Colorado's Jared Polis Is the Latest Governor to Embrace Licensing Reform
Polis vetoed licensing requirements for HOA managers, sports agents, and genetic counselors. That's not sitting well with some members of his own party.
Policy
Seattle Doesn't Want You To Have A Big House
Proposed legislation aims to crack down on "McMansions."
Is California's Watered-Down Rent Control Bill Still Problematic?
A compromise version of the bill would cap rent increases at 7 percent plus inflation for three years.
Why Instapundit Glenn Reynolds Thinks Twitter, Facebook, and Google Should Be Busted Up
The "blogfather" once touted the internet as the antidote to Big Government, Big Business, and Big Media. Now he wants the feds to crack down on social media.
Are Democrats an Anti-Immigrant Party Too?
Recent articles by Tyler Cowen and Farhad Manjoo highlight anti-immigrant effects of many Democrats' policies on zoning and other issues. The party is not quite as bad as the Republicans. But that's damning with faint praise.
The First Amendment Protects the Right to Work as a Tour Guide, Says Federal Judge
A Savannah, Georgia, law that required testing and licensing of tour guides is found unconstitutional.
Landmark California Housing Bill Stalls in State Legislature
SB 50's upzoning provisions were repeatedly watered down to make the bill more politically palatable. It turns out that wasn't enough.
John Paul Stevens Is Still Trying To Defend the Kelo Debacle
In his new memoir, the retired justice seeks to justify his awful eminent domain ruling.
Antitrust standing and Kavanaugh-versus-Gorsuch textualism
The Supreme Court's dueling opinions in Apple, Inc. v. Pepper raise interesting questions about textualist statutory interpretation.
App Store Antitrust Case Could Still Tank
Plus: Sen. Josh Hawley continues anti-tech crusade, Pete Buttigieg on tariffs, "toxic femininity," Gen Z panic, and more...
California's Rent Control Advocates Are About To Get What They Want, Good and Hard
Everywhere rent control is tried, the same things happen. Landlords exit the market. Developers stop building apartments. Supply drops significantly.
Making It Easier for Military Spouses To Get Occupational Licenses Could Help All Workers
State-level licensing laws can make it nearly impossible for workers to move from place to place, and that's a particular problem for military spouses. This bipartisan proposal could be a step towards fixing it.
Oklahoma Just Passed A Major Licensing Reform for Individuals With Criminal Records
Gov. Kevin Stitt is expected to sign a bill removing so-called "good character" provisions from all Oklahoma's occupational licensing laws.
Will Trump's Authoritarian Impulses Derail His Deregulatory Successes?
Tariffs, threats to use antitrust regulations against big tech firms, and an interest in social media regulation could overshadow one of the adminstration's big victories
Florida Men Screw Up Less Than Usual
The Florida Legislature had a heck of a week, passing everything from a major school choice program (yay!) to restricting the voting rights of felons (boo!).
Florida's Health Care Deregulation Is a Win for Doctors, Patients, and Free Markets
Florida is on the brink of abolishing its Certificate of Need laws for health care faciltiies. It's about time.
N.Y. Food Police Shut Down a 7-Year-Old's Lemonade Stand. This Bill Makes Sure They Can't Do It Again.
"Kids like Brendan Mulvaney are trying to give people sweet lemonade and learn some important business skills but the overzealous state bureaucrats just keep giving taxpayers lemons."
Florida Bill Would Ban Cities From Requiring Developers to Build Affordable Housing
"When you start having mandates and [the] state setting price controls, you create all kinds of distortions in the market."
Affordable Housing Debate Pits California Cities Against Suburbs. Both Need Freer Markets.
A flaw in a proposal that would let developers build more high-density apartments and condos is that it doesn't go nearly far enough
California Housing Reform Bill Survives a Crucial Vote, but at What Cost?
SB 50 is starting to look less like a bold reform, and more like a marginal improvement on a dreadful status quo.
Will Connecticut Finally Enact Meaningful Eminent Domain Reform?
Fourteen years after the notorious Kelo case, the state where the case originated still has one of the nation's weakest eminent domain reform laws. A bill currently before the state legislature could change that.
