Announcements
The Frontier Institute’s Kendall Cotton was recently interviewed for an ESRI blog, in which Frontier was highlighted for creating the Montana Zoning Atlas to help officials and the public visualize the state’s housing data.
The ITR Foundation noted that Iowa’s proposed Fiscal Independence Act seeks to improve transparency and oversight of federal funds to enhance state sovereignty.
The Kansas Policy Institute reported that Kansas ranks 14th nationally in the Economic Freedom of North America report.
The Liberty Justice Center welcomed their newest hire, Robert Cowburn, to serve as Senior Counsel for Educational Freedom.
The Mackinac Center highlighted proposals regarding corporate subsidies that are currently under consideration by the Michigan House and Senate.
The Mountain States Policy Center highlighted three independent polls indicating strong support for education choice tax credits among Idaho voters.
The Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs warned that Oklahoma’s proposed minimum-wage hike in SQ 832 could lead to a loss of over 16,000 jobs.
The Pioneer Institute reported that while progress on telehealth policy occurred in 2025, most states remain unprepared for significant funding changes.
The Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity,Yankee Institute,Josiah Bartlett Center, and Maine Policy Institute released a study suggesting that transitioning to nuclear and natural gas power could save billions.
Success Stories
The Buckeye Institute championed the passage of Ohio House Bill 15, which has attracted more than $4 billion in private investment.
The MacIver Institute highlighted how competition in Wisconsin’s regional transmission projects led to lower costs and better outcomes for consumers.
Freedom through the Courts: The Latest Litigation Efforts across the Network
The Buckeye Institute filed a brief responding to the U.S. government’s unconstitutional theory in Ream v. U.S. Department of Treasury—Buckeye’s case seeking to overturn the federal ban on home distilling.
The Buckeye Institute filed its appeal asking the Ohio Supreme Court to hear Sheldon v. OAPSE, Freedom Foundation, Liberty Justice Center, Mackinac Center for Public Policy, and National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation filed an amicus brief in support of Buckeye’s client, urging the court to take the case and put an end to illegal union wage theft.
Efforts to advance and protect workers’ rights in Puerto Rico continue, with Liberty Justice Center leading the charge with their cases Méndez v. University of Puerto Rico and Rigau v. Puerto Rico Industrial Commission.
The Pelican Institute for Public Policy issued a statement regarding the oral arguments in the critical case of Chevron v. Plaquemines.
Solutions from the States: This Week’s Policy Briefs
The Georgia Public Policy Foundation noted a national trend of states advancing reforms to streamline regulations and enhance legislative oversight of costly regulatory measures.
The Idaho Freedom Foundation noted that Governor Little’s budget proposal relies on short-term solutions leaving the heavy lifting of restoring fiscal discipline to the Legislature.
The Mountain States Policy Center noted that while lowering credit card rates is appealing, evidence shows that price controls ultimately harm those they aim to assist.
The Pacific Research Institute highlighted that California’s new fuel blend law may not actually lower gas prices.
The Palmetto Promise Institute highlighted Governor McMaster’s proposed budget, which includes investments in teacher pay, school choice expansion, and early childhood literacy.
The Washington Policy Center noted that House Bill 2481 would stifle innovation and harm businesses by banning data-driven pricing adjustments.
The Thomas Jefferson Institute found that the Virginia Clean Economy Act’s renewable certificate mandate will ultimately increase energy costs.
The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty issued a statement supporting the Wisconsin Assembly’s passage of the “Equality Amendment.”
The Yankee Institute modeled economic impacts of recent energy policies across six states revealing significant challenges and potential alternatives for energy affordability.
Tracking Positive Reforms: Updates from Network Affiliates
Mississippi: The Mississippi House passed the Education Freedom Act. Empower Mississippi outlined what’s in the bill here.
Jobs in the Network
Sr. Director, Marketing and Communications — Heritage Action for America (District of Columbia)
Director of Marketing and Communications — Young America’s Foundation (Virginia)
Database Administrator — Illinois Policy Institute (Chicago)
Policy News from the States
Topics:
K-12 Education
ACT scores in slow decline within past 20 years
American Experiment
A Conversation with Charles Mitchell
Cardinal Institute
PPS to Remove References to “Black Students” from Naming of “Center for Black Student Excellence” at Jan. 13 Board Meeting
Cascade Policy Institute
Idaho GOP calls for an end to taxpayer support for teachers unions
Freedom Foundation
Gov. Hobbs’ False Attacks on ESAs – The 2026 Edition
Goldwater Institute
UCSD’s Math Meltdown: The Cost of Prioritizing Identity Politics Over The Basics
Goldwater Institute
Voters get say on Illinois students benefitting from scholarships
Illinois Policy Institute
Chicago Public Schools spends a lot on empty desks
Illinois Policy Institute
The Outstater
Indiana Policy
Florida Politics: Why Orange County School Leaders Should Look to Wichita
James Madison Institute
‘Learing’ center exposed in fraud case shuts down
John Locke Foundation
HB2 – Mississippi’s School Choice Bill is Here!
