This weekly round-up shares the latest news about what the network is doing to promote state-based solutions that will improve the lives of families, workers, and local communities. If you are an SPN member and have an update you’d like us to include in next week’s round-up, please email us at updates@spn.org (all submissions are subject to SPN approval).

Announcements

• The James Madison Institute has launched a Center for Technology and Telecommunications to focus on policy ideas related to 21st century issues, such as transportation infrastructure and the future of work.
• Two new board members have joined the Sutherland Institute. Greg Miller of the Larry H. Miller organization brings years of experience in leadership and a passion for enriching other people’s lives. John Sperry of InMoment adds a combination of creativity, technology, and practicality, thanks to his years of leadership and entrepreneurial experience.
• National School Choice Week is next week! Visit the NSCW site for resources and information on how to get involved and showcase your organizations school choice work.

State Think Tanks in the News

• Energy companies are looking to explore for oil in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Alaska Policy Forum addresses the concerns about whether this new energy production will harm the environment and local communities.
• Will Swaim of California Policy Center joined Fox & Friends to discuss the Los Angeles teacher strike and explain that teachers don’t have to pay a union if they don’t believe the union is acting in their best interests.
• “State programs in Iowa received $8.5 billion from the federal government in 2017, according to Iowans for Tax Relief, more than the state’s own $7.5 billion budget.” This reliance on federal funds means it’s all the more critical for Iowa to pursue a contingency plan for inevitable federal shutdowns.
• The Janus v. AFSCME decision was a monumental victory for restoring workers’ First Amendment rights, but Pioneer Institute warns that local public unions may look for ways to reverse the decision in Massachusetts’ 2019 legislative session.  
• The Buckeye Institute and fellow think tanks are attracting national attention for their work to encourage the US Supreme Court to hear a case that could free workers from being forced into union representation.

Research & Initiatives

• The Free State Foundation released a new Perspectives from FSF Scholars recommending an innovative approach that would lead to speedier elimination of costly outdated FCC regulations. The paper contends the agency should employ deregulatory rebuttable presumptions to eliminate targeted regulations unless there is clear and convincing evidence they should be retained.
• Goldwater Institute has launched a campaign to reform Arizona’s court system.   
• Mississippi citizens can monitor legislative session activity through Mississippi Center for Public Policy’s legislative tracker. To make it even more helpful, MCCP’s tracker includes commentary on which bills do and do not expand the scope of government.
• Pioneer Institute has created a suite of free websites called MassWatch, which is dedicated to advancing the public’s access to state and local data. With these tools, citizens can find out their community’s public pension debt and state employee earnings. For local officials, there are tools for benchmarking against peer communities and sharing best practices with fellow local leaders.
• Show-Me Institute released a new short film, Zoned, which highlights the absurdity of limiting education options based on zip code. The film also represents a new approach for the Show-Me Institute when it comes to communicating the need for policies that increase opportunity and options.
• Texas Public Policy Foundation is providing policymakers with a one-stop shop for background information, recommended solutions, and talking points related to issues facing the state.
• The Buckeye Institute filed an amicus brief asking the US Supreme Court to hear a case challenging laws that force home healthcare providers to speak through unions.
• Washington Policy Center is calling a proposed capital gains tax like it is: a front for an income tax. Anticipating this proposed tax to be a key issue during the legislative session, WPC launched a marketing campaign to get this message out to taxpayers. WPC took out a half-page ad in the Seattle Times, and its messaging is being repeated by other groups, legislators, and even the media. WPC is also running radio and social media ads as part of the marketing campaign.
• The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty filed a lawsuit against Governor Tony Evers on behalf of two Wisconsin wedding barn owners. Wedding barns have been targeted by special interests who want to hinder their competition and subject them to alcohol permitting requirements. Confusion over the state of the law and a fast approaching wedding season prompted WILL to file a lawsuit so a judge can provide certainty and protect economic liberty.

Authored by: James Pinedo

Marketing Manager · State Policy Network