State Governments
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.
Dave Smith vs. Chris Freiman: What's the Ideal Immigration Policy?
Podcast host Dave Smith and philosopher Chris Freiman debate open borders on the latest episode of Just Asking Questions.
Is This It for New Jersey's Corrupt Primary System?
The race to replace accused bribe-taker Sen. Bob Menendez could bring an end to one of the state's most egregious political practices.
Ron DeSantis Signs Social Media Age-Verification Bill
The law would require platforms to use invasive measures to prevent most teenagers under 16 from making social media accounts and bar all minors from sexually explicit sites.
Dating Apps Are Horrible. A Colorado Bill Would Make Them Worse.
The problem is the users, not the apps.
Political Stupidity and Bureaucratic Bungling Created New York's Pot Legalization 'Disaster'
Three years after the state legalized recreational marijuana, unauthorized weed shops outnumber licensed dispensaries by 23 to 1.
Public Schools Charge Tuition, Just Like Private Schools
All too often, admission is only open to students whose families can afford a home inside the districts’ boundaries or pay transfer student tuition.
Online Sports Betting Giants Place Their Bets Against Growing Rivals
Online sports betting companies are using the same legal playbook that once threatened their operations to eliminate competitors.
Alabama Discovers There Is No 'Humane' Way To Execute Someone
Instead of searching for gentle execution methods, states should just stop killing prisoners.
Louisiana Law Lets Wildlife Agents Trespass on Private Property
A lawsuit from the Institute for Justice claims the law violates the Louisiana Constitution.
Without More Accountability, Sunshine Laws Are Toothless
An AP survey found that most states have no mechanism to appeal denials of records requests, outside of filing a lawsuit.
Lawsuit Hobbles Utah's Plan To Mandate Age Verification Online
"Laws like this don't solve the problems they try to address but only make them worse," says a Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression attorney.
Arizona Is Weighing Nonsensical New E-Verify Measures
The proposal would harm business owners, consumers, and workers without much benefit in return.
Your Local DMV May Have No Sense of Humor
Censorship of 2,872 Pennsylvania license plates raises free speech questions.
3 Unsettled Questions Regarding the Constitutionality of Public Funding of Religious Schools
The charter school movement has seen many recent Supreme Court victories widening their scope to faith-based education, but some ambiguities remain.
Here's Why Government Should Stop Throwing Money at Green Energy
In California, which has a slew of renewable energy regulations, the cost of electricity increased three times faster than in the rest of the U.S.—and the state still doesn't even get reliable energy.
DeSantis Vetoed a Social Media Age-Verification Law, but That Doesn't Mean He Won't Sign a New One
A law forcing kids off social media sites is still likely coming to Florida.
Rudy Carey Was Pardoned, but the Unjust Law That Kept Him From Working Is Still on the Books
Virginia’s barrier crime law limits employment prospects for ex-offenders, who often find their way back into the penal system when they can’t find work.
Utah Tells the Feds To Pound Sand
The Beehive State joins a growing wave of defiance aimed at Washington, D.C.
Of Course Special Interests Shaped California's New Minimum Wage Law
Gov. Gavin Newsom's response to allegations of favoritism only serve to underline how the entire fast food minimum wage law was a giveaway to his buddies.
Do U.S. Public Schools Really Need 77,000 More Counselors?
Schools were already staffed at record levels even before COVID-19, when enrollment fell by nearly 1.3 million students.
Why Is Panera Exempted From California's New Minimum Wage Law?
Probably because Greg Flynn, who operates 24 of the bakery cafes in California, is a longtime friend of Gov. Gavin Newsom.
