Announcements

• The Montana Governor announced a new Housing Task Force to address the regulatory barriers standing in the way of affordable housing. The Frontier Institute will be included in this new task force, and noted it looks forward to working alongside others to give Montana landowners more freedom to build affordable homes where they are needed most.”

• Alex Ignatowski joined the Institute for Reforming Government as Director of State Budget and Government Reform.

• Associated Builders and Contractors of Michigan and the Mackinac Center Legal Foundation filed a lawsuit challenging the Michigan Governor’s unilateral announcement mandating union wages on state construction projects.

• The Mississippi Center for Public Policy launched an academy for college students to learn about public policy and connect with leaders and lawmakers in the Magnolia State. 

This Week on SPN.org

Announcing The Finalists For The 2022 Bob Williams Awards For Outstanding Policy Achievement

Announcing the 2022 SPN Communications Excellence Award Finalists

Success Stories

Empower Mississippi highlighted how there are now more than 6,700 hair braiders legally working in Mississippi since the state reformed its cosmetology laws in 2004.

Solutions from the states: This week’s policy briefs

• Center of the American Experiment released a report exposing the overly expensive and increasingly scarce childcare in Minnesota.

• A new report by the Nevada Policy Research Institute considers why Nevada is ranked so low for affordable housing.

• Contrary to claims that Project Homekey is successfully addressing California’s homeless crisis, a new study released by the Pacific Research Institute finds that the program is costly, inefficient, and not helping to reduce homelessness.

Policy News from the States

Crime

The Demographics of Crime in Minnesota
Center of the American Experiment

What is Causing the Crime Increase in Minnesota?
Freedom Foundation of Minnesota

Crime in California 2021—Yes, We’re Still Talking About 2021
Pacific Research Institute

Rural America Saw a Surge in Homicides in 2020; It was Worse in Rural Kentucky
Pegasus Institute

Education

Tennessee Launches School Choice Voucher Program This Year
Alabama Policy Institute

Seeking Higher Standards
Badger Institute

Our Ed School Slums
California Policy Center

North Dakota Study: Masks in Schools Hardly Impacted COVID spread
Center of the American Experiment

A Teacher Speaks Out: Union Meeting Prioritizes Political Activism
Center of the American Experiment

School Supplies 2022: Back-to-School May Bust Your Budget
John Locke Foundation

Biden Administration Backs Off Attack on Charter Schools
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs

ESAs are Winning Everywhere
Palmetto Promise Institute

Virginia’s Scholarship Tax Credits: An Educational Beacon of Hope
Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy

State Superintendent Says He’s Trying to Cancel State Assessment of Student Learning
Washington Policy Center

Energy and the Environment

This Green Fund Doesn’t Deserve a Green Light
Cascade Policy Institute

Heatwave Demonstrates Weakness of New York’s Electric Grid
Empire Center

Why Americans—Even With $5 a Gallon Gas—Aren’t Rushing Out to Buy EVs
Freedom Foundation of Minnesota

How to Fix Washington’s Cumbersome Drought Declaration
Washington Policy Center

Healthcare

Drug Price Controls Are Not the Solution to Another Bad Inflation Report
Pacific Research Institute

Housing

New York Landlords Are Keeping Apartments Off The Market Due To Rent Control

Center of the American Experiment

Maui Council On Verge Of Worsening Housing Crisis

Grassroot Institute of Hawaii

Having The ‘Hottest Housing Market’ Means You Don’t Have Enough Houses

Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy

Government Interference at Root of Nevada Housing Shortage

Nevada Policy Research Institute

Inflation/Gas Prices

Pritzker’s Gas Tax Hike Takes $277 From Average Illinoisan

Illinois Policy Institute

Is Inflation Killing the American Dream?

