March 21, 2025
Week in Review: March 21, 2025
The Buckeye Institute released the latest edition of its world-famous Piglet Book, which analyzed Ohio’s proposed biennial budget and identified more than $9 billion in specific savings for lawmakers to consider as they debate the state’s two-year budget.
Common Sense Institute launched a School Closures Dashboard to track the impact of shifting Arizonan K-12 enrollment trends, which show declining enrollment in public schools despite significant funding increases.
Garden State Initiative announced the keynote speaker for its upcoming Annual Policy Forum, New Jersey: On the Brink of Opportunity. The events’ featured speaker is set to be Bernard Baumohl, the chief global economist at the Economic Outlook Group.
Institute for Reforming Government released two more Court Watch primers, titled How the WI Supreme Court Impacts our Administrative State and The Court’s Role in Protecting or Destroying Religious Liberty and Parental Rights.
John Locke Foundation’s Dr. Bob Luebke, Locke’s Director of our Center for Effective Education, was on WRAL News discussing North Carolina’s proposed school cell phone ban.
Kansas Policy Institute’s investigative journalists told the story of a nurse practitioner whose license is being withheld and faces discipline for what she believes is retaliation for speaking her views publicly on COVID.
Virginia Institute for Public Policy’s recent study on regulatory reductions was highlighted in the Virginia Review and in Forbes, both showing how the move to reduce regulations in the state is more than a Virginia DOGE.
Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty released a new report called “Shining a Light: Enhancing Transparency and Accountability in Wisconsin’s Public Records Process.” The report highlights several actionable reforms that would enhance government transparency and make it easier for citizens to hold their government accountable.
Washington Policy Center continued to release installments of its Report Card series, which analyzes how Washington’s policies have impacted the state over the past decade. The latest installments cover transportation, education, environment, business climate and taxes, and the electric vehicle (EV) program.
Freedom Foundation filed a lawsuit against the California Public Employment Relations Board on behalf of the Shasta County Board of Supervisors and an employee, defending their free speech rights.
Goldwater Institute filed suit on behalf of homeschool parents after Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes demanded endless paperwork for purchases made under the state’s Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program.
Liberty Justice Center’s fight to uphold journalists’ and Tennesseans’ First Amendment rights continues as the Center filed an opening brief asking the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit to overturn a lower court’s decision that allowed the Tennessee Supreme Court’s Judicial Advisory Commission to keep rulemaking meetings closed to the press and the public. In addition, the Center joined with the Defense of Freedom Institute for Policy Studies to file a federal civil rights complaint against Illinois State Board of Education and Chicago Public Schools for violating Title IX by forcing students to share restrooms with the opposite sex. Finally, the Center’s Jeffrey Schwab co-authored an opinion with Julie Hammil of the California Policy Center addressing their joint lawsuit, California Policy Center v. Garcia-Brower, which challenges a California law that violates employers’ First Amendment rights by prohibiting companies from discussing any “religious or political matters” at mandatory meetings.
Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty’s litigative efforts on behalf of its client, Do No Harm, resulted in the United States Department of Health and Human Services opening two new federal investigations against discriminatory education and training programs at two major academic medical centers: Johns Hopkins University and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Stay tuned as these investigations unfold.
Arizona: The City of Fountain Hills, Arizona, joined a growing list of government bodies which have officially prohibited Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practices, meaning that, for this local government, no affirmative action, no mandatory loyalty oaths to progressivism, and no taxpayer-funded “consultants” telling town employees they’re racist (Goldwater Institute).
Idaho: The Governor signed bills which require the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare to get legislative approval for any changes to a public assistance program that expands eligibility or benefits and declare gold and silver legal tender in the state of Idaho (Idaho Freedom Foundation). Governor also signed a measure that includes work requirements for able-bodied adults on Medicaid (Idaho Freedom Foundation and Mountain States Policy Center).
New Mexico: In a defensive victory, threats to donor privacy in the state were defeated (Rio Grande Foundation).
Rhode Island: In a major victory for advocates seeking to protect women’s K-12 sports in the Ocean State, the Rhode Island Interscholastic League — under threat of legal action and public pressure — radically altered its rules and regulations that allow boys to compete in girls’ K-12 sports (Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity).
Utah: A victory for entrepreneurs and the state economy, the Governor signed a bill which ensures that local governments establish a clear, predictable process for approving business types not covered by current zoning laws, thus reducing barriers for new and innovative business models (Libertas Institute).
