Week in Review: March 18, 2022

Announcements

The Mackinac Center Legal Foundation sued the Rochester Community School District on behalf of a parent in the district after the district withheld curriculum materials for a “History of Ethnic and Gender Studies” course and records related to its diversity, equity and inclusion training.
The Mackinac Center Legal Foundation, along with the Rhode Island Center for Freedom & Prosperity, sent a demand letter to informs several Rhode Island districts that their most recent collective bargaining agreements contain language that is in direct violation the U.S. Supreme Court’s Janus decision.
The Pelican Institute released its priorities for Louisiana’s 2022 legislative session.
The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty added Cory Brewer, Associate Counsel, to expand WILL’s focus and legal services related to K-12 education in Wisconsin. She joins a growing legal and policy team at WILL that is dedicated to empowering parents and expanding education options.

This Week on SPN.org

Be Like Bob: State Policy Network honors the life and legacy of Bob Williams

Success Stories

Alabama lawmakers are considering repealing the grocery tax. The Alabama Policy Institute noted that as groceries get more expensive, there’s never been a time more than now that to think about this.
The Buckeye Institute and its client Eric Flannery—a Navy veteran and co-owner of The Big Board—celebrated a hard-fought victory in their case to re-open Mr. Flannery’s popular bar and grill. After weeks of protracted negotiations, D.C. finally agreed to lift its suspension of Mr. Flannery’s liquor license at an Alcoholic Beverage Control Board hearing on March 16, 2022. The order was effective at 8 a.m. on March 17, 2022, St. Patrick’s Day.
New Jersey lawmakers are considering a proposal to temporarily roll back the state’s gas tax. The Garden State Initiative noted a suspension can make a tangible difference in the lives of New Jersey families.
The Arizona Senate passed academic transparency reform. Backed by the Goldwater Institute, the bill establishes parents’ right to know what is being taught in public schools by requiring those schools to post on a publicly accessible portion of their website a listing of the specific learning materials used at each institution.
The Goldwater Institute defeated Proposition 208—an unconstitutional power grab that would have massively increased income taxes, led to staggering job loss, and turned Arizona from one of the lowest-taxed states in the country to one of the highest. On Friday, a Maricopa County judge barred enforcement of the measure.
The Hawaii Legislature is considering a bill that would expand scope-of-practice for physician assistants. The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii submitted testimony on the bill and noted it would reduce the burden on medical personnel and help address the shortage of qualified healthcare personnel in Hawaii.
The Mississippi Governor signed a bill that was authored by the Mississippi Center for Public Policy to counter Critical Race Theory. In October 2021, MCPP launched a report which proposed a pro-liberty solution to addressing CRT. The report included a model bill, which has now been made law in the Magnolia State.

Solutions from the states: This week’s policy briefs

PSEA: Where do Your Union Dues Go?
Americans for Fair Treatment’s recent report, which covers the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA), found that the union spends only $1 out of every $5 of member dues representing teachers, support staff, and other members. The other $4 is spent on things like union overhead, politics, and lobbying.

How The Biden Administration’s Plan Would Tighten The Medicaid Handcuffs
A new report by the Foundation for Government Accountability argues states must opt out of the increased federal funding to unlock the handcuffs and restore integrity to their Medicaid programs.

Regulatory Sandboxes: Where Innovation Happens
A new report by the Pelican Institute details how states have successfully (and unsuccessfully) implemented sandboxes so states like Louisiana can use those lessons today.

An In-Depth Look at Missouri’s Rural High Schools
In a new report, the Show-Me Institute presents a detailed look at Missouri’s rural high schools, with information about student demographics along with key indicators like student/teacher ratios, teacher experience, and per-student expenditures. Perhaps most importantly, the report compares schools across several measures of academic performance broken down by subject matter, school locale, and income level of students.

TPPF’s Government for the People Agenda
The Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Government for the People campaign strives to protect Texans’ constitutional rights to life, liberty, and property while keeping government limited and accountable.

To Address Licensing Backlog State Must Improve Transparency And Accountability
A new policy brief from the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty suggests potential reforms to improve the state’s licensing backlog at the Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS).