Announcements
Bradley A. Smith, chairman of The Buckeye Institute’s Board of Trustees and former chairman of the Federal Elections Commission, delivered his last lecture entitled “Why We Study Law” at an event co-hosted by The Federalist Society marking Smith’s retirement as Capital University School of Law’s Josiah H. Blackmore II/Shirley M. Nault Professor of Law.
Before summiting Mt. Everest, The Buckeye Institute’s Robert Alt sat down with Nepal’s premier business magazine for a conversation about free market ideas, public policy, and the lessons mountaineering can offer those working to shape a more prosperous and accountable future.
Center of the American Experiment hosted Scott Jennings at their 2025 Annual Dinner.
New York’s two teacher pension systems last year had 26 retirees eligible to collect pensions of more than $300,000, according to data posted on SeeThroughNY, the Empire Center’s government transparency website.
The Independence Institute held its 3rd Annual W(h)ine and Cheese event, celebrating HB25-1040’s passage adding nuclear to renewable energy, and highlighting key wins and defeats from each policy center.
The John Locke Foundation and Advancing American Freedom Foundation cohosted a tariffs event that featured former vice president Mike Pence.
The John Locke Foundation released their latest Carolina Journal poll.
On May 16, Jeffrey Schwab, Senior Counsel and Director of Litigation at the Liberty Justice Center, appeared on the Mackinac Center’s podcast to discuss the lawsuit V.O.S. Selections, Inc. V. Trump, which challenges the unconstitutionality of the president’s “Liberation Day” tariffs.
The Mountain States Policy Center highlighted how lawmakers in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming introduced a record number of bills during the legislative sessions.
Opportunity Arkansas issued a statement clarifying the outcomes of Arkansas’s first-in-the-nation Medicaid work requirement.
A tornado severely damaged the Show-Me Institute’s headquarters in St. Louis.
Freedom through the Courts: The Latest Litigation Efforts across the Network
The Freedom Foundation filed a federal lawsuit against the Portland Association of Teachers and Portland Public Schools over antisemitism.
The Goldwater Institute is challenging Phoenix for allegedly giving $28.5 million in illegal subsidies to developers.
The Mackinac Center for Public Policy has filed a lawsuit against the Michigan Department of Labor challenging the constitutionality of the process Michigan lawmakers used to approve billions of dollars in special district projects—commonly referred to as pork-barrel spending—in recent years.
Success Stories
Illinois: On May 16, the Liberty Justice Center celebrated a significant victory in Weiss v. Chicago Teachers Union in which Judge David B. Atkins denied CTU’s motion to dismiss the case, marking a significant milestone for union members seeking greater financial transparency and accountability from their leadership.
Iowa: Governor Kim Reynolds’ unemployment tax reform passed, delivering nearly $1 billion in savings to Iowa businesses over the next five years (Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation).
Iowa: In a life-affirming victory for Iowans with rare diseases, Governor Kim Reynolds signed SF 233, known as the Right to Try for Individualized Treatments Act. Colorado also expanded Right to Try this week. (Goldwater Institute).
Mississippi: The Mississippi Center for Public Policy highlighted how the Magnolia State is seeing explosive economic growth, surging incomes, global competitiveness, and an investment boon—due to free-market reforms that advanced in recent years.
Montana: The Frontier Institute highlighted how Montana recently passed nation-leading housing reform.
Oklahoma: Governor Kevin Stitt signed into law the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act of 2025 (Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs).
Solutions from the States: This Week’s Policy Briefs
A new report from the Common Sense Institute shows that the federal Executive Order on critical minerals (EO 14241) could drive major economic gains in the west, specifically Colorado, Arizona, and Wyoming.
FGA released a report that encourages Congress to end Washington, DC’s sweetheart Medicaid matching fund bonus.
Garden State Initiative launched a new website that provides transparency around the New Jersey state budget.
A new report by the John Locke Foundation explains why North Carolina should eliminate judicial deference to state agencies.
Kansas Policy Institute published a report connecting property tax hikes with significant pay increases for local government employees.
The MacIver Institute outlines a bullet-proof way to rein in the bureaucracy.
Pioneer Institute released a new “Urban Voc-Tech Toolkit”aimed at helping Boston’s Madison Park Technical Vocational High School reach its full potential as a driver of opportunity for high-need students.
