Week in Review: March 3, 2023

Announcements

Americans for Fair Treatment released a new membership tier. Now, private employees are welcome to join their ally membership tier.
The Badger Institute launched the Forward Society, a charitable giving membership program supporting free-market policies.
The Commonwealth Foundation published a new poll that finds Pennsylvanians are pessimistic about the state’s future and want state leaders to address surging energy costs.
New York’s Medicaid program is currently on a crash course for fiscal disaster in the near future, warns Bill Hammond, Empire Center senior fellow for health policy, in testimony delivered today before the Joint Legislative Fiscal Committees.
Empower Mississippi released their 2022 annual report.
In response to the passage of Prop 211 last fall in Arizona, People United for Privacy CEO Heather Lauer shares the truth about the new law: it ignores legal precedent and puts privacy and free speech—for both individuals and nonprofits—at risk. Deceptively named the “Voters’ Right to Know Act,” Prop 211 requires nonprofit organizations to turn over their donors’ names, addresses, occupations, and contribution amounts to the government for publication in an online database if those groups engage in speech on matters of public concern.

Success Stories

Virginia has joined a growing movement of states using the Goldwater Institute’s universal licensing model to make it easier for skilled professionals to get to work. Goldwater highlighted how the Legislature recently successfully advanced a reform model that takes a promising step toward the quick and efficient universal recognition of out-of-state occupational licenses. The Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy noted the passage of the bill is a huge step forward in reducing antiquated barriers to employment, as well as helping Virginia companies fill positions now understaffed or unfilled.
Transparent California, which is part of Nevada Policy Research Institute, has passed 400 million pageviews.

Freedom through the Courts: The Latest Litigation Efforts across the Network

Goldwater Institute filed suit against the City of Phoenix for hiding union records from the public. The City of Phoenix and its union partners have shut the public out of its most recent contract negotiations—a process that is funded by Phoenix taxpayers and affects where their money is spent—in violation of Arizona’s Public Records Law. Goldwater sued to shed light on these records.
Following oral arguments before the Ohio Supreme Court in Schaad v. Alder (one of Buckeye’s six municipal income tax cases), The Buckeye Institute’s Robert Alt urged the court to “take the side of hardworking Ohio taxpayers who have been denied constitutional protections and due process.” Video of the oral arguments is available at OhioChannel.org.
After oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court in two cases challenging the Biden Administration’s student debt cancellation program, The Buckeye Institute noted, “If those challenging the program today are not successful in their cases, Buckeye expects to be successful in ours.” Latta v. U.S. Department of Education is pending with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio Eastern Division.
The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) submitted a letter jointly with School Choice Wisconsin (SCW) to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI), threatening legal action based upon a pattern of DPI denying new schools’ participation in the school choice program. WILL believes that DPI is exceeding its legal authority by requiring new schools to complete a near impossible application process.
The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) urged the Eau Claire Area School District (ECASD) school board to preserve its current charter school and to reject illegal race-based policies that would disrupt educational opportunities in Eau Claire
On Tuesday, February 28, the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) filed for a preliminary injunction to stop the U.S. Secretary of Labor’s new rule permitting the use of environmental, social, and governance (commonly referred to as “ESG”) factors in retirement investing.

Solutions from the States: This Week’s Policy Briefs

The Alaska Policy Forum finds Alaska’s teachers are outnumbered by other staff in all but seven school districts. For every four teachers in Alaska, there are five staff members performing functions peripheral to the business of teaching Alaska’s students.
The Cardinal Institute examined the history of certificate-of-need laws.
The Commonwealth Foundation released two new studies on poverty. The first study combines data and in-depth interviews with Pennsylvanian households making less than twice the poverty line to understand their experiences and identify common barriers to prosperity. The second study examines the ties between economic freedom and prosperity in Pennsylvania.
The Empire Center highlights how a New York state-backed wind tower construction facility has fallen months behind schedule and doubled in price even before construction begins. Empire notes this is the first of what will likely be many major cost overruns as officials try to radically transform the state economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The Foundation for Government Accountability highlights how lawmakers can rein in regulations like the student loan bailout.
The Georgia Center for Opportunity published some common questions and answers surrounding Georgia’s Promise Scholarship Accounts.
The Institute for Reforming Government released a groundbreaking report on common sense, patient-centered healthcare solutions for Wisconsin.
The James Madison Institute released a new policy brief promoting healthcare price transparency.
The John Locke Foundation highlighted three ways government subsidies ruin the marketplace.
In a new policy brief, the Libertas Institute notes the need for innovation in the legal industry has never been greater, and regulatory sandboxes for legal services provide a responsible solution.
The Palmetto Promise Institute releases “Fiscal Facts 2023”—data to support South Carolina’s Palmetto Freedom Agenda.
The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) published a new policy brief, “Ghost Students: The Inefficient Allocation of Taxpayer Dollars in Wisconsin’s Schools.”

Tracking Positive Reforms in the States: Updates from State Think Tanks

Arkansas: The Arkansas House passed a school choice bill. Once the Senate concurs in an amendment it will be sent to the governor (Arkansas Policy Foundation).

Georgia: Georgia leaders are reviewing the state’s tax credits to see if they provide a “significant return on investment” for Georgia taxpayers (The Center Square) (Georgia Public Policy Foundation).

