The War on Tamales
Arizona was set to legalize the sale of "potentially hazardous" homemade foods—but then Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed the bill.
State Governments
Don't Mix Rare Bourbon With State Power
Oregon liquor regulators were caught diverting prized whiskey for personal use.
Desperate To Avoid Decriminalization, Washington Legislators Lovingly Threaten Drug Users With Jail
The imminent expiration of a law that recriminalized drug possession triggered a bipartisan panic.
Gorsuch Condemns 'Breathtaking' COVID Emergency Powers That Crushed Civil Liberties
"Since March 2020, we may have experienced the greatest intrusions on civil liberties in the peacetime history of this country," Gorsuch wrote. That might be an exaggeration, but it isn't far off.
Michigan Senate Proposes Onerous Licensing Rules for Hunting and Fishing Guides
Proponents say that the bills would ensure the quality of fishing and hunting guides, but occupational licensing doesn't tend to work that way.
Doctors Detail Dangerous Pregnancy Care in States With Abortion Restrictions
Plus: APA says social media not inherently harmful for kids, senators propose Artificial Intelligence Regulatory Agency, and more...
Did California Gov. Gavin Newsom's Luck Finally Run Out?
After getting lucky for his first few years in office, Newsom now faces his first major budgetary crisis. How he responds will show a lot about his leadership skills.
'Cash Is Independence': Ron DeSantis Slams the Government's Plan for Centrally-Controlled Digital Money
"If you don't trust central authority, then you should see this immediately as something that is very problematic," says the Florida governor.
States Spend Billions on Economic Development Deals With Little Return
In a new report, the Center for Economic Accountability analyzed economic development data from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and there's very little to show for billions in annual spending.
Florida Legislature Passes Immigration Crackdown, Authorizes $12 Million for Migrant Relocation
Backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, the measures will punish peaceful migrants and the Floridians who interact with them.
New York Legalized Marijuana, but a Legal Typo Is Hindering Implementation
Correcting the error will require new legislation.
Rivian Continues To Hemorrhage Money Despite $1.5 Billion in State Incentives
According to a new Bloomberg report, Rivian has lost 93 percent of its market value since November 2021. The state of Georgia is still on the hook for as much as $1.5 billion in state incentives.
Minnesota Is Poised To Join 22 Other States in Legalizing Recreational Marijuana
The debate over the details shows that, despite all the talk of treating cannabis like alcohol, legislators are not prepared to fully embrace that model.
Anti-Abortion Bills Narrowly Fail in South Carolina and Nebraska
"Once a woman became pregnant for any reason, she would now become property of the state of South Carolina," said one state senator.
Delaware Just Became the 22nd State To Legalize Recreational Marijuana
Despite his reservations, Gov. John Carney let the bills become law without his signature.
New York Governor Gauging Support for Full Ban on All Cigarette Sales
Kathy Hochul isn't just waging a war on menthols. She's also floating a ban on all cigarette sales in the state.
Utah Is Making It Easier for Foreign and Out-of-State Professionals To Get Licensed and Get to Work
Other states would do well to enact similar reforms.
Why Do Public Schools Suck and What Should We Do About Them? Live With Corey DeAngelis and Connor Boyack
Join Reason on YouTube and Facebook on Thursday at 1 p.m. Eastern for a live discussion with the authors of Mediocrity: 40 Ways Government Schools Are Failing Today's Students
California's Builders and YIMBYs at Loggerheads Over Bill Cracking Down on 'Unchecked Sprawl'
Activists who would like to see more housing built and people who build housing for a living would seem to be natural allies. A new bill in the California Legislature is driving them apart.
Taxes Are Not the Mark of Civilized Society
Contra the famous quotation from Oliver Wendell Holmes, there's nothing particularly civilized about the way our governments spend the money we provide.
Is Clarence Thomas Ethically Challenged?
Plus: What the editors hate most about the IRS and tax day
It Took 15 Years for the Feds To Approve a 700-Mile Electric Line
It'll be another five years before it's operational.
No Degree? That's No Problem for These Government Jobs
A bipartisan solution to degree inflation
Texas' Foster Care System Is Grossly Mismanaged
"These things are just so inexcusable," a judge said. "It's hard to understand."
Judge Rules New York State Police Must Disclose Misconduct Records
It's been nearly three years since New York repealed its police secrecy law, and departments are still fighting to hide misconduct records.
Patient Privacy at Risk in Senate Bill Aimed at Pharmacy Managers
Prosecutors could end up with a trove of patient-level data regarding highly personal drugs like Viagra, abortion pills, and more.
Spat Among Tennessee Lawmakers Illustrates a National Urban-Rural Divide
Decentralizing power is better than trying to jam one vision down the throats of the unwilling.
You Prefer 'High-Quality Public Education' Over School Choice? Define 'High-Quality.'
Families don’t all want the same sort of education for their children. They should be free to choose.
Debate: It's Time for a National Divorce
Are political breakups really as American as apple pie?
Texas Considers Bill To Privatize the Business of Issuing Building Permits
If a municipality fails to approve or deny a permit by state-set deadlines, developers could hire private third parties to get the job done.
He Got 30 Years for Murder After a Cop Killed His Friend
Lakeith Smith's case epitomizes the issues with the "felony murder" doctrine.
Tennessee Will Use Eminent Domain To Evict Black Farmers for Ford E.V. Factory
The state promised Ford nearly $900 million in incentives, including new and upgraded roads. But it chose to run that new road through a number of black-owned farms.
Reparations for Black Residents Would Cost California $800 Billion, Say Economists
This total is 2.5 times the state's annual budget.
New York Lawmakers Could Pass the Nation's Strictest State-Level Rent Control Law by the End of the Week
A controversial "good cause" eviction bill that would cap rent increases could be included in a budget bill that must pass by April 1.
Ron DeSantis Signs Bill Expanding School Choice to All Florida Students
The Florida governor has a history of using state power to bully Florida schools over speech he doesn't like. H.B. 1 may accomplish his goal while ceding power to parents.
Michigan Repeals Right-To-Work Law
A decade as a right-to-work state made Michigan better off.
Texas Bill Would Bar Citizens of China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia From Studying at State Universities
H.B. 4736 would punish foreigners who are, in many cases, deliberately building lives far away from their repressive countries.
An Oregon Man Was Wrongly Imprisoned for Almost a Year Because of an Error in a DMV Database
The Oregon DMV knew about the problem, but it "wasn't at a high enough level to understand the urgency" of the need to fix it.
Texas Bill Would Create Unit of Unaccountable Border Cops
All officers and employees of the unit would “have immunity from criminal and civil liability” for performing the activities authorized by H.B. 20.
Critics Lose Their Mind as Arkansas Makes It a Bit Easier for Teens To Work
Youth employment is a recognized path to greater prosperity.
North Carolina Using Eminent Domain To Seize Homes and a Church for Electric Car Factory
Under the Kelo v. New London Supreme Court decision, a state can take private land to give to a private developer for almost any reason it wants.
Ron DeSantis' Immigration Playbook Is All About Big Government
Despite his declared commitment to freedom and fiscal conservatism, DeSantis' immigration policies represent a dramatic expansion of government power and spending.
Is This the Year California's Development-Killing Environmental Review Law Sees Serious Reform?
Yet another court decision stopping a U.C. Berkeley housing project is getting California's policy makers to think bigger about reforming the infamous California Environmental Quality Act.