Minnesota Policy
Mississippi’s results speak for themselves: Retention policies work
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
College official defends reliance on out-of-state students
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
‘Life-changing’: Oklahoma working-class families shift to private…
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
A critical look at Deb Haaland’s education plans – Errors of Enchantment
Rio Grande Foundation
Understanding WHY New Mexico is dead-last for raising families – Errors of Enchantment
Rio Grande Foundation
Meaningful School Report Cards are on the Way
Show-Me Institute
No Adult Left Behind, How Politics Hijacks Education Policy with Vlad Kogan
Show-Me Institute
No Adult Left Behind, How Politics Hijacks Education Policy with Vlad Kogan
Show-Me Institute
Islamism, Texas, and the Unholy Alliance
Texas Public Policy Foundation
MPS Wins Big In Property Tax Shift
Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty
Energy and Environment
The Denominators of our Prosperity – Energy and Water
California Policy Center
Empire Center Warns of Sharp Increase in New York Electricity Prices
Empire Center
Fact-checking a “fact check” on solar and wind energy
John Locke Foundation
New Englanders would save hundreds of billions of dollars by replacing mandated renewable energy with nuclear and natural gas
The Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy
Healthcare
Pine Tree Pulse, Episode 76: Jonathan Bush
Maine Policy Institute
Reality check: Medical outcomes in the United States
Mountain States Policy Center
Congress Must Prioritize Patients, Not Insurers, In Renewed Healthcare Debate
Pacific Research Institute
The Lab and the Law: As AI Offers Medical Breakthroughs, Regulation Threatens to Stop the Progress
The Pelican Institute for Public Policy
HB 2088: Cut the red tape for dietitians and fix licensing for everyone
Washington Policy Center
Housing Affordability
What does today’s inflation data say about affordability?
American Experiment
How to achieve a policy trifecta
Grassroot Institute
Amend property tax-dedication guidelines for low-income rentals
Grassroot Institute
Illinois county updates property tax sale rules after court warnings
Illinois Policy Institute
In Cambridge, New Lawsuit Challenges Constitutionality of Mandatory Set-Asides for Affordable Housing
Pioneer Institute
House Bill 2489 undermines local control and would destroy a city’s ability to help the homeless
Washington Policy Center
Penalizing property owners for the Seattle’s poor financial decisions
Washington Policy Center
Jobs and State Economies
Passing a “Lottery Only” bill won’t limit Alabama to a Lottery
Alabama Policy Institute
Elon’s revenge
American Experiment
Accounting for Growth: Human capital per worker, 2024
American Experiment
The Union that May Have Broken California
California Policy Center
2026 State of the State Response
Cardinal Institute
Florida’s Economic Growth Remains Strong, Fiscal Drift Hurts Economic Freedom
James Madison Institute
Former Speaker Steve Crisafulli Joins JMI As Scholar in Residence
James Madison Institute
When rate caps cut off credit
John Locke Foundation
Assessing economy’s potential impact on Trump support
John Locke Foundation
How are California cities prepping for the World Cup and Olympics?
Pacific Research Institute
RGF opinion piece: Data centers are coming: How to handle them
Rio Grande Foundation
ABQ Journal opinion piece: More investigative journalism is a must
Rio Grande Foundation
State Budgets
$1 million Ilhan Omar earmark yanked
American Experiment
What’s the matter with Minnesota?
American Experiment
The Neglected Government Balance Sheet
California Policy Center
What San Diego County Cities Did With Their Tax Dollars in 2024
California Policy Center
Empire Center Experts React to the 2026 State of the State
Empire Center
Create commission with aim of reducing cost of city government
Grassroot Institute
Require county online budget data to be free and publicly accessible
Grassroot Institute
Governor Little’s Budget Proposal Leaves the Heavy Lifting to the Legislature
Idaho Freedom Foundation
Waste watch: Illinois lawmakers hand $740K to ‘Floating Museum’
Illinois Policy Institute
Illinois lawmakers to tackle Chicago Bears stadium, pensions, taxes
Illinois Policy Institute
Session Preview: Constitutional Amendments
ITR Foundation
Session Preview: No Shutdown Rule
ITR Foundation
Minnesota scandal highlights ‘Blue Model’ of government
John Locke Foundation
Minnesota fraud should ‘wake up’ Democrats
John Locke Foundation
Before spending, ask, ‘Is this thing working?’
