Announcements

  • The Alaska Policy Forum provided testimony to the legislature on Universal Temporary Licensure.
  • The Commonwealth Foundation launched a new podcast that takes an in-dept look at the past, present, and future of the movement to empower parents to choose the best education for their child.
  • New York state lawmakers spent more than $16 million on postage for campaign-style mail in a 12-month period ahead of last year’s elections, according to new data posted on SeeThroughNY, the Empire Center’s transparency website.
  • Mountain States Policy Center announced the recipients of the organization’s first-ever Elevation Awards. The Elevation Award is the highest honor of Mountain States Policy Center, given to the individual(s) who are committed to advancing and elevating free market principles and ideas. It is presented to a top innovator, business leader or elected official in Idaho, Montana and Washington.
  • Nevada Policy Research Institute is strengthening advocacy efforts through the introduction of the Nevada Policy Action Center.
  • People United for Privacy Foundation reiterated the need to overturn Prop 211 in Arizona— a law that would force Arizona-based nonprofit organizations to publicly expose their supporters’ names and home addresses if the organization speaks out about elected officials or public policy.
  • Texas Public Policy Foundation testified before the Senate Education Committee, specifically on Senate Bill 8 and universal education savings accounts.

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

  • The Foundation for Government Accountability launched a federal lawsuit to require the Biden administration to enforce a drug price transparency rule.
  • The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) is suing the Biden Administration over its new “Minority Business Development Agency,” which is the first federal agency devoted to helping Americans of some races, but not other races. 
  • WILL, on behalf of Dr. Erica E. Anderson, filed an amicus brief in a case against a Massachusetts school district that hides minor students’ gender identity transitions from parents.

Success Stories

  • The Kentucky Legislature passed a bill that lowers the personal income tax rate from 4.5% to 4% beginning Jan. 1, 2024 (Bluegrass Institute).
  • Montana lowered the income tax rate most Montanans pay from 6.75 to 5.9% (Frontier Institute).
  • Georgia passed “The Georgia Lemonade Stand Act,” legislation that would remove regulations on businesses run by minors (Georgia Public Policy Foundation).
  • The Florida Legislature passed a universal school choice bill (The James Madison Institute)

Solutions from the States: This Week’s Policy Briefs

  • The Alabama Policy Institute released the top ten things the Alabama legislature should accomplish in 2023.
  • Americans for Fair Treatment released a report that finds the Florida Education Association spent $5.3 million on politics and lobbying in 2021.
  • The Alaska Policy Forum highlighted how Alaska’s teachers outnumbered four to five by other staff in 2021.
  • The Caesar Rodney Institute analyzed Delaware’s voter registration changes and election turnout over the last several decades.
  • The John Locke Foundation released a smart, simple fix for some unnecessary overregulation.
  • The Mountain States Policy Center released a report that summarizes the composition of the agricultural industry across the five mountain states of Idaho, Montana, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
  • The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty released an education policy brief that analyzes retention policy in Wisconsin.

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

Florida: The Florida Senate passed tort reform (The James Madison Institute).

Louisiana: A Louisiana lawmaker introduced a bill which would create the Louisiana “Sunshine Scholarship Program” (Pelican Institute).

Missouri: The Missouri House passed a bill that would cut the top rate on personal income taxes, cut the corporate income tax rate in half and exempt Social Security payments from taxation (Show-Me Institute).

Montana: A bill that will allow Montana pharmacists to prescribe minor medications to patients is advancing in the Montana Legislature (Frontier Institute).

North Carolina: The North Carolina General Assembly introduced Legislation to significantly expand education savings accounts in North Carolina (John Locke Foundation)

Oklahoma: Legislation that would effectively impose a single personal income-tax rate for all workers, while also lowering the rate, has easily passed out of the Oklahoma House of Representatives (OCPA).

Washington: Washington lawmakers are considering a bill that will help address the nursing shortage in the state (Washington Policy Center).

Washington: The Washington Legislature is also reviewing a bill that will allow Washington state to join the multistate Nurse Licensure Compact (Washington Policy Center).