John Locke Foundation

Inflation Costing North Carolinians Nearly $8,000 per Year

John Locke Foundation

Jobs And State Economies

Illinois Eliminating Grocery Tax For A Year

Illinois Policy Institute

GSI Analysis: June ’22 Jobs Report—New Jersey Private Jobs Back To Pre-Pandemic Level

Garden State Initiative

US Jobs Report Beats June Estimate, But Illinois At Greater Risk If Recession Hits

Illinois Policy Institute

IRS Data Show Migration From High-Tax To Lower-Tax States, Including New Hampshire

Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy

How Occupational Licensing Reform Can Help Refugees Acclimate

Libertas Institute

Nebraska Can Build Its Workforce With Licensing Recognition

Platte Institute

State Budgets and Spending

Irresponsible Alaska Budget: FY 2023

Alaska Policy Forum

Where’s the Outrage? Federal Relief Funds Bring Rampant Waste

Beacon Center

Half Of All States Reduced Income Taxes In 2021 And 2022, MN Is Falling Behind

Center of the American Experiment

Pennsylvania Tax Cut Makes New Jersey’s Business Climate Even Worse

Garden State Initiative

Fostering A Competitive And Friendly Tax Climate

Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation

Saving Billions in Kansas Government Budgets

Kansas Policy Institute

S&P Says Credit Strength For Washington Is No State Income Tax

Washington Policy Center

Workplace Freedom

PSEA, AFSCME, and Other Unions Boost PA Gubernatorial Hopeful Josh Shapiro

Americans for Fair Treatment

SEIU And AFSCME Collude With Pennsylvania State Officials To Promote Biden Agenda

Americans for Fair Treatment

When Will Government Unions Stand Up For All Workers?

California Policy Center

Labor Unions Are Not in a ‘Resurgence’

Mackinac Center

Other

The Disconnect Between The Current Thing And What Voters Care About

Center of the American Experiment

The Dangers Of Governor Hochul’s Endless ’Emergencies’

Empire Center

West Virginia V. EPA

Ethan Allen Institute

FGA Statement On Sen. Braun’s Budget

Foundation for Government Accountability

Iowa Voters High On Gov. Reynolds And Conservative Policies, While Biden Slide Continues

Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation

The Latest Assault on our Constitution and the States

Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation

Government Doesn’t Make Things “Affordable”

John Locke Foundation

TPPF Applauds Senator Braun Budget Release

Texas Public Policy Foundation

“Inaccurate And Unethical” OSPI Slams WPC Blog — But What Does The Video Say?

Washington Policy Center

Think Tanks in the News

Largest Teacher’s Union Plans To Compile List Of Opposition Groups To Target

Americans for Fair Treatment cited in The Daily Caller

The Case for and Against Unions

Americans for Fair Treatment on She Thinks Podcast

Legislature Should Not Seek Permanent Solutions For Temporary Problems

Alabama Policy Institute in Alabama Today

How Innovative Education Can Help Pennsylvania’s Economy

Commonwealth Foundation in the Bucks County Courier Times

Pennsylvania’s Next Governor Will Face A Looming Budget Deficit

Commonwealth Foundation in The Philadelphia Inquirer

The Climate Council’s ‘Carbon Tax PLUS’ Agenda For Vermont

Ethan Allen Institute in Vermont Biz

Montana Can Avoid Becoming Like California

Frontier Institute in Lee Newspapers

A One-Time State Tax Surplus For Continuing Cuts?

Georgia Public Policy Foundation in the Dalton Daily Citizen

Don’t Hold Your Breath Waiting For A Housing Bubble To Burst

Illinois Policy Institute in Crain’s Chicago Business

The Latest Assault On Our Constitution And The States

Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation in The Center Square

Sales Tax To Fund State Highways

John Locke Foundation in the Rocky Mount Telegram

How Solar Increases Your Electricity Bill

Mississippi Center for Public Policy in RealClearPolicy

Stop Funneling More Money Toward Failing Affordable Care Act

Pacific Research Institute in The Detroit News

Cut Out PBMs, the Middlemen of Healthcare

Pacific Research Institute in The Wall Street Journal

Gas Prices Hurt People Going To The Doctor, But Interstate Telehealth Can Help

Pioneer Institute in Forbes

Conservative Blocs Unleash Wave Of Litigation To Curb Public Health Powers

SPN and other Network groups cited at Kaiser Health News

More Housing Isn’t The Solution To Homelessness — It’s Treatment

Texas Public Policy Foundation in The New York Post

Events and Opportunities

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