Illinois: A package of anti-corruption bills were introduced in the Illinois Senate: one prohibits lawmakers from using campaign money to pay for legal defense, another fines felonious politicians $100,000 and one takes away their specialty license plates (Illinois Policy Institute).

Kansas: The Kansas Senate passed SB 169, which would establish a 4.75% flat tax. This is similar to the 5% flat tax of HB 2061 in the House (Kansas Policy Institute).

West Virginia: A partial repeal of certificate-of-need laws is making its way through the legislature in West Virginia.

Policy News from the States

K-12 Education

Amid illiteracy, where was the urgency?
Badger Institute

0%: Not A Single Student Proficient In Math At 19 Minnesota Schools
Center of the American Experiment

Minnesota Public School Enrollment Drops For 3rd Consecutive Year
Center of the American Experiment

New York City Teachers’ Retirement System Adds More $200K Retirees
Empire Center

More Education Options Good For Georgia Students, Families
Georgia Public Policy Foundation

School Choice Programs Would Provide Fiscal Savings For Public School Districts
Georgia Public Policy Foundation

School Choice Prospects Still Alive In Idaho, Despite Significant Setback
Idaho Freedom Foundation

Mayor Race Pits School Choice Against More Power For Chicago Teachers Union
Illinois Policy Institute

Chicago Teachers Union, Affiliates Spend Nearly $2.5M To Put Johnson In Mayoral Run-Off
Illinois Policy Institute

Intensive Tutoring is the Best Way to address Learning Loss. Why is it lacking in so Many NC School Districts?
John Locke Foundation

Educrats Fear The Coming Of ESAs, Educational Freedom
Kansas Policy Institute

Grand Rapids Charter School Makes Engineers and Pilots
Mackinac Center

Testimony: Opposing Attempts to Undermine School Choice (LD 100)
Maine Policy Institute

How Parental Choice Can Help Save Our Urban Areas
Pacific Research Institute

Debunking a Myth About Rural Education in Missouri
Show-Me Institute

Tutoring Bill To Help Students With School-Shutdown Learning Loss Blocked In Senate Ways And Means Committee
Washington Policy Center

Energy and Environment

American Experiment Testifies On Potential Natural Gas Ban Bill
Center of the American Experiment

Energy Wars Stalemate Hinders Reforms
Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy

Lone Star Bound
California Policy Center

Revised BLS Data Shows Improved 2022 New Jersey Unemployment Numbers
Garden State Initiative

Virginia Takes Promising Step Toward Full, Expedited Universal Licensing Recognition
Goldwater Institute

Proposed ‘Wealth Tax’ Has A Wealth Of Problems
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii

Relaxing Occupational Licensing Laws: A Less Controversial Solution to Labor Shortages
Libertas Institute

The Case Against Rebooting Film Tax Credits in Missouri
Show-Me Institute

State Budgets

Revisiting an Important Report: Navigating Alaska’s Fiscal Crisis
Alaska Policy Forum

Is The Legislature To Blame For Higher Gas Taxes?
Bluegrass Institute

Consumption Taxes Provide Choice To Consumers
Cardinal Institute

What Is The Marriage Penalty?
Cardinal Institute

Cities And Counties Hand Out Thousands Of Dollars Of Leftover COVID Funds
Center of the American Experiment

Hands Off! Taxpayer Relief Fund Belongs to the Taxpayers
Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation

Get More Competitive On Taxes
Mackinac Center

Michigan’s Amped-Up Budget
Mackinac Center

State Budget Update: Scandal, Calls to Resist Cuts Mask State’s Growing Budget Shortfall
Pacific Research Institute

HB 1011 Dies: Keep Readying For A Long-Term-Care Payroll Tax Starting This Summer
Washington Policy Center

Workplace Freedom

Member Spotlight: Amber Welch
Americans for Fair Treatment

Unions Make Gains In Colorado
Americans for Fair Treatment

Will Michigan Politicians Force Workers To Pay Corrupt Unions?
Mackinac Center

Other

The Childcare Crisis Is Not Due To Market Failure
Center of the American Experiment

President Biden Is on an Out-of-Control Regulatory Spending Spree
Foundation for Government Accountability

At the Capitol: Week of February 27
Georgia Public Policy Foundation

SCOTUS Rightly Concerned Over Executive Overreach In Student Loan Cases
Pelican Institute

SHB 1333, To Criminalize Free Speech And Independent Thought In Washington State
Washington Policy Center

State Think Tanks in the News

In the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, the Arkansas Policy Foundation considers Arkansas’ proposed school choice program and notes the market for school choice is expanding.
In the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Badger Institute argues Wisconsin’s school choice programs are unfairly called a burden on property taxes because of the state’s funding mechanism.
At RealClearPolicy, The Buckeye Institute considers the impact of obesity on America’s workforce.
The Garden State Initiative’s Regina Egea talks New Jersey’s budget with Joe Piscopo.
In his recent column, Georgia Public Policy Foundation’s Kyle Wingfield considers the effort to create promise scholarship accounts in Georgia.
In the New York Post, State Policy Network’s Kerry McDonald notes we need a new school of thought about charter schools.
In the Washington Examiner, Sutherland Institute notes we can, and should, support both education choice and traditional schools.
At RealClearPolicy, The James Madison Institute highlights a little-known but critically important committee for higher education accreditation in the US.
In The American Mind, the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty notes our public schools must treat every student fairly, regardless of race, and strive to equip all students for success

Events and Opportunities

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

Categories: News

Organization: State Policy Network