June 23, 2023
Week in Review: June 23, 2023
Caesar Rodney Institute encouraged Delaware legislators not to support a bill that has taxpayers paying union dues for State Employees and others. The Institute also drew public attention to chronic absenteeism in Delaware Schools.
Cardinal Institute bid farewell to Policy Analyst Jessica Dobrinsky. In a farewell post, Dobrinksy recapped the key policy wins that were accomplished in West Virginia since 2019.
Foundation for Government Accountability presented Pennsylvania State Representative Seth Grove with its “2022 FGA Legislator of the Year” award.
Georgia Public Policy Foundation interviewed Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones covering the policy areas of ESAs, CON laws, occupational licensing, and state tax credits, including those for film.
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii submitted testimony against tax increases in the state, supporting a policy permitting a private review of permit plans, and expanding tax breaks for owner-occupied homes.
Mississippi Center for Public Policy welcomed two interns for the summer, announcing their belief that having young minds learning about public policy will help shape the next generation of conservative leaders.
Indiana Policy Review Foundation announced its plans to produce “An Agenda for the 2020’s” that examines public policy issues of our day through a lens informed by the Declaration.
Opportunity Arkansas has unveiled its highly anticipated 2023 Opportunity Scorecard. This legislative scorecard evaluates lawmakers’ votes on bills from the last legislative session and aims to inform Arkansans about how their legislators influenced opportunity for the next generation of Arkansans.
The Buckeye Institute and renowned legal scholar Professor Richard A. Epstein jointly filed an amicus brief in 74 Pinehurst v. New York City, demonstrating that rent control laws violate the Fifth Amendment’s takings clause and limit housing stock—making the rent “Too Damn High” in New York City.
Arizona: A mom was vindicated of false charges brought by the Department of Child Safety, a department that routinely employs bureaucratic overreach that deprives parents of their constitutional rights (Goldwater Institute).
Arkansas: The State Supreme Court voted to allow implementation of the Arkansas LEARNS Act to continue. LEARNS includes universal educational freedom for Arkansas families and was supported by a campaign to increase public awareness about the act (Opportunity Arkansas).
Oklahoma: In a win for free speech in the state, Governor Kevin Sitt vetoed a bill that would have allowed free-speech opponents to more easily bring Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) lawsuits to court. The veto override attempt in the State Legislature was not successful (Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs).
North Carolina: The North Carolina House Committee on K-12 Education approved Senate Bill 49, which advances the Parents’ Bill of Rights to “enshrine” into law (The John Locke Foundation).
Texas: Governor Greg Abbott ensured that virtual education options will continue through 2025, retaining a crucial education option for Texas families (Texas Public Policy Foundation).
Badger Institute revealed in-depth the top three reasons to cut Wisconsin’s top tax rate.
As the Ohio House-Senate Conference Committee begins its work on Ohio’s biennial budget, The Buckeye Institute released its Keep, Cut, Change policy guidance memo providing lawmakers with a roadmap for which version of the budget—Executive, House, or Senate—they should adopt and what should be cut or changed.
Caesar Rodney Institute published a brief urging Delaware legislators not to pass another bill like the Bloom Energy fuel cell legislation because it could result in a $9 billion premium charge over a similar 20-year period adding $8,800 to residential electric bills and millions to some large companies.
Empower Mississippi analyzed the education freedom movement that continues to gain national momentum.
Foundation for Government Accountability revealed how states are protecting their Medicaid programs.
John Locke Foundation unveiled a research brief shining a spotlight on the under-addressed issue of “orphan roads” – the term used to describe roads that host properties yet lack state or local government maintenance or upkeep.
Mackinac Center released a set of 9 COVID-era healthcare policy flexibilities that should outlive COVID-19.
Mississippi Center for Public Policy released a brief outlining how Mississippi is improving on several different aspects, due to positive public policy changes that have been implemented over the past decade.
Mountain States Policy Center released a snapshot of tax rankings in the Mountain States and analyzed the federal lands rule, showing how it is a good theory but a poor proposal.
Reason Foundation published a new study examining how the welfare system and regulation reduce and undermine opportunities for low-income Americans.
Hawaii: It appears that Gov. Josh Green will be trimming $1 billion from the state budget before signing off on it (Grassroot Institute of Hawaii).
Is it Time to Modernize Idaho’s School Funding Model?
