Mississippi’s Digital Learning Opportunity Is Here
Empower Mississippi

The Future Is Now For Education
Empower Mississippi

Americans Agree: Empower Parents, Not Education Bureaucrats
Goldwater Institute

Can Minorities Help To Accelerate Parental Choice In North Carolina? 
John Locke Foundation

Stitt Endorses Educational-Choice Expansion
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs

Why School Choice Is Good For Black Students
Washington Policy Center

Energy And Environment

Oregon’s Land Is Overregulated
Cascade Policy Institute

Testimony Of John Charles Before The Senate Committee On Natural Resources And Wildfire Recovery Regarding Sb 1546-1
Cascade Policy Institute

Gas Prices Will Increase 15 Cents Per Gallon In Coming Months
Center of the American Experiment

A Potentially Deadly Consequence Of The Clean Heat Standard
Ethan Allen Institute

Election Integrity

A Preliminary Analysis Of Ranked-Choice Voting In Utah
Sutherland Institute

Government Accountability

Policy Corner: Sorry, Parents: It’s Not Political Privilege. It’s Pure Luck. 
Yankee Institute

Healthcare

Budget Testimony: Dangerous Misplaced Priorities On Health Care
Empire Center

Rapidly Growing Direct Primary Care Model Offers Personal Attention
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs

We Need More Nurses, Not More Regulations
Washington Policy Center

Housing Affordability

The Price Of Compliance
Georgia Public Policy Foundation

Inflation

Inflation Up, Real Earnings Down – Again
Center of the American Experiment

The Us Bureau Of Labor Statistics Announced That The Consumer Price Index (Cpi) Rose 0.6% In January 
Georgia Center for Opportunity

Jobs And State Economies

California’s Excessive Occupational Licensing Requirements Hurt Workers And The Economy
California Policy Center

Reduce Tax Complexity For Minnesota’s Businesses
Center of the American Experiment

New York Should Restore Its Unemployment Fund
Empire Center

Illinois Has Recovered Only 69% Of Its Pre-Pandemic Jobs
Illinois Policy Institute

Valentine’s Day Gets Pricier For Illinois Couples In 2022
Illinois Policy Institute

Illinois Home Price Growth Lagged Rest Of Nation
Illinois Policy Institute

High Cost Of Living Shrinks Illinois’ Workforce
Illinois Policy Institute

How License Requirements Slow The Spread Of Hot New Services Such As Blow Dry Bars
Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy

Proposed Tax Cuts Are The Utah Way
Libertas Institute

Utah’s Universal Sandbox Is Open For Business
Libertas Institute

General Motors Could Eliminate Jobs And Still Collect Full Taxpayer Cash Under Proposed Deal
Mackinac Center

General Motors Should Not Get Soar Subsidies
Mackinac Center

House Or Senate Tax Plan For Transformative Tax Cuts?
Mississippi Center for Public Policy

Lawmakers Should Replenish Unemployment Insurance By April 1^st
Show-Me Institute

Six Reforms To Improve Wisconsin’s Regulatory Climate
Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty

State Budgets And Spending

Testimony And Backgrounder On Alaska Hb 55 – Public Safety Employees’ Pension Plan
Alaska Policy Forum

Budget Belies Big Spenders’ Misleading Claims, Provides Funding For Teacher Raises
Bluegrass Institute

Five Takeaways From Gov. Wolf’s Budget
Commonwealth Foundation

Credit Where Due: Fiscal Wins To Build On In The 2022 State Budget
Commonwealth Foundation

Local Governments Need To Follow Prudence In Utilizing Arpa Funds
Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation

North Carolina’s Strong Fiscal Condition And Opportunity For Growth
John Locke Foundation

Mega Subsidy: Budget Deficits, No Tax Cuts For People
Kansas Policy Institute

Ideas For ARPA And Kansas Revenue Cash Pile
Kansas Policy Institute

No More Games – Return The Surplus To Ca Taxpayers
Pacific Research Institute

Study Finds Bus Rapid Transit Can Offer Cost-Effective Benefits
Pioneer Institute

Learning From The Champions Of Fiscal Conservatism
Texas Public Policy Foundation and Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation

The US Needs A Responsible American Budget
Texas Public Policy Foundation

Other

New Study Indicates Customer Reviews Are Effective In Regulating Businesses 
Center of the American Experiment

Viewpoint: What About The Poor?
Frontier Institute

The Vital Importance Of Work To Liberty
John Locke Foundation

The Choice Of Masking Belongs To Parents
Maine Policy Institute

William F. Buckley And The Importance Of Conservative Unity
Pegasus Institute

Think Tanks In The News

Too Many Kentucky Students Lack Even Partial Mastery Of Reading; That Has To Change
Bluegrass Institute in the Northern Kentucky Tribune

‘Double Jeopardy’ Tax Policy — Fix It Or End It; Legislature Must Intervene In Vehicle Tax Issue
Bluegrass Institute in Kentucky Today

Bright Side Of COVID: Parents Are Thinking Of New Ways To Teach Kids 
Cascade Policy Institute in The New Era

MS Families Must Be Stakeholders To Improve Education
Empower Mississippi in the Sun Herald

Here Comes Another Carbon Tax
Ethan Allen Institute in VermontBiz

Profiting From A Pandemic – Labor Unions Steal $37 Million In COVID Funds
Freedom Foundation on One America News Network

Report: Ineligible Labor Unions Received Over $36 Million in Federal COVID-19 Relief Loans
Freedom Foundation featured at The Daily Signal

Lockdowns Were a Failure. What We Do Next Doesn’t Have To Be.
Georgia Center for Opportunity and Texas Public Policy Foundation at RealClearPolicy

Decreasing Regulations Can Make Homes More Affordable
Georgia Public Policy Foundation in The Brunswick News

The Real Emergency Is There Is No Balance Of Powers
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii at the Hawaii Reporter

Illinois’ Budget Needs Structural Reforms To See Long-Run Balance
Illinois Policy Institute in The Center Square

Red States’ Success Is Making Democrats Blue
John Locke Foundation in the Rocky Mount Telegram

Here’s How States Can End Corporate Welfare
Mackinac Center in The Hill

Schools Close Despite COVID Cash
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs in The Journal Record

Government Is Fighting COVID-19 on Tape Delay
Pacific Research Institute at RealClearPolicy

Here’s How Drug Prices Escaped Rampant Inflation
Pacific Research Institute at RealClearPolicy

It’s Time For Hospitals To Be Transparent About Their Prices
Pacific Research Institute in the News-Press

The Rise of the Independent Voter
SPN’s Tony Woodlief on Wake Up Columbia with Branden Rathert (Missouri)

Is America Divided?
SPN’s Tony Woodlief on the Moon Griffon Show (Louisiana)

Flood Of Federal Money Is Not A Free Pass For A Spending Binge
Show-Me Institute in the Columbia Daily Tribune

Polarization Prevents Healthy Debate And Learning. Can We Change This?
Sutherland Institute in the Deseret News

When I Buy A Ticket To A Game Or Concert, I Should Be Able To Resell It
The James Madison Institute in the Tampa Bay Times

It’s Been One Year Since the Texas Energy Crisis – Here’s How to Prevent Another One
Washington Policy Center at RealClearPolicy

Events and Opportunities

Please see SPN’s Network Calendar for a full list of events.