Policy News from the States

Checking in on Legislative Sessions

#Kyga23 Week Seven: Bills Dealing With Paycheck Protection, Teachers’ Liability Insurance, Ed Commissioner’s Confirmation, Pension Reform And Reformulated Gasoline On Their Way To The Governor
Bluegrass Institute

At the Capitol: Week of March 20
Georgia Public Policy Foundation

Nevada’s 82nd Legislative Session: Week 6
Nevada Policy Research Institute

2023 New Mexico Legislative Session Recap
Rio Grande Foundation

K-12 Education

Some Public Schools ARE Underfunded
Alabama Policy Institute

Common Core State Tests Don’t Produce “Common” Results
Bluegrass Institute

Schools See Wave Of Students With Emotional Issues Post Covid Lockdowns
Center of the American Experiment

In Buffalo, One of Many Failing Schools is Held Accountable
Commonwealth Foundation

Arkansas Creates Educational Opportunity. It’s Time For Georgia To Step Up
Georgia Center for Opportunity

Will Georgia Join The Growing Number Of States Expanding Education Options?
Georgia Public Policy Foundation

Whitmer Targets Online Charter Schools That Serve Needy Kids
Mackinac Center

Is More Money The Answer To Learning Loss In Michigan?
Mackinac Center

Energy and Environment

Michigan’s Coming Energy Crisis Will Be Man-Made
Mackinac Center

California’s Green Energy Transition: Is the State Getting Ahead of Itself?
Pacific Research Institute

Consumer Cost Estimates Rise Higher for Green Economy
Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy

Thanks To Innovation, There Is Much To Celebrate On World Water Day 2023
Washington Policy Center

As Governor Highlights Threat From Climate Change, State Agencies Ignore His EV Purchase Requirement
Washington Policy Center

Government Accountability

The Unintended Consequences of Giving the Government Power
Libertas Institute

Healthcare

The Looming Collapse of a Long-Term Care Insurer Raises Questions for DFS
Empire Center

The Truth About Medicaid Redeterminations 
Foundation for Government Accountability

What Happened To CON Reform This Year?
Georgia Public Policy Foundation

What We Can Learn From Mental Health Care Reform During a Public Health Crisis
Libertas Institute

Key Takeaways from President Biden’s Proposed 2024 Healthcare Budget
Pacific Research Institute

Housing

Zoning Rules, Municipal Fees, And Design Guidelines Restrict Housing Supply And Keep Prices High
Center of the American Experiment

Do Short-Term Rentals Contribute To Montana’s Housing Crisis?
Frontier Institute

Jobs and State Economies

Alaska’s Business Tax Climate, Ranked
Alaska Policy Forum

Arkansas State Legislature Gets Bold
Foundation for Government Accountability

West Virginia Cities Could Provide Growth Opportunities
Cardinal Institute for WV Policy

Data Show That People Aren’t Fleeing Minnesota For Florida For The Scenery
Center of the American Experiment

GSI Analysis: Feb. ’23 Jobs Report – Mixed Results as Jobs Increase Offset by January Revision
Frontier Institute

Illinois Job Growth Among Worst In U.S. During Pritzker’s First Term
Illinois Policy Institute

Local Jobs Report Reflects State and National Woes of Smaller Labor Force
John Locke Foundation

$100K In Seattle Isn’t What It Used To Be
Washington Policy Center

State Budgets

ODOT Admits Its Tolls Will Make Oregonians Worse Off
Cascade Policy Institute

In Their New Budget Agreement, Gov. Walz And The DFL Have Missed A Golden Opportunity To Cut Taxes And Make Minnesota More Competitive
Center of the American Experiment

Biden’s Tax Proposal Will Make Minnesota Even Less Globally Competitive
Center of the American Experiment

Proposed Tax Cut For Kauai Homesteads And Residences Welcome, But Other Property Owners Deserve Relief Too
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii

The Honeymoon Is Over; What About Our Tax Cuts?
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii

Illinois Families Pay Highest State, Local Taxes In Nation
Illinois Policy Institute

The Stage Is Set for Next Year’s Budget
Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation

New Poll Found Majority of Iowans Still Favor Tax Cuts
Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation

