The New Transportation Bill Puts Special Interests Above Safety
Some safety recommendations are treated as essential—while others become negotiable once influential people object.
Legislation
Nancy Pelosi Is the Wrong Namesake for Berkeley's 'Institute for Representative Democracy'
If you want to devote an institute to "strengthening America's democratic institutions," you shouldn't name it for someone who degraded the public's trust in those institutions.
Local Officials Vow To Shield the Public from Virginia's Authoritarian New Gun Laws
A new chapter in the never-ending battle between centralized power and local control.
Congress Should Be in No Rush To Renew FISA's Section 702 Surveillance Powers
It’s long past time to open federal surveillance powers to scrutiny and reform.
Two Senators Offer a Bipartisan Solution to Censorship by Proxy
The JAWBONE Act would let Americans sue government officials who try to restrict their speech by pressuring social media platforms, broadcasters, or AI companies.
The House Just Passed a 'Pro-Worker' Bill That Takes Power Away From Workers
The Faster Labor Contracts Act promises quicker union agreements, but it would let federal arbitrators impose contracts workers never approved.
Bill Introduced in Congress To Codify the First Amendment Right To Film the Feds and Sue for Violations
Civil liberties groups say recording the police is core First Amendment activity. The Right to Record Act of 2026 would create a right to sue federal officers who violate it.
The Best Way To Keep Data Centers From Driving Up Electricity Costs
Don't impose a moratorium. Produce more energy.
The 'Living Wage' Attack on Jobs and Prosperity
Rep. Ro Khanna's minimum wage proposal promises prosperity but would likely price many low-skilled workers out of the labor market.
Data Center Wars: North Carolina Resists Innovation While Texas Considers Market-Based Rules
As data centers dominate public debate, two states reveal their approach. Texas has taken a stance in line with market needs, while North Carolina reacts to fear and bad press.
A Flawed Minimum Wage Study Shows How Bad Stats Get Turned Into Policy Gospel
A 2024 paper claimed higher minimum wages don't kill jobs. It was statistically significant—and almost certainly misleading.
Abigail Spanberger Vetoes Mandatory Collective Bargaining, Defying Virginia Unions
The surprising move saves taxpayers from a steep bill—for now.
In New Hampshire, a Setback for Second Amendment Rights on Campus
A legislative effort to eliminate gun-free zones on public college campuses has died. But for its student sponsor, the fight isn’t over yet.
Donald Trump and Josh Hawley's Federal Gas Tax Holiday Would Save Drivers Less Than $9 Per Month
It was a bad idea when Biden proposed it, and it's a bad idea now that Trump is proposing it. Want lower gas prices? End the war.
Josh Hawley's Pro-Union Bill Would Let Washington Write Your Contract
The GOP wants to be the party of labor. The Faster Labor Contracts Act isn't the way to do that.
The NCAA Is Making Unpopular Decisions at Exactly the Wrong Time
With March Madness expansion and a possible College Football Playoff expansion, the NCAA is ignoring fans right when its popularity matters most in Congress.
Why the Bipartisan War on Housing Investors Won't Make Housing More Affordable
Politicians on the left and right are increasingly blaming large investors for raising home prices. Here's why they're wrong.
New Jersey's Iconic Diners Are Dying. This Is the Wrong Way To Save Them.
Democratic state lawmakers want to give tax carveouts to certain restaurants. The real problem is New Jersey's tax code itself.
How a Bill Banning AI Companions for Kids Could Usher in Widespread ID Checks Online
Plus: Supreme Court pauses ban on mail-order abortion pills, TikTok's artistic merit, a defense of pickup artists, and more...
Self-Checkout Is Under Fire Across the Country. Is Theft Really the Reason?
The restrictions are often framed as a crime prevention measure. But the fine print points to a different motivation: adding union jobs.
The Self-Driving Car Fight in Congress Isn't Really About Safety at All
Bootleggers, Baptists, and the fight over who gets to write America's self-driving car rules.
California Can't Define 'Hate Speech' But May Mandate Workplace Training Anyway
The term “hate speech” gets thrown around a lot, but it’s legally protected in the U.S.
Even Laws That Haven't Passed Can Have Unintended Consequences
Mere proposals can change the risk calculus for business and investors. Politicians, and the public, should be wary.
