AI Could Become the Next Victim of the 'Sacramento Effect'
California's stringent AI regulations have the power to stifle innovation nationwide, impacting all of us.
State Governments
California Is Doubling Down on Banning Plastic Bags
They're coming for new bags after old bag-ban failed.
Red States Are Reversing Criminal Justice Reform
Republican lawmakers are undoing bipartisan measures against unjust prison sentences and punitive policies.
Arizona Voters Will Weigh Ballot Initiative To Make Illegal Border Crossing a State Crime
Law enforcement could arrest those they suspect of crossing into the state illegally—and they’d be “immune from liability for damages.”
New York and New Jersey Want To Let Felons Serve on Juries. Here's Why.
Bans have resulted in what some have called the "whitewashing" of American juries.
Colorado Hasn't Even Approved Ranked Choice Voting Yet, and Already Lawmakers Are Trying To Delay It
An amendment in the state's election law would delay implementation of a proposed November ballot initiative. Voting organizations urge a governor's veto.
California's Tortilla Bill Threatens To Flatten Small Businesses
Proposed legislation mandates folic acid in masa flour, sparking fears among traditional tortilla makers about costs and cultural impact.
Colorado Will Replace Cops With Drones for Some 911 Calls
While drones are less likely to shoot or maim innocent civilians, they could also pose privacy issues.
California's Regulations Might Steer Self-Driving Innovations to Other States
Despite being the so-called epicenter of innovation, California certainly doesn't give innovators a lot of room to experiment with new ideas.
Louisiana Finally Fixes America's Dumbest Licensing Requirement
Louisiana lawmakers approved a bill to end the testing requirement for florists. Going forward, only a fee will be required.
The COVID-19 Vaccines Shouldn't Have Been Free
So many problems would have disappeared if we had treated them like a normal product.
This Journalist Was Arrested, Strip-Searched, and Jailed for Filming Police. Will He Get Justice?
Justin Pulliam's arrest and lawsuit once again demand we ask if "real" journalists are entitled to a different set of rights.
California's $20 Fast Food Minimum Wage Law Is Already Having Disastrous Unintended Consequences
Many have seen their hours reduced—or have lost their jobs entirely.
American Manufacturers Need Tax and Regulatory Reform, Not Tariffs
Despite both presidential candidates touting protectionist trade policy, tariffs do little to address the underlying factors that make it difficult for U.S. manufacturers to compete in the global marketplace.
Justice Department Sues Oklahoma Over Law That Would Imprison Undocumented Immigrants
State law enforcement groups have warned that H.B. 4156 “conflicts with many existing directives” and could “destroy” their relationships with immigrant communities.
The Real Reason for Self-Checkout Bans
It isn't about stopping crime—it's about protecting a favored constituency's jobs.
Daniel Perry's Pardon Makes a Mockery of Self-Defense
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott takes a tactic from the progressive prosecutors he says he opposes.
California Lawmakers Might Resurrect Failed 'Urban Renewal' Program
In practice, these programs have empowered local governments to use eminent domain to seize property to redistribute to developers.
He Was Sentenced to a Decade in Prison for Having Unlicensed Weapons
Dexter Taylor is now a "violent felon," even though his hobby was victimless.
New Survey Finds Abortions Increased Slightly in 2023, Despite Widespread Bans
The same survey found that thousands of women are still getting telemedicine abortions, even if they live in states where the procedure is illegal.
California's Leaders Still Ignoring State Pension Debt
California has just 72 percent of the assets needed to make payments to retired public workers, many of whom get to collect six-figure annual payments.
Missouri Bill Would Ban Eminent Domain, but Only for Wind and Solar Projects
The Show Me State has plenty of room to rein in laws on taking private property, but instead, lawmakers are focusing only on one very narrow use case.
AI Regulators Are More Likely To Run Amok Than Is AI
Proposed AI legislation would enshrine tech-killing precautionary principle into law.
Trump Promises To Give Police 'Immunity From Prosecution'
The pledge, while mostly legally illiterate, offers a reminder of the former president's outlook on government accountability.
West Virginia Declares State of Emergency Over FAFSA Chaos
Due to persistent glitches in the financial aid form, Gov. Jim Justice issued an executive order lifting the FAFSA requirement for several state grants.
How California's Ban on Diesel Locomotives Could Have Major National Repercussions
No technology exists today to enable railroads to comply with the state's diktat, which villainizes a mode of transportation that is actually quite energy efficient.
This Elderly Man Was Arrested After Shooting a Burglar in Self-Defense—for Carrying the Gun Without a License
Vincent Yakaitis is unfortunately not the first such defendant. He will also not be the last.
These New York Agencies Benefit From Giving Away Taxpayer Money
A report from Good Jobs First found that 80 percent of state development agency revenue comes from fees: The more tax money they give out, the more they get to keep.
Alabama Bill Would Criminalize Librarians Who Allow 'Material Harmful to Minors'
The bill also attempts to ban drag performances at public libraries.
California's New Social Media Law Invites Expensive Lawsuits
Instead of trusting parents to manage their families, lawmakers from both parties prefer to empower the Nanny State.
These States Want You To Show ID To Watch Porn Online
At least eight states have already enacted age-verification laws, and several more are considering bills.
A Cruel and Risky Abortion Ban Versus an Overreaching Interpretation of Federal Law
There are no good sides in today's Supreme Court case concerning the EMTALA and abortion.
California Is Trying To Drive Landlords Out of Business
Which is bad news for anyone hoping to rent a place to live.
The Kansas Legislature Unanimously Passed a Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Bill
Kansas had among the most lax civil asset forfeiture laws in the country, but a bill sent to the governor's desk would strengthen protections for property owners.
Ron DeSantis Signs Florida Bill Limiting How Close Bystanders Can Get to Police
The law makes it a misdemeanor to approach within 25 feet of a first responder after receiving a verbal warning to stay away.
Nearly $100 Billion in COVID Relief Money Remains Unspent
State governments have until the end of 2026 to spend the cash, even though Congress ended the COVID-19 emergency declaration last year.
Kari Lake Doesn't Know What To Do
Plus: Defunding NPR, defending Lionel Shriver, and more...
New Federal Rules for Independent Contractors Will Destroy Freelancers' Livelihoods
A similar law in California had disastrous consequences.
A New York Housing Grand Bargain?
Plus: Problems for Saudi Arabia's The Line, Hawaii considers a short-term rental crackdown, and when affordable housing mandates get you less affordable housing.
Mississippi Tethers Real Estate Agents to Outdated Rule
As remote work becomes the new normal, Mississippi's insistence on an archaic 50-mile radius for real estate supervision faces scrutiny.
How Michigan Lost $1 Million of Liquor
Sadly, not by drinking it—the government just lost a fifth of the state’s inventory.
Colorado Legislators Ditch Plan To Ban Guns in Dozens of 'Sensitive Places'
The amended bill applies only to schools, polling places, and certain government buildings.
Are New Jersey Voters Too Dumb for Normal Ballots?
Democratic Party bosses in the Garden State say that a court order to design better ballots will make it harder to tell voters what to do.
Biden's Florida Test
Plus: IDF scandal, Latin America's "small penis club," Havana syndrome, and more...
Don't Blame Decriminalization for Oregon Drug Deaths
Oregon lawmakers recently voted to recriminalize drugs after voters approved landmark reforms in 2020.
Pennsylvania Lawmakers Aim To Grant Amnesty To Bars That Violated COVID Lockdown Orders
The move comes in response to Reason's reporting about the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board's push to crack down on licensees for minor violations racked up during the pandemic.