Mackinac Center
2026 Washington Poll: Voters want economic focus, spending restraint, and ed transparency
Mountain States Policy Center
2026 Idaho Poll: Voters want transparency, tax relief
Mountain States Policy Center
Oklahoma income-tax phaseout kicks in
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
PRI All Stars Analyze Governor Newsom’s 2026-27 Budget Plan
Pacific Research Institute
Spending Watch: California’s Budget Delusion
Pacific Research Institute
If Fraud In Minnesota Looks Bad, Wait Till You See Gavin Newsom’s California
Texas Public Policy Foundation
Crossing the mighty Columbia River is getting mighty expensive
Washington Policy Center
Gov. Ferguson’s Income Tax Proposal Would Make Seattle #1 for Highest Taxes
Washington Policy Center
The Olympia tax appetite is unstoppable – now legislators are trying to create yet another tax
Washington Policy Center
Workplace Freedom
Utah Education Association sued over claims dues don’t fund politics
Freedom Foundation
Caregivers pay SEIU dues for no real union benefits
Mackinac Center
House Bill 2105 would require employers to interfere with federal immigration enforcement
Washington Policy Center
Other
Second ICE involved shooting and the locked and loaded response
American Experiment
Habeas corpus
American Experiment
U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson resigns
American Experiment
What ICE is Really Doing in Minnesota
American Experiment
Correcting faulty narratives in ICE shooting
American Experiment
Dregs of society: the “neighbors” removed from Minnesota
American Experiment
Minnesota Fraud Scandal Proves Trump, Republicans Were Right on Welfare Reform
Foundation for Government Accountability
Idaho AG Should End Illegal DEI Course Mandates
Goldwater Institute
Goldwater Institute Expands Allied Litigation to Advance Freedom Nationwide
Goldwater Institute
Franke: Edmund Burke
Indiana Policy
Mamdani prepares to rev up spin machine
John Locke Foundation
Anti-Trump lawfare was also attack on free speech
John Locke Foundation
Clintons could face contempt of Congress charges
John Locke Foundation
What is the role of a think tank?
Mackinac Center
OSU keeps employee who confronted conservative student, records show
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
As U.S. Supreme Court transgender cases loom, Oklahoma officials…
Oklahoma Policy Institute
The Gordon Chang Report–Is This the End of the Atlantic Alliance?
Pacific Research Institute
ABQ Ethics Board Dismisses frivolous “sweatshirt-gate” ethics complaint made by Keller campaign against RGF’s Paul Gessing
Rio Grande Foundation
Tipping Point NM Episode 776: House Minority Leader Gail Armstrong discusses priorities for 2026 legislative session – Errors of Enchantment
Rio Grande Foundation
ABQ Ethics Board Dismisses frivolous “sweatshirt-gate” ethics complaint made by Keller campaign against RGF’s Paul Gessing – Errors of Enchantment
Rio Grande Foundation
In Minnesota shooting, a tale of two narratives
Texas Public Policy Foundation
Left seeks martyrs to fuel anti-Trump uprising as ICE enforcement operations ramp up nationwide
Texas Public Policy Foundation
WILL Uncovers More Race Discrimination Against UW Madison Students
Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty
The Network in the News
In The Lima News, The Buckeye Institute outlines the household debt crisis facing millions of Americans.
In The OC Register, the California Policy Center’s John Moorlach points out California is playing a costly game of chicken with Trump.
In The Brunswick News, the Georgia Public Policy Foundation’s Chris Denson considers how Georgia politics during an election year will impact the 2026 legislative session.
In the Chicago Tribune, the Illinois Policy Institute’s LyLena D. Estabine notes unions make life pricey in Illinois’ political machine.
At Complete Colorado, Independence Institute’s Savana Kascak highlights how the Colorado Chamber of Commerce is urging the 2026 legislature to “do no harm” by avoiding new costly regulations and reducing burdens that hamper economic growth and competitiveness.
In The American Spectator, the Independent Institute’s Lloyd Billingsley notes California’s climate mandates are colliding with energy reality.
The Mackinac Center’s Michael Reitz reflects on the United States’ 250-year anniversary in his column at The Detroit News.
In The Center Square, the Mountain States Policy CenterChris Cargill highlighted the results of the Center’s first annual Washington Poll—which found voters want economic focus, spending restraint, and education transparency.
In The Wall Street Journal, the Pelican Institute’s Daniel Erspamer warns that a Louisiana lawsuit against Chevron undermines the rule of law and threatens the state’s energy economy unless the Supreme Court steps in.