West Virginia: The state joined 11 other states in protecting the integrity of their elections against ranked-choice voting (Foundation for Government Accountability).
Wyoming: In a win for property rights, a new law was approved that ups the consequences for squatters — a move that addresses the horror stories of people taking advantage of lax laws and lengthy legal processes to live rent free at property owners’ expense, often damaging and ruining homes in the process (Mountain States Policy Center).
Idaho Freedom Foundation published briefs which examine a wild contradiction from Leftists in the state: Medicaid expansion accountability opposed for being too strict while school choice accountability opposed for being too lax, break down a misguided push by the state’s education establishment to expand its K-12 budget, expose how two positive public union reforms appear stalled, and call for further tax cuts.
Kansas Policy Institute published a report opposing a proposed state program that would shower select industries—especially aerospace, electric vehicles, and hydrogen production—with tax breaks and subsidies.
Mackinac Center posted a brief which exposes how state business subsidies spent $670 million to deliver zero jobs through Michigan’s SOAR program.
Mountain States Policy Center released briefs that propose better environmental-care solutions than plastic bag bans and unpack the reasons behind the bumpy road to education choice in Idaho.
Washington Policy Center issued briefs which break down a plea from state lawmakers for taxpayer funded healthcare, expose the long list of tax increases that have been proposed in the 2025 session, analyze the poor road conditions in the state and the high cost of kicking the can down the road approach, offer solutions for agricultural and environmental stewardship in the current session, and report on another failure of the state’s Department of Ecology staff to understand the energy market.
Arkansas: The House passed a bill which would require fiscal impact statements for ballot initiatives (Opportunity Arkansas).
Colorado: A bill recognizing nuclear energy as a clean energy source passed both the House and Senate and is now on its way to the Governor (Independence Institute).
Idaho: The Senate approved a bill which would protect free speech on college campuses — the bill now moves to the Governor’s desk (Idaho Freedom Foundation). The Legislature also approved a bill which would strengthen the Idaho Broadband Advisory Board and bring qualified professionals from the broadband industry to the table when discussing any broadband policy. In addition, lawmakers continued their education reform efforts. The Senate approved a bill that would allow any school district the flexibility to convert to a charter district, while lawmakers in the House proposed a bill which would free up local resources to pursue ambitious achievement goals. Finally, lawmakers introduced a bill which would preserve mobility for most travelers in the state by eliminating “road diets” on highways and arterial roads, thereby preserving much-needed capacity to accommodate the state’s rapid growth (Mountain States Policy Center).
Illinois: Lawmakers filed a bill that would empower parents and taxpayers with access to information about the Illinois State Board of Education’s spending (Illinois Policy).
Kentucky: Lawmakers sent a bill that allows smaller reductions in income tax rate to the Governor’s desk (Bluegrass Institute).
Minnesota: A bill which would lift the state’s ban on nuclear energy cleared committee and is headed to the House floor (Center of the American Experiment).
Montana: Representative Gonzales introduced a bill which creates protections for private property owners from onerous zoning laws (Frontier Institute).
North Carolina: Lawmakers proposed a bill which would force the state’s Attorney General to defer to the general assembly’s lawyers and legal strategy when legislators decide to take part in a courtroom dispute — a move which would curtail the AG’s ability to use taxpayer resources for priorities outside defending North Carolina and fighting in-state crimes. They also proposed a bill which takes to steps to protect citizens from eminent domain abuse (John Locke Foundation). In addition, legislators proposed a North Carolina version of the REINS Act, which would rein in government overreach in the state (Goldwater Institute).
Ohio: Lawmakers continued to hear testimony on many positive reform bills. In addition to hearing testimony on the state’s biennial budget, lawmakers heard testimony on policies to provide affordable and reliable energy to meet Ohio’s growing demand, improve higher education and address the systemic and cultural problems facing Ohio’s public universities, and build a foundation for broad property tax reforms (The Buckeye Institute).
Oklahoma: Members of the Senate overwhelmingly voted to reform the state’s initiative-petition process to increase transparency and boost citizen participation. The bill now moves to the House (Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs).