Will Connecticut—Home of the Kelo Supreme Court Case—Finally End Eminent Domain Abuse?
A bill in the state legislature would stop cities from seizing property and handing it over to developers.
Activists Launch Fresh Effort To Get Rent Control on California's State Ballot
Fresh from their 2018 defeat, California's rent control advocates are back with another statewide ballot initiative.
Is Marginally Loosening California's Zoning Restrictions Racist?
A new mailer from the AIDS Healthcare Foundation argues that allowing the construction of apartment buildings near transit stops is tantamount to "negro removal."
California's Unfixable Housing Mess Is Years in the Making
At least now we're arguing over the right thing: the need to hike housing supply.
The PTO's Prissy, Puzzling Rules for Registering Trademarks Are Fuct Up
The owner of a clothing line asks the Supreme Court to overturn the ban on "scandalous" trademarks because it violates the First Amendment.
Housing-Starved San Francisco Shoots Down New Apartment Project Because It Would Cast Shadow on Nearby Park. Again.
This is not the first time the city has tried to delay a project over shadow concerns.
Arizona Is Close to Abolishing an Absurd Licensing Law Requiring 1,000 Hours of Training to Blow-Dry Hair
Another victory for licensing reform in the Grand Canyon State.
'Music City' Doesn't Want You Making Music at Home
A Nashville producer challenges the city's crazy ban on commercial home recording studios.
Joe Biden Is Right: Occupational Licensing Laws for Hairdressers Are 'Not Helping Workers'
If anything, he's understating how ridiculous they are.
Arizona Will Be First State to Recognize Out-of-State Occupational Licenses
"Arizonans who have recently moved here will be able to put their skills to work faster and without all the red tape," says Gov. Doug Ducey.
DOJ Lawyers Now Want to Be Involved in Oscar Nominations
The Department of Justice is threatening antitrust action if the Academy keeps out streaming services like Netflix.
Over-the-Counter Birth Control Bill Launched by Senate Republicans
It would fast-track FDA review of applications to free the pill from prescriptions and let people use health savings accounts for non-Rx drugs.
NIMBYs Argue New Housing Supply Doesn't Make Cities Affordable. They're Wrong.
Tokyo is a shining example of how free market housing regulations can keep even big, growing cities affordable.
Why Do You Need a License To Blow Dry Hair? Arizona Gov. Ducey Fights the 'Bullies' in His State
When "somebody packs up that moving van in Chicago, Illinois, they don't lose their skills on the way to the state of Arizona," says Gov. Doug Ducey.
Squawking NIMBYs Fail To Doom Halal Chicken Slaughterhouse
The Alexandria City Council voted to approve the butchery's special-use permit.
The EU's Ironic Dependence on Big Tech
Europeans want the best of America's online services, even as the government keeps soaking them for billions.
Baltimore Tries to Use Eminent Domain to Condemn the Preakness Stakes Horse Race
The condemnation is legally dubious. And even if the city prevails in court, it is likely to come out a loser. Baltimore should listen to naysayers who advise letting the neighsayers move to another location.
RIP Economist Alan Krueger, Whose Work Spurred Calls for Occupational Licensing Reform
Krueger's work included highlighting the breadth of licensing in American labor markers, and the economic costs of mandatory government permission slips.
Seattle City Council Overcomes NIMBY Opposition To Pass Big Upzoning Bill
The legislation is far from perfect, but does move the city in the right direction.
The Zoning Code Banned His Tall Fence, but Not the Naked Mannequin Party Behind It
California man highlights the absurdity of dumb regulations.
NIMBY Local Government Sues Owner of Flintstones Replica House Over Dinosaurs and Giant 'Yabba Dabba Doo' Sign
The town of Hillsborough, CA has deemed a sign bearing the cartoon character's famous catchphrase an "eyesore" and "public nuisance."
Trump's Deregulation Isn't to Blame for Airline Crashes
The passengers of the Ethiopian Airlines jet that crashed March 10 had not even been buried before some commentators had identified the cause: deregulation.