Sutherland Institute released a report that discusses how religion and religious organizations contribute to positive outcomes in mental health.
The Texas Public Policy Foundation released an overview of government-run economic development programs in Texas.
Tracking Positive Reforms: Updates from Network Affiliates
Michigan: Lawmakers took another step toward reducing unnecessary occupational licensing barriers (Mackinac Center).
Nevada: Lawmakers are considering a bill that reduces the initial state business license fee from $500 or $200 to $100 for businesses with 50 or fewer employees (Nevada Policy).
Oklahoma: Legislation that would bring greater transparency to Oklahoma’s initiative-petition process and require petitions to gather signatures from a wider geographic area is now headed to Gov. Kevin Stitt’s desk. The Oklahoma House also voted to cut Oklahoma’s top income-tax rate, which applies to most workers, to 4.5 percent and put the tax on a gradual path to complete elimination (OCPA).
Policy News from the States
Topics:
K-12 Education
The Principled Case for Education Freedom
Beacon Center
Charter School Emerges as Financial Lifeline for Struggling Orange County District
California Policy Center
Gov. Walz Gets Convinced to Leave Private School Aid Alone
Center of the American Experiment
Federal Lawmakers Flirt with Universal School Choice
Commonwealth Foundation
What’s Next for Universal School Choice
Idaho Freedom Foundation
‘Homeschool Act’ Stalls On Illinois House Floor After Fierce Opposition
Illinois Policy Institute
Federal School Choice Program Included In U.S. House Budget Reconciliation Bill
Illinois Policy Institute
Educational Equity: The Impossible Goal Justifying Public School Monopoly
John Locke Foundation
Recapping National Charter Schools Week in North Carolina
John Locke Foundation
Why SB 460 Spells Disaster for Nevada’s Schools
Nevada Policy
Nevada Governor Threatens Education Budget Veto Over School Choice
Nevada Policy
What If We ‘Poured Money’ Into Schools? Oklahoma Knows The Answer
OCPA
Utah Fits All Scholarship Lawsuit And The Use Of Public Funds
Sutherland Institute
Energy and Environment
How to Save California’s Oil and Gas Industry
California Policy Center
Amended Bill 3103-1 Would Hold ODF Accountable to Fulfill Its Promises on Sustainable Timber Sales
Cascade Policy Institute
Energy Among Bills Left Undone
Center of the American Experiment
Spain’s Grid Meltdown Shouldn’t Be A Surprise
Mackinac Center
What You Need to Know: New Mexico’s Climate Action Plan
Rio Grande Foundation
Healthcare
Freeing Up Nc’s Nurses Would Increase Healthcare Access
John Locke Foundation
Price Controls Threatened Medical Advancements
Mountain States Policy Center
To Improve Drug Affordability, Congress Should Fix the Payment System
Pacific Research Institute
Drug Prices Are Out of Control—But Texas Can Fix It
Texas Public Policy Foundation
Housing Affordability
Plans, Zoning and Annexation Form Front Lines For Wisconsin Cities Looking To Build More Housing
Badger Institute
Cleaning up Hawaii’s Permitting Mess
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Housing Won’t Be Affordable Until Illinois Starts Building More Units
Illinois Policy Institute
Jobs and State Economies
Minneapolis City Regulations Have Impeded Rebuilding after 2020 Riots
Center of the American Experiment
Oklahoma’s Income Tax Cuts Raise the Bar—Can Iowa Keep Up?
Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation
Oklahoma’s Ranking Slips As Other States Advance Pro-Growth Reforms
OCPA
Work Has Changed. Why Haven’t Our Benefits?