Texas: Legislators proposed a bill which will protect property owners grappling with a devastating homelessness crisis (Goldwater Institute). In addition, legislators in the Senate proposed a bill which would ensure legislative efforts to reduce wait times for construction permits are fully expressed. The Senate also passed a bill to stop local governments from using our tax dollars to hire lobbyists to advocate for more spending, higher taxes, and bigger government. A lawmaker in the House also proposed a framework to support the development and deployment of advanced nuclear reactors in Texas for the purpose of bolstering energy security and economic growth through strategic collaboration, investment, and enhanced regulatory programs. Lawmakers also heard testimony in support of a bill which would prohibit guaranteed income programs in Texas. A lawmaker also proposed a bill which would cap severance pay for superintendents (Texas Public Policy Foundation). Finally, the Senate passed a bill which would allow for more affordable housing options by cutting overburdensome local regulations — the bill now moves to the House.
Wisconsin: After hearing testimony showing that the move would reset Wisconsin’s education testing standards and undo damage done by the current head of the Department of Public Instruction, lawmakers passed a bill that does exactly that which now heads to the Governor’s desk (Institute for Reforming Government). In addition, the Senate passed Assembly Bill 1, which would reverse actions over recent years by the Department of Public Instruction that have lowered academic and performance standards for Wisconsin students. The bill now heads to Governor Evers for his consideration (Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty).
Topics:
School District to Sell Buses and Cut Costs after Failed Referendum
Center of the American Experiment
MN Homeschool Enrollment Reaches Highest Ever
Center of the American Experiment
What a Federal School Choice Bill Would Mean for Minnesota
Center of the American Experiment
Teacher Unions Defend Drunk, Drug-Addled Teachers
Freedom Foundation
Keeping Georgia’s Promise
Georgia Public Policy Foundation
Committee Passes ‘Homeschool Act;’ Fight Moves to Illinois House Floor
Illinois Policy
New Opportunity Scholarship Numbers Show Sustained Demand
John Locke Foundation
Jagler: If Evers Won’t Sign Higher Standards, the Choice in April is Clear
MacIver Institute
Seven Ways to Boost Oklahoma’s Reading Outcomes
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
Oklahoma Legislative Leaders: School Choice Program Working as Planned
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
EdChoice’s Robert Enlow on School Choice
Pioneer Institute
Utah Advanced Parent-Driven Education but Left Reforms on the Table
Sutherland Institute
SROS Placed in Milwaukee Public Schools
Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty
Delaware Carbon Taxes Have Not Reduced Carbon Dioxide Emissions
Caesar Rodney Institute
Reliability Standards to Reduce the Cost of Wind and Solar Volatility in Texas
Texas Public Policy Foundation
Preserving Texas Agriculture: Biosolids and the Growing Concern of “Forever Chemicals”
Texas Public Policy Foundation
Sorting Fact from Fiction on the Future of Medicaid
Empire Center
Better (and Safer) Living Through Chemistry
Freedom Foundation of Minnesota
Franke: The Aging of America
Indiana Policy Review Foundation
Oklahoma’s Medicaid Expansion: A Bad Deal Getting Worse
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
Single-Payer Systems Fail Children and Cancer Patients
Pacific Research Institute
Local Governments Shouldn’t Wait to Address Housing Crisis
Frontier Institute
Legalizing Residential Uses in Commercial Zones Can Strengthen NH Communities
Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy
Eliminate ESU and TPP for the Next $300mm of Property Tax Relief
Platte Institute
Illinois Job Growth Modest Amid High Unemployment, Competitive Market
Illinois Policy
Keating: Freedom to Work
Indiana Policy Review Foundation
Don’t Chase Insurance Companies Out of Florida
James Madison Institute
Florida’s Path to Portable Benefits
James Madison Institute
Henry Repeating Arms Moving All Manufacturing to Expanded Wisconsin Plant
MacIver Institute
A Square Deal for the Little Guy!
Mackinac Center
Minimum Wage Hikes Hurt Vulnerable Workers
Mackinac Center
Oklahoma Senate Addresses Employer Liability Issue Created by Supreme Court
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
Licensing Labyrinth: How Occupational Regulations Disincentivize Work
Palmetto Promise Institute
Louisiana’s Economy Needs Bold Reforms to Reverse Slow Growth and Out-Migration
Pelican Institute
Pioneer Institute Study Finds Outdated U.S. Immigration System Delays Creation of 150,000 Businesses and 500,000 Jobs
Pioneer Institute
The City that Breaks Windows
The Maryland Public Policy Institute
DFL Deficit: House DFLers Want to Give Minnesota the Second Highest Top Rate of Income Tax in America
Center of the American Experiment
We Spent $10 Million and All We Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt!