The State Tax Revolution Sweeps Across The Great Plains
Platte Institute

Texas Budget: Paying More, Getting Less?
Texas Public Policy Foundation

Workplace Freedom

Walz Rewards Unions With State Budget Proposal
Center of the American Experiment

Michigan on Track to Repeal RTW, It’s Time for North Carolina to Solidify RTW in Constitution
John Locke Foundation

The Weak Support For Mandatory Payments To Unions
Mackinac Center

Other

Unions’ Strike Hurts L.A. Students And Families
California Policy Center

42% of BofA Fund Managers Predict a Recession Within Next 12 Months
John Locke Foundation

ESG-Related Bills Stir Discussion In Kansas
Kansas Policy Institute

How Eminent Domain Obliterated The Character Of Cities
Pacific Research Institute

Bringing Home The Bacon: The Relationship Between State And Local Government
Pelican Institute

Silicon Valley Bust: Bank Failure’s Causes, Cures, and Culpability
Pioneer Institute

Will Responds To President Biden’s Veto On Bipartisan ESG Bill
Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty

State Think Tanks in the News

  • In the Anchorage Daily News, the Alaska Policy Forum highlights a new proposal in the Alaska Legislature to establish a system of universal temporary licensure.
  • In Bloomberg Law, The Buckeye Institute explains why California’s position in National Pork Producers Council v. Ross is unconstitutional and contradicts America’s founding principles of balance among states. 
  • At RealClearPennsyvlania, the Commonwealth Foundation notes Governor Shapiro’s first budget falls short.
  • In The Federalist, the Commonwealth Foundation notes ending poverty starts with increasing work and paychecks, not government budgets.
  • In The OC Register, the Freedom Foundation highlights how the LA Teachers Union proves yet again it’s not about the children.
  • The Freedom Foundation highlighted how southern states are moving bills to reinforce the Janus ruling in RedState.
  • In his recent column, the Georgia Public Policy Foundation’s Kyle Wingfield considers why Georgia isn’t ready for Promise Scholarship Accounts.
  • In the Hawaii Reporter, the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii points out there’s never a bad time to cut taxes.
  • At RealClearPolicy, the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii considers why there is a doctor shortage in Hawaii.
  • At RealClearPolicy, the Illinois Policy Institute examines Brandon Johnson’s tax plan.
  • At National Review, the Illinois Policy Institute notes SVB failure shows the need for public-pension reform.
  • In the Sun Sentinel, the Mackinac Center and JMI note DeSantis offers a lesson in freedom.
  • The Mackinac Center’s director of labor policy was quoted in a USA Today column on right-to-work.
  • The Detroit News published a Mackinac Center op-ed on how to expand transparency in the state for Sunshine Week.
  • Real Clear Education wrote about the Mackinac Center’s efforts to uncover PPP fraud against the state’s largest teachers union.
  • At Bridge Michigan, the Mackinac Center highlights the problems with Michigan’s attempts to increase the number of college graduates.
  • In The Baltimore Sun, the Maryland Public Policy Institute notes the right to recall is pro-democracy.
  • In Crain’s Chicago Business, the Maryland Public Policy Institute notes the Court should put Illinoisans’ safety first in bail reform case.
  • In the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the Pacific Research Institute notes the ACA is to blame for rising healthcare costs.
  • In the Los Angeles Daily News, the Pacific Research Institute noted public schools failed during COVID, so give families more choice.
  • In The Highland County Press, the Pacific Research Institute notes parents are fighting and winning against critical race theory.
  • In The Star News Network, SPN’s Kerry McDonald outlines the things students are learning after they left public schools during pandemic.
  • In the Washington Examiner, Sutherland Institute considers how Congress could help make up for COVID learning loss.
  • In the Deseret News, the Sutherland Institute examines how to remedy the West’s fractured election policies.
  • At Florida Politics, The James Madison Institute notes Congress needs to follow Florida’s lead on permitting reform.
  • In The Hill, The James Madison Institute highlights the circulating misinformation on Florida education.
  • In Newsweek, the Texas Public Policy Foundation argues our Constitution is the cure for much of what ails us as a republic.
  • In The Spokesman-Review, the Washington Policy Center notes parents’ rights must be affirmed to put students first.