Congress Still Has a Chance To Curb Section 702 Surveillance Abuses
Sen. Ron Wyden warns that Americans would be “stunned” at how officials have used the law.
A New Age-Verification Bill Could Make You Show ID To Use a Computer or Smartphone
Plus: The war with Iran is raising condom prices, increased legal liability for chatbot advice could backfire, and more...
Democrats and Republicans Both Want To Regulate AI. They Just Can't Agree on How.
As lawmakers of both major parties hustle to regulate their preferred villains, they're losing sight of the big picture. The possible gains to humanity from AI are enormous.
Maine Bill Proves States Are Capable of Adopting Bad Data Center Policies Without Federal Intervention
A week after Bernie Sanders introduced legislation to pause AI data center construction indefinitely, Maine is poised to institute the first statewide ban.
Colorado Becomes First State To Protect Defendants Against Faulty Roadside Drug Tests
A 2024 study estimated that 30,000 people every year may be getting wrongly arrested due to unreliable roadside drug tests used by police.
The Republican Plan To Nationalize Elections Is Performative Nonsense
There is no voting crisis that demands federal intervention.
Trump Keeps Taking Equity Shares of Private Companies. A New GOP Bill Would Codify the Practice.
The bill would not only codify Trump's actions into law, it would establish a framework for both this and future administrations to do it too.
We Could Have Flying Cars by 2028
But only if politicians learn to focus on the boring basics of aviation policy.
Minnesota Bills Would Create State Right To Sue Government Officials for Constitutional Violations
Two different pieces of legislation aim to create state workarounds to the procedural quagmire of federal civil rights litigation.
Trump Backs Section 702 Reauthorization After Once Calling To 'KILL FISA'
The president is much less concerned about the law's potential for overreach now that he's in charge of the government wielding it.
Section 230's Legal Protections for Internet Speech Face New Challenge
This week, senators heard testimony over the foundation for modern online conversations.
Josh Hawley Moves To Ban Abortion Pills
His push relies on dubious data about the pills' safety.
The 'Fairness' Law That Could Raise Grocery Prices for New Yorkers
Legislators are trying to pass their own state version of an outdated antitrust law—one that is dead at the federal level for a reason.
California Billionaire Wealth Tax Would Cost the State $25 Billion, New Research Finds
"If Californians approve this measure in November, they may discover too late that the wealth they hoped to tax has already left the state—with jobs and economic opportunities not far behind."
We Lost the Lyme Vaccine. Under Rand Paul's New Vaccine Liability Bill, We'll Lose More.
The End the Vaccine Carveout Act would expose vaccine makers to lawsuits that once drove companies out of the industry.
Katie Miller Is Trying To Sell MAGA on Solar Energy
Stephen Miller's wife is giving renewables a P.R. boost.
Politicians Consider Soviet-Style Controls on 3D Printers
Panic over guns drives government officials to propose restricting popular technology.
Virginia Democrats' Push for Mandatory Government Unions Is Not an 'Affordability' Agenda
The legislation would almost certainly lead to a higher cost of living in the form of substantial tax increases.
The U.S. House Just Voted To Stop Trump's 'Emergency' Tariffs on Imports From Canada
But the numbers are a long way from a veto-proof majority, so Wednesday's vote may be a purely symbolic victory for free traders.
Can Congress Get 'YIMBY Grants' Right?
Plus: The House passes housing reform, Florida advances ADUs, and Zohran Mamdani hosts show trials for bad landlords.
Dumping State Income Taxes Could Mean High Sales Taxes—or an Opportunity for Smaller Government
A new report warns that some plans for replacing income tax revenue rely on unrealistic assumptions.
Democrats Advance 7 Bills Restricting Gun Rights in the Virginia State Senate
They’re not getting the whole “shall not be infringed” part of the U.S. and Virginia constitutions.
Congress Is Aiming To Avoid Another Shutdown by Spending More on Almost Everything
The bill includes $1 million for new elevators at New York City's Metropolitan Opera, among other wasteful earmarks.
California's 'Billionaire Tax' Could Bite Harder Than Advertised
The proposed tax is already driving people and businesses to flee the state.
