Announcements

• The Buckeye Institute filed its appeal with Ohio’s Sixth District Court of Appeals in Curcio v. Hufford— one of Buckeye’s five cases challenging the authority of Ohio cities to tax the income of nonresidents who did not work within those cities due to the pandemic. 
• The Mackinac Center Legal Foundation’s challenge to Michigan’s Blaine Amendment was heard in court.
• The Texas Public Policy Foundation, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, and the grassroots organization Citizens Legacy will host the inaugural States Trust Summit to promote and coordinate efforts to correct the dangerous course the Biden administration is taking the country. The conference will highlight state-based solutions addressing the most pressing problems the country is facing today. 
• After a six-month national search and recruitment effort, Washington Policy Center‘s governing board selected Michael D. Gallagher to take over as President and CEO. Mr. Gallagher served as an Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information in the Bush Administration and as president of the Entertainment Software Association (ESA).

This Week on SPN.org

Conservative Budgets Gain Steam Across The Country

SPN and the Network give caregivers a voice as the Biden Administration reconsiders dues skimming

Checking in on legislative sessions: States advance parental choice policies in 2022

Success Stories 

• Bipartisan licensure reform legislation backed by the Badger Institute has been signed into law. The legislation reduces hurdles for the scope of practice of interior designers. The Badger Institute noted the bill brings Wisconsin in line with national industry standards for licensure, removing unnecessary barriers to entry into the field.
• In his State of the State speech, Ohio’s governor demonstrated the effectiveness of The Buckeye Institute’s ideas by highlighting a number of Buckeye-championed policies that helped Ohio recover from the pandemic—cutting taxes and government spending, expanding access to broadband, and expanding access to telehealth services—and will return the Buckeye State to economic prosperity and leadership.
• In Ohio, The Buckeye Institute-championed recommendations in House Bill 509 overwhelmingly passed the Ohio House. By reducing and eliminating unneeded occupational license regulations, Ohio can ensure trained professionals and job-seekers are able to prosper from the fruits of their labor, attract more workers to Ohio, and spur economic growth across industries.
• The Kansas House passed a bill that exempts hair threaders from cosmetology licensing conditions, including 1,000 hours of training that can run to over $15,000. The Kansas Policy Institute noted this bill is a bipartisan regulatory reform and is an example of a way to create more economic opportunity for people by enshrining their right to work. 
• The “Parents Bill of Rights” and school curriculum transparency legislation passed the Kansas Senate this week.
• On March 1, Douglas County Superior Court ruled the capital gains income tax Washington state adopted last year (SB 5096) is an unconstitutional graduated income tax. Because of a surprise motion by the state Attorney General in the case, the first half of the ruling talked about Washington Policy Center (WPC) research. WPC has been actively involved for the past decade trying to educate policymakers that a capital gains tax is an unconstitutional income tax in Washington state.

Solutions from the states: This week’s policy briefs

Policy Solutions for More Innovation: Modernizing Ohio’s Policies to Seize New Economic Opportunities
A new report by The Buckeye Institute offers Ohio lawmakers policy solutions that, if adopted, would structurally reform Ohio’s outdated economic system, help reverse troubling economic trends, and return the Buckeye State to economic prosperity and leadership. The report outlines three areas where policymakers can take action to help Ohio regain its economic footing.

Unemployment Insurance Indexing
A new policy brief by the Alaska Policy Forum finds unemployment insurance indexing would change Alaska’s current unemployment system, which now bases weeks of unemployment benefits on past work, to one in which UI benefits are tied to the state’s economic condition.

State Laws Forcing Publishers to License Ebooks to Libraries Are Unlawful
Copyright owners possess exclusive rights to decide who can distribute or make available their copyrighted works and on what terms and conditions. State laws that purport to force publishers to license copyrighted works to libraries clearly conflict with federal law and are preempted, according to a new paper by the Free State Foundation.

Senate Education Myth Busters
In a new policy brief, the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty outlines the facts about school choice in Wisconsin.

