Removing Barriers for Nebraskans

Research Note: Public service commission touches on all our lives

Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series of research notes compiled by Platte’s second summer intern this year, Alexander Endorf, exploring the history and jurisdiction of the Public Service Commission in Nebraska. What are Public Service Commissions? Public service commissions, also called public utilities commissions or corporation commissions, are quasi-judicial agencies that regulate...

By Alexander Endorf

Chevron deference overturned: a victory for separation of powers

The last couple of weeks of June is often a time of great interest for those who watch the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) because they mark the release of the final decisions for cases that were heard during the court term. The Court begins hearing cases for the term in October, and...

By Laura Ebke

Property Tax Reform Policy Vision

The purpose of Platte Institute’s tax vision document is to lay out the principles that Platte Institute believes should guide the ongoing property tax reform efforts. First, we will lay out actions to avoid with explanation. Then we will argue for accomplishing fundamental policy deliverables that are necessary for the successful delivery of property tax...

By Michael Lucci

In The News

Norfolk Daily News: Appreciating licensing reforms passed in 2024 Nebraska Examiner: Platte and Other Advocates Celebrate Licensing Reform SPN Blog: Nebraska Passes Universal Recognition Goldwater Institute: Workers Welcome Unicameral Update: Occupational Licensure Bill Approved Omaha World Herald: LB 16 Workforce Bill Passes Unicameral Update: Another Effort to End Inheritance Taxes Unicameral Update: LB43 Becomes Regulatory Omnibus Bill American Legislative Exchange Council: Nebraska Looks to Become Next Universal Recognition State Nebraska TV: Efforts to eliminate inheritance tax expected during 2023 Nebraska legislative session

Research Note: Florida’s REINS Act

A decade ago, Florida was far from the model for economic freedom from regulatory burden. The state ranked 8th among 44 states with 168,795 regulatory restrictions according to a review of states with the highest regulation count done by the Mercatus Institute at George Mason University. Florida now leads the nation in migration gains, even...

By Stephen Trainer

Research Note: The Texas Example

As previously discussed, economic statements are crucial for quantifying the impact of regulations and ensuring that state agencies thoroughly evaluate all options and understand the downsides before regulating the state’s economy. Furthermore, these reports should be independently reviewed to verify the legitimacy of the agencies’ findings. Texas, unsurprisingly, hits all the positive marks for impact...

By Stephen Trainer

Research Note: Utah’s Regulatory Sandbox

Editor’s Note: As the 5th of 7 planned research notes by our summer intern, Stephen Trainer, this post discusses the concept of regulatory sandboxes. The Platte Institute has supported several regulatory sandbox efforts, including a comprehensive one (which would cover multiple industries) and the most recent one (LB587 in 2023/24), which provides for an “insuretech...

By Stephen Trainer

Research Note: Regulatory Experiments–Idaho, Virginia

A few states outside the midwest provide promising templates for regulatory reform and modernization, a pressing issue for Nebraska. Idaho and Virginia notably embarked on a mission to unshackle citizens from a growing administrative state, as discussed by a Mercatus Study in 2019. Six years ago, Virginia passed the Regulatory Reform Pilot Program that tasked...

By Stephen Trainer

Research note: a case study of success of the REINS act in state regulatory reform

First introduced in 2009 and subsequently passed by the US House of Representatives in 2023, the REINS Act, formally known as the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act, represents a legislative endeavor to augment Congressional oversight concerning federal regulations with substantial economic ramifications. Specifically, it aims to empower Congress to assert greater...

By Stephen Trainer

Research note: Cost-Benefit Analysis in Regulation

The primary autoregulative process when state agencies begin promulgating rules and regulations is the cost-benefit analysis (CBA). Despite having many names across states, the CBA or impact statement is an important system in which agencies self-evaluate the effectiveness and scope of a proposed rule’s regulatory impact on business and government. Moreover, these reports play an...

By Stephen Trainer

Research Note: Regulations in Nebraska and Iowa

Note: This Research Note is the first in a planned series of notes by Platte’s summer interns. Despite sharing a border, Iowa and Nebraska diverge on many legislative topics, especially the regulatory review process. Iowa has been noted to have “one of the best-designed review structures in the country,” according to the Institute for Policy...

By Stephen Trainer

ESG in the banking industry

Nebraska banks play a key role in the state’s strong economic success by providing credit and other financial services to individuals, businesses and communities. Banks carefully manage risk and the needs of the customers and communities they serve when making lending decisions. Unfortunately, special interest groups have proposed using the heavy hand of government to...

By Kelly Trambly

Iowa accelerates tax reform

Iowa’s spending restraint has allowed the Hawkeye State to accelerate previously-enacted tax reforms. Thanks to a package of new tax reforms, Iowa’s income tax will be lowered to a flat 3.8% beginning in 2025, far less than half the state’s 8.98% top rate when Iowa’s tax reforms began. The Hawkeye State’s accelerating tax relief adds...

By Michael Lucci

Winter of our artificial communication disconnect

With the rise of artificial intelligence assisting us with how we communicate via email, our alienation occurs while we communicate, not instead of. We can stop it by being intentional with each other while using AI for the rest. If you have not heard of Artificial Intelligence (AI), you have been under a rock. AI...

By Lance Pounds