Week in Review: March 13, 2026

Announcements
Success Stories
Freedom Through the Courts
This Week’s Policy Briefs
Tracking Positive Reforms

Jobs in the Network
Tracking Positive Reforms
Policy News from the States
The Network in the News

Announcements

The American Experiment noted a 64% drop in Medicaid rides amid fraud probes, while Minnesota Rep. Sydney Jordan proposed a bill to triple driver payments.

The California Policy Center highlighted a report addressing California’s water supply challenges, advocating for seawater desalination as a solution to bolster reliable water access.

The Foundation for Economic Education launched the Hazlitt Fellowship, an intensive program designed to develop emerging scholars into influential content creators in economics and policy, with a deadline for applications on March 29, 2026.

The Goldwater Institute released insights on the Ronald Reagan Fellowship, which aims to support young professionals in launching careers focused on liberty and public policy.

The Mackinac Center reported that several states are moving away from stringent AI regulation laws, advancing the concept of the right to compute.

People United for Privacy Foundation released an analysis of threats to nonprofit donor privacy in the 2026 legislative sessions.

Pioneer Institute found that Massachusetts faces a challenge with declining public school enrollment.

The Platte Institute highlighted strategies for improving Nebraska’s economy, emphasizing the importance of workforce, housing, and childcare.

The Institute for Reforming Government highlighted a significant drop in public school enrollment, forcing tough decisions for districts as they navigate declining student numbers.

Success Stories

Louisiana: The Pelican Institute for Public Policy celebrated a Louisiana Supreme Court decision affirming local authority for energy development, unlocking potential investments and promoting economic growth.

South Carolina: The House sent H. 4216 to the governor, cutting the top income tax rate to 5.21% as part of a long-term goal of eliminating it entirely (Palmetto Promise Institute and South Carolina Policy Council).

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

The Liberty Justice Center has filed an amicus brief in Rusfeldt v. City of New York, urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit to hold that police may not silence a peaceful speaker because a hostile crowd threatens violence.

Solutions from the States: This Week’s Policy Briefs

The Buckeye Institute partnered with Kentucky’s Bluegrass Institute to conduct research finding that cutting the commonwealth’s personal income tax to three percent would create nearly $2 billion in economic growth and 7,000 new jobs.

The Independence Institute noted that implementing cap-and-trade in Colorado could lead to skyrocketing gas prices, similar to those seen in California.

The James Madison Institute highlighted the financial burden of Florida’s current property tax system on homeowners and employers, advocating for levy caps as a reform solution.

The Kansas Policy Institute pointed out a bipartisan effort in the Kansas Legislature to undermine property tax relief, driven by unproven claims and an allegiance to local government.

The Maine Policy Institute noted that proposed LDs 229 and 1089 could significantly harm Maine’s economy by raising the top income tax rate to 10.95%, threatening job growth.

The Mountain States Policy Center raising concerns about government unions using taxpayer resources, pointed out the need for greater transparency in political funding practices.

The Show-Me Institute argued for phasing out the earnings tax in Missouri, emphasizing that previous attempts at reform have been ineffective.

The Yankee Institute noted that Connecticut’s labor unions pushed a third attempt to allow striking workers to collect unemployment benefits.

Policy Watch

Colorado: Lawmakers are pushing SB-135, framed as an education bill, that would permanently alter TABOR limits and end taxpayer refunds (Independence Institute).

Georgia: Georgia lawmakers drafted a pair of bills aimed at transforming math education, providing students with high-quality opportunities that could significantly impact their educational outcomes (Georgia Center for Opportunity).

Hawaii: Lawmakers faced heavy opposition after the governor proposed pausing the phase-in of the state’s 2024 income tax cuts (Grassroot Institute of Hawaii).

Kansas: Lawmakers held a hearing on legislation which would phase out property taxes entirely by 2028 and replace them with a retail surcharge (Kansas Policy Institute).

Louisiana: Lawmakers are debating whether to increase hair braiding licensing from 500 to 600 hours (Pelican Institute).

Missouri: The House passed HB 2780, requiring separate tax rates for different property types to address the double-digit property tax increases residents have seen in recent years (Show Me Institute).

Washington: The House passed ESSB 6346, creating a new income tax and what would be the largest tax increase in state history—legal challenges are expected, and voters may have the final say (Washington Policy Center).

Wisconsin: Lawmakers are considering legislation which would require the state to verify work, age, and legal status of SNAP recipients and share data with a federal database to combat benefits fraud (Foundation for Government Accountability).

Jobs in the Network

Digital Communications Manager — Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy (Virtual in West Virginia)

Scholarship Impact Officer — Daniels Fund (Denver, CO)

Program Associate for Trustee & Government Affairs — American Council of Trustees and Alumni (Washington, DC)

SEE ALL JOBS

The Network in the News

In The Hill, Freedom Foundation’s Aaron Withe highlights why unions love the ‘Billionaire Tax.’

At MinnPost, the Freedom Foundation of Minnesota’s Annette Meeks points out Minnesota hospitals are profiting from a law meant to provide drug discounts.

In the Chicago Tribune, the Illinois Policy Institute’s Mark Batinick and LyLena Esatbine consider how to make teaching attractive as a second career in Illinois.

In the New York Post, the Independent Institute’s Kristian Fors explains why California’s rising gas prices are a threat to national security.

In The Detroit News, the Mackinac Center‘s Michael Reitz draws a parallel between Trump’s tariff emergency powers and Whitmer’s COVID orders, arguing that both cases reveal the dangers of legislatures delegating too much authority to the executive branch.

In The Center Square, the Mountain States Policy Center‘s Jason Mercier argues Washington’s newly passed income tax is unconstitutional and will erode the state’s business-friendly edge.

In the Nebraska Examiner, the Platte Institute‘s Jim Vokal argues that modernizing Nebraska’s regulatory framework would strengthen the state’s competitiveness and make it more attractive to workers and businesses.

In the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the Thomas Jefferson Institute’s Derrick Max notes Virginia’s paid leave bill threatens learning.

In CT Insider, the Yankee Institute’s Andrew Fowler points out Connecticut is poised to lose more residents if it fails to fix affordability.