State Governments
The Government Is Choking Off Wineries
It seems anything the government touches dies—today, it’s thousands of acres of once-productive vineyards.
She Underpaid a Property Tax Bill. So the Government Seized Her Home, Sold It—and Kept the $102,636 Profit.
Chelsea Koetter is asking the Michigan Supreme Court to render the state's debt collection scheme unconstitutional.
Netflix's 'Don't Look Up' Got $46 Million From Massachusetts Taxpayers
According to recently updated figures, more than half of the state's film production credits for 2021 went to just one film, whose two stars collectively earned over $50 million.
Firearms Policy Coalition Takes No Prisoners in Sharp Response to Thin-Skinned Maine Governor
Gov. Janet Mills’s office referred critical social media posts to the police. The FPC pushed back.
Utah's Straw Test Crackdown
Bureaucratic overreach is stirring up unnecessary trouble for Utah bartenders.
New Jersey Wants Your Baby's Genes
Collecting and analyzing newborns' blood could allow the state to surveil people for life.
The Best of Reason: Child Welfare Systems Are Trapping Innocent Families
Georgia parents were accused of child abuse after they took their daughter to the doctor. Does the state's story add up?
Child Welfare Systems Are Trapping Innocent Families
Georgia parents were accused of child abuse after they took their daughter to the doctor. Does the state's story add up?
Sacramento Cops Shared License Plate Data With Anti-Abortion States
And a grand jury says that's illegal.
Louisiana Parents Sue Over Law Mandating 10 Commandments Displays in Classrooms
"This is an obvious attempt to use our public schools to convert kids to Christianity. We live in a democracy, not a theocracy," one ACLU attorney tells Reason.
When the Government Came for Florida's Orange Trees
The state cut down private fruit trees and offered gift cards as compensation. It didn't solve the citrus canker problem.
America's Mayors Say the Heartland Needs Immigrants
The U.S. Conference of Mayors has endorsed "heartland visas," which would create a pathway for skilled immigrants to settle in stagnating communities.
Texas Voters Punish Lawmakers Who Oppose School Choice
Of the 21 Texas House Republicans who joined Democrats to kill school choice during the special sessions, only seven survived their primaries.
The Government Caused New York's Legal Pot 'Disaster'
The state has thousands of unauthorized shops but fewer than 200 licensed marijuana sellers.
A Pennsylvania Pastor Leads His Community's Fight for Educational Freedom
Pastor Joshua Robertson stepped up when his community asked for support. His efforts have more people realizing that there is an alternative to the failing school system.
New Virginia Law Will Let Anyone Harvest Roadkill Anytime of Year
Previously you had to hit the animal yourself during hunting season to claim the carcass.
Ron DeSantis Won't Stop Trying To Gut Florida's Public Records Law
DeSantis' chief of staff used a personal phone to coordinate migrant flights to Martha's Vineyard. Now DeSantis' lawyers say those phone logs should be secret.
New York Lawmakers Threaten To Ban Insurance for Fossil Fuel Projects
The bill would banish insurance companies from the state if they invest in companies profiting from oil and gas.
Why Some Arizona Republicans Are Defending Abortion Rights
A handful of Republican lawmakers worked with Democrats to repeal an 1864 law banning most abortions.
Maryland Governor To Issue Mass Pardon to More Than 100,000 Marijuana Offenders
The blanket pardon is one of the largest yet, and another sign of the collapse of public support for marijuana prohibition.
Does Miami Have the Answer to Homelessness?
There may not be a perfect solution to ending homelessness, but there are some clear principles to reduce the friction for those working to do so.
Illinois License Plate Cameras Are Violating People's Constitutional Rights, Says New Suit
The plaintiffs are challenging the state's widespread surveillance, which it collects through over 600 cameras.
This New York Charter School Is Helping Low-Income Students. But the City Is Holding It Back.
Government school advocates say competition "takes money away" from government schools. That is a lie.
Louisiana's New 25-Foot Legal Forcefield for Police Threatens Accountability and Civil Liberties
A new law will make it much harder to film law enforcement officers in their public duties. Does that violate the First Amendment?
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.
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.