The James Madison Institute
Governor Ferguson Signs The Largest Tax Increase In Washington’s History Into Law
Washington Policy Center
State Budgets
Fact-Checking the May Budget Revision
California Policy Center
Budget Bloat and Blame Games: Inside Newsom’s May Revision
California Policy Center
DFL Deficit: Budget Negotiations Continue In Secret
Center of the American Experiment
MN Pension Fund Continues to Face Contribution Deficiency
Center of the American Experiment
House Budget Would Burst New York’s Essential Plan Bubble
Empire Center
State Auditor’s Summary Financial Report: A Bird’s-eye Look at New Jersey Finances
Garden State Initiative
Illinois Lawmakers Get 26 Seconds per Page to Read 2025 Budget
Illinois Policy Institute
The Issue With Tracking North Carolina’s Independent Expenditures
John Locke Foundation
Big Pay Increases For Some Government Employees Continue As Property Tax Remains Out Of Control
Kansas Policy Institute
Kansas’ Budget on Autopilot: Dedicated Funds Undermine Accountability and Tax Relief
Kansas Policy Institute
Gov. Evers: Budget Meeting Can’t Just be About Cutting Taxes
MacIver Institute
Strings Attached: How Federal Funding Affects State and Local Policies
Pelican Institute
Tracking Your Tax Dollars: Louisiana House Passes Budget Bills
Pelican Institute
The Nebraska Impact of Federal Fiscal Reforms
Platte Institute
Workplace Freedom
Work? Strike? Whatever; Employers Now Required To Pay Union Members Not To Work
Washington Policy Center
The Cost of Misguided Labor Policies: Winchester’s Cautionary Tale
Yankee Institute
Other
We Increasingly Live In A World Of Unsolved Crime
Badger Institute
The Case for Regulatory Consistency in Artificial Intelligence Policy
Beacon Center
Too Much Local Government Makes Illinois Inefficient, Raises Property Taxes
Illinois Policy Institute
The Coverup of Biden’s Mental State: “A Crime Against the Republic”
Independence Institute
Outdated Auto Inspection Laws Appear More Related To Culture Than Cold
Josiah Bartlett Center
Nessel Finds Religion On Emergency Powers
Mackinac Center
Bureaucratic Restraint Improves Economic Opportunity
Mountain States Policy Center
2025 Session Recap: Major Progress On SCPC Backed Reforms
South Carolina Policy Council
How Faith Bolsters Mental Health
Sutherland Institute
The Network in the News
In The San Diego Union-Tribune, the California Policy Center’s Lance Christensen outlines the problems with California’s Assembly Bill 84, which would restrict the growth of non-classroom-based public charter schools.
At Star News Network, the California Policy Center’s Edward Ring highlights the problems with public sector unions.
In The Mercury, the Commonwealth Foundation’s Rachel Langan highlights how the Lifeline Scholarships program is moving through the Pennsylvania Legislature.
In his recent column, the Georgia Public Policy Foundation’s Kyle Wingfield highlights the many options in higher education and points out we need to reimagine how we think about K-12 education.
In The Denver Gazette, the Independence Institute’s Rob Natelson makes the case for defunding public radio.
In The OC Register, the Independent Institute’s Kristian Fors considers how to fix California’s broken home insurance market.
In The Hill, the Independent Institute’s Richard Vedder argues that failing colleges should go under to force accountability and reform in higher education.
In The Center Square, the John Locke Foundation’s Donald Bryson points out tariffs fail the conservative test.
In the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Mackinac Center’s James Hohman considers what American voters would get with a President Gretchen Whitmer.
In his column for The Detroit News, the Mackinac Center’s Mike Reitz points out Michigan’s approach to AI can be based on fear or optimism.
In The Center Square, the Mountain States Policy Center’s Sebastian Griffin praises a group of states’ recent AI regulatory moratorium.
In The Center Square, the Mountain States Policy Center’s Jason Mercier highlights how Washington enacted massive tax increases to pay for government pay raises.
In The Spokesman-Review, the Mountain States Policy Center’s Madi Clark points out bureaucratic restraint improves economic opportunity.
In her column for Newsmax, the Pacific Research Institute’s Sally Pipes criticizes President Trump’s drug pricing plan.
In the Washington Examiner, the Pacific Research Institute’s Sally Pipes notes Republicans are right to reform Medicaid.
In The OC Register, the Pioneer Institute’s Steven Wilson considers where California’s well-intended social justice education went wrong.
In the New Mexico Sun, the Rio Grande Foundation’s Paul Gessing points out Medicaid reform is long overdue.
At National Review, SPN’s Jennifer Butler encourages lawmakers to stand firm against pressure to force Medicaid expansion on states that have made a principled decision to prioritize the vulnerable.