Policy News from the States

Checking in on Legislative Sessions

#kyga22 Update: Charter schools, BIPPS education priorities move forward
Bluegrass Institute

Gov. Reeves Enters the Field with Bold Plan to Eliminate Income Tax
Empower Mississippi

House adopts latest income tax repeal proposal
Empower Mississippi

Testimony: Discouraging short-term rentals won’t ease housing shortage
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii

Education

Intensive Teacher Training: Science-Based Instruction to Help Alaska’s Students
Alaska Policy Forum

California School Exit
California Policy Center

Gov. Wolf Acts Unilaterally to Stifle Charter Schools
Commonwealth Foundation

The Oklahoma Constitution Supports School Choice
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs

How Well Is Louisiana Preparing Students For Careers?
Pelican Institute for Public Policy

Energy And Environment

Fossil Fuels Are Not Going Anywhere
Cascade Policy Institute

Government Accountability

Can Police Force You to Open Your Phone?
Libertas Institute

3 Reasons To Post Nebraska Legislature Videos Online
Platte Institute

Healthcare

Obamacare Turns 12: Is Healthcare More Affordable?
John Locke Foundation

Housing Affordability

High housing costs are not the problem, but a symptom
Center of the American Experiment

Rent Control Means Fewer Homes, and Higher Prices
Nevada Policy Research Institute

Inflation

Fighting inflation: From ‘buy a $56,000 EV’ to ‘eat lentils’ in six days
Center of the American Experiment

Jobs And State Economies

Legislators Should Say Yes To Creating A Hair Technician License
Center of the American Experiment

NYC’s Out-Migration Fueled NY State’s Record Population Drop In 2020-21
Empire Center for Public Policy

States With Lowest Taxes Are Growing
Empower Mississippi

Sports Gambling Bills Grow the Size and Scope of State Government
Freedom Foundation of Minnesota

GSI Analysis: Feb. ’22 Jobs Report—Decline In Workforce Spurs Decline In Unemployment Rate
Garden State Initiative

Only 1 Illinois metro area fully recovered its pandemic-related job losses
Illinois Policy Institute

Illinois House passes plan to partially refill unemployment fund
Illinois Policy Institute

Hispanic Illinoisans only group to fully recover from COVID-19 job losses
Illinois Policy Institute

Louisiana Is Falling Behind Mississippi Again
Pelican Institute for Public Policy

As Session Begins, Where Does Louisiana’s Economy Stand?
Pelican Institute for Public Policy

State Budgets and Spending

Four simple measures to improve Minnesota’s tax system — and ease the burden
Center of the American Experiment

Iowa’s Gold Standard Tax Reform
Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation

Yes, North Carolina’s Local Governments are Still Trying to Spend COVID Money
John Locke Foundation

A gas tax holiday is just a holiday from reality
Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy

Simple Tax Reform Goes a Long Way
Kansas Policy Institute

Whitmer Cries Wolf On Tax Cut
Mackinac Center

Lawmakers miss opportunity for meaningful tax reform in pursuing one-time relief checks
Maine Policy Institute

Nebraskanomics: Iowa’s Incredible Tax Reform Turnaround
Platte Institute

Missourians to Vote on New Use Taxes
Show-Me Institute

Other

Why Hawaii needs a Jones Act waiver
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii

Biden’s Latest Blame Game for Gas Prices Fails
John Locke Foundation

When did Supreme Court nominations become so politicized?
Sutherland Institute

Think Tanks in the News

The Abysmal State Of State Education
California Policy Center in the Los Angeles Daily News

The Tax Holiday Is A Bait-And-Switch As A Fiscal Crisis Looms
Commonwealth Foundation at The Patriot-News

Should Legislative Aides Unionize?
Freedom Foundation in National Review

Georgia Politicians Reject Educational Freedom at Their Own Peril
Georgia Center for Opportunity at RealClearPolicy

Why Economic Shocks Hurt Illinoisans More
Illinois Policy Institute in Crain’s Chicago Business

Latest CIA Revelations Show Clear Need For Privacy Protections
Libertas Institute in the Daily Herald

No Victor In Michigan’s Misguided War Against COVID-19
Mackinac Center in The Detroit News

If Governors Cared About The Climate, They Wouldn’t Oppose Nuclear Energy
Mackinac Center in The Hill

North Carolina Needs More Housing Options
John Locke Foundation Chatham Journal Newspaper

Government Red Tape Would Strangle Patient Access To Medication
Pacific Research Institute in the Washington Examiner

Mark Cuban Shows How The Free Market Helps Patients
Pacific Research Institute in The Center Square

It’s Time For Conservatives To Tackle Affordable Housing, Create A Better Path Forward
Pegasus Institute in the Northern Kentucky Tribune

End the Mask Mandates—Now
Texas Public Policy Foundation at Townhall

Why Left And Right Oppose An Offshore Wind Farm
Texas Public Policy Foundation in the Washington Examiner

Events and Opportunities

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