Mountain States Policy Center – Jason Mercier
School Choice States Open Doors of Opportunity for Generations of Children
Cascade Policy Institute – Kathryn Hickok
More Test Results Show Math and Reading Scores the Lowest in Decades
Center of the American Experiment – Catrin Wigfall
Educational Choice Is an Uphill Battle that is Worth the Time
Commonwealth Foundation – Stephen Bloom
Report Shows School Broadband Investment Doesn’t Help Students Learn
Freedom Foundation of Minnesota
Montana’s Home School Heroes
Frontier Institute – Lawrence Reed
Georgia Parents Deserve Full Transparency from State School Systems
Georgia Center for Opportunity
Welch, Harmon Get Millions from Teachers Unions Before Blocking School Choice for Poor Kids
Illinois Policy Institute – Mailee Smith
Oklahoma Curriculum-Transparency Effort Shot Down
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs – Ray Carter
Study: Update Finds Boston Public Schools Making Slow, Uneven Progress
Pioneer Institute
A Big Year for Education Reform. Just Not in Missouri
Show-Me Institute – Susan Pendergrass
New Report Finds Washington State’s Teacher Training Schools Among Worst in Nation
Washington Policy Center – Liv Finne
Decoupling School Choice Funding in Wisconsin
Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty – Will Flanders
States Can Begin Verifying Medicaid Eligibility for First Time In 3 Years
Georgia Public Policy Foundation – Kyle Wingfield
Deregulation Part 2: The Great Medical Residency Bottleneck
Idaho Freedom Foundation – Niklas Kleinworth
The Corruption of Climate Science: California Forest Facts Expose Study’s Flaws
California Policy Center – Edward Ring
Wind and Solar Lobby Cries Foul as Great River Energy Tries Something Smart for a Change
Center of the American Experiment – Issac Orr
Idaho Water Fight is Hard to See Through
Mountain States Policy Center – Madilynne Clark
Catastrophic Wildfires Threaten Clean and Healthy Environment
Frontier Institute – Kendall Cotton
Blackout Bills Are Dangerous and Economy-Crushing
Mackinac Center – Holly Wetzel
Texas Grid Reaching a Turning Point, But Still Time to Fix
Texas Public Policy Foundation – Brent Bennett
Clean Virginia’s Victory Bad News for Energy Consumers
Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy – Stephen D. Haner
Data Show That Families with Children Are Fleeing the Twin Cities
Center of the American Experiment – John Phelan
Don’t Sour of the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs
Mountain States Policy Center – Jason Mercier
Navigating the Current Economic Crisis
Georgia Center for Opportunity
Illinois Unemployment 4th Worst in US, Job Growth Slows in May
Illinois Policy Institute – Justin Carlson
Minimum Wage Does Maximum Damage
Mackinac Center – Jarett Skorup
Tribal Gaming Revenue is in the Billions
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs – Curtis Shelton
To Reduce Costs, CA Also Needs to Build New Suburbs
Pacific Research Institute – Edward Ring
Everybody Should be Welcomed to the Party
Show-Me Institute – David Stokes
CT Has Some of the Best & Worst Cities to Live, According to Separate Reports
Yankee Institute – Andrew Flowler
Taxpayer Funded Tuition is a Bailout to Colleges
Center of the American Experiment – John Phelan
Are Work Requirements Good or Bad?
Georgia Center for Opportunity – Corey Burres
Hawaii Finances “Unsustainable” without Economic Growth
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Another Banner Year for State Tax Cuts: Will Iowa Continue to Lead in 2024?
Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation
ACP is Critical to Florida Broadband Success; Congress Must Renew It
James Madison Institute – Dr. Edward Longe
Would You Spend $150 Million to Subsidize a Dunkin’ Franchise? How About an Unprofitable Power Plant?
Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy
The Wafer-Thin Mint at the End of the Budget
MacIver Institute
Teacher Beat San Diego Union in Remarkable Rematch
California Policy Center
JANUS V. AFSCME at Five: Government Union Membership at Record Lows
Freedom Foundation – Maxford Nelsen
California Public Employees Leaving Unions in Record Numbers
Freedom Foundation – Orlando Ibarra
A Tax Deduction for Union Dues but not NJ Charities?
Garden State Initiative – William J. Smith
The REINS Act Passes the House!
Foundation for Government Accountability
A House for Cars, But Not for Granny
Libertas Institute – Lee Sands
State Attorney Generals Remind the Federal Government about Importance of Federalism
Mountain States Policy Center – Jason Mercier
Family Focus Desperately Needed
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs – Jonathan Small
California Sends Mixed Messages on Housing Mandates
Pacific Research Institute – Matthew Fleming
Occupational Licensing Reforms are Making a Difference in Lousiana
Pelican Institute – Jamie Tairov
Community is the Key to the Faith of Many Believers
Sutherland Institute – William C. Duncan
At RealClearPolicy, The Buckeye Institute highlighted their cases that challenge Ohio cities for taxing commuters who don’t commute.
In the California Globe, the California Policy Center considers the book ban debate in California schools.
In The OC Register, the California Policy Center notes Sacramento’s harmful policies drive the California exodus.
In The Daily Caller, the Commonwealth Foundation points out Pennsylvania’s Democrat Governor could defy the teachers unions and pass school choice.
At Lancaster Online, the Commonwealth Foundation notes educational choice is an uphill battle that is worth the time.
In the Greenwood Commonwealth, Empower Mississippi argues that, contrary to some recent assertions, conservative criminal justice reforms have not led to increases in violent crime. (Empower is responding to MCPP’s Douglas Carswell’s recent argument).
In his recent column, the Ethan Allen Institute’s John McClaughry highlights Vermont’s current “veto session”, in which the supermajority Democratic legislature confronts a popular Republican governor.
At National Review, Freedom Foundation uncovers what government unions want to do to America.
At Townhall, Freedom Foundation’s Maddie Dermon described the teacher’s union’s battle preparation as Woodland Park parents push back.
In The Montana Standard, the Frontier Institute notes it’s time for our leaders to prioritize active forest management to mitigate the growing threat of catastrophic fires.
In the Washington Examiner, Goldwater Institute encouraged everyone to celebrate liberty for all on Juneteenth—and reject race-based separatism.
In the Hawaii Reporter, the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii notes the Hawaii Governor showed courage trimming the state budget.
In his recent column, John Hood points out North Carolina’s recent elections bill ignores the state constitution.
In The Gazette, the Independence Institute’s Jon Caldara considers the impact of libertarian candidates in Colorado.
In The OC Register, the Pacific Research Institute notes California will fall far short of power needed to fuel all-EV future.
In The Daily Caller, the Texas Public Policy Foundation points out the Biden Administration just made involuntary servitude of migrant children easier and nobody is stopping it.
In the Washington Examiner, the Pacific Research Institute notes the US health system is not to blame for the decline in our life expectancy.