Freedom Foundation of Minnesota
More Waste and Fraud in Minnesota State Government, Part XVI
Freedom Foundation of Minnesota
Bill Would Authorize Two Pensions for WA State Employees
Freedom Foundation
CU No Longer Serving Its Purpose as a State University
Independence Institute
Kansas Can’t Afford Another Corporate Handout
Kansas Policy Institute
Senate Majority Leader: We’re Waiting on Supreme Court for State Budget
MacIver Institute
Business Taxes Should Raise Money for Government, Not Transfer Cash to Big Business
Mackinac Center
Income-Tax Elimination Can Boost Budget Stability
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
Other States Have No Income Tax … And Lower Property Taxes
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
Hey Elon, Here Are Some Cost Savings for You in St. Louis . . .
Show-Me Institute
Budget Breakdown: The SC House 2026 Budget
South Carolina Policy Council
CT Politicians Love to Talk Fiscal Responsibility — Until it Gets in the Way of Spending
Yankee Institute
As Usual, AFSCME Hit Piece Makes Us Look Even Better
Freedom Foundation
AFSCME 13 Members in Pennsylvania Are Opting Out in Droves
Freedom Foundation
Illinois Federation of Teachers Spends $46.1M on State Politics
Illinois Policy
Artificial Intelligence: Friend or Foe?
Beacon Center of Tennessee
The Story of Laurel Libby: Parts One, Two, Three, Four, and Five
Maine Policy Institute
Conservative Principles, Not Platitudes, are Driving Change
Mississippi Center for Public Policy
Why DOGE Is So Important
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
Freedom v. Efficiency: How Automating Driver’s Licenses Offers Benefits, But Creates Some Risks
Pacific Research Institute
Virginia General Assembly Recap and Veto/Sign Recommendations for Governor Youngkin
Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy
In the Los Angeles Daily News, the California Policy Center’s Thomas Buckley highlights a lawsuit that argues the University of California systematically discriminates against Asian American applicants.
In The OC Register, the California Policy Center’s Francis Mizner highlighted Governor Newsom’s recent reversal regarding transgender rights.
In the California Globe, the California Policy Center’s Edward Ring considers how Californians can achieve energy abundance.
At Blaze Media, Foundation for Government Accountability’s Adam Gibbs points out why Washington bureaucrats fear accountability from DOGE.
At Newsweek, Foundation for Government Accountability’s Jonathan Ingram and Paige Terryberry argue Republicans have the moral high ground on Medicaid reform.
In The Daily Caller, Foundation for Government Accountability’s Nick Stehle highlights the benefits of the Trump-Johnson budget resolution.
In his recent column, the Georgia Public Policy Foundation’s Kyle Wingfield notes it’s disheartening to see how tenuous the support for educational freedom is in Georgia.
In the Federalist, Idaho Freedom Foundation’s Samuel Lair considers Idaho’s DEI bill.
In the Chicago Tribune, Illinois Policy Institute’s Paul Vallas criticizes the CTU for stifling school choice.
In the Daily Herald, Illinois Policy Institute’s Matt Paprocki notes Pritzker’s budget sleight of hand ignores Illinois’ fiscal problems.
In the Chicago Tribune, the Illinois Policy Institute’s Micky Horstman considers how to solve the University of Illinois’ housing crisis.
In The American Spectator, the Independent Institute’s Lloyd Billingsley shows how a proposed bill might make self-defense criminal in California.
In the Federalist, the Institute for Reforming Government’s Jake Curtis exposes how a candidate for the Wisconsin Supreme Court promotes lawfare against homeschool families.
In the Orlando Sentinel, The James Madison Institute’s Doug Wheeler warns against policies that drive insurance companies out of Florida.
At InsideSources, Libertas Institute’s Jon England notes other states should take note of Utah’s public labor union bill.
In his recent column for The Detroit News, the Mackinac Center’s Mike Reitz praised Governor Whitmer’s calls for reforms to Michigan’s occupational licensing rules.
In The Center Square, the Mountain States Policy Center’s Marta Mossburg highlights how property owners are gaining ground against squatters in Wyoming.
In his recent column, Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs’s Jonathan Small notes reform is needed in Oklahoma’s initiative-petition process.
In The Fresno Bee, the Pacific Research Institute’s Lance Izumi notes California parents must be able to choose the education that best suits their child.
In the Tri-City Herald, the Washington Policy Center’s Todd Myers questions if plastic bag bans are the best way to keep plastic out of the ocean.
In his recent column, John Hood explains why a why a minimum-wage hike shouldn’t happen in North Carolina.
In his recent column, John Hood points out North Carolina is lagging far behind in providing telehealth options to patients.
