NOTE: Before he left, our previous intern provided a blog post based on a paper he’d written for school, discussing the challenges of big cities (especially Omaha) in our state. For his inaugural post, our current intern, Ethan Roth, has provided a colorful discussion of some of the challenges in rural Nebraska below, based on...
If you’re in Omaha’s Blackstone District and you’re looking for a good cocktail, you might stumble into a tucked-away speakeasy now called the “Censored Shop.” Until recently, it went by “Barber Shop Blackstone.” According to the Nebraska Examiner, that name wasn’t a trick—it was a nod to the owners’ dad, who spent his life as...
Every year, the “National Movers Study” from United Van Lines and the “U-Haul Growth Index” provide a real-time heat map of the American economy. The 2025 results are in, and they deliver a clear message: while the mass exodus from high-tax coastal states continues, the “quiet competition” for the middle of the country is heating...
On February 25, 2026, Governor Jim Pillen signed Legislative Bill 663 into law while at the Nebraska Dairy Convention and Trade Show in West Point, Nebraska. Introduced by Senator Tanya Storer, and championed by The Platte Institute, LB 663 improves county zoning processes for agricultural producers by establishing a more uniform, transparent, and timely system...
In today’s economy, the high cost and low availability of childcare are major barriers for working families. While policymakers often look toward taxpayer-funded subsidies to solve the problem, recent research suggests a different culprit: state-level overregulation. Nebraska stands at a critical juncture in this national conversation. According to the 2024 State Childcare Regulations Index from...
For years, Nebraska’s major infrastructure projects—such as the long-awaited Lincoln East Beltway—have been held back by a slow-moving hitch: Washington, D.C. Federal red tape and the bureaucratic maze of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) have historically added years of delays and millions of dollars to local projects. That changed this week. Governor Jim Pillen...
The growing volume and complexity of government regulation at the state and local levels threaten economic freedom, entrepreneurial innovation, and democratic accountability. State regulations, often issued by unelected officials in executive agencies, accumulate over time, creating significant “hidden taxes” on small businesses and families within the state. This policy brief outlines a set of proven,...
In recent years, states across the country have taken renewed interest in reviewing longstanding and often outdated regulatory frameworks. Many legislatures are reassessing rules that may constrain economic growth, aiming to reduce regulatory accumulation and increase legislative oversight of unelected agencies. Although each state varies in its approach, a common goal has emerged: limiting high-cost...
A couple of weeks before Christmas, following the President’s recent executive order on artificial intelligence (AI), the Nebraska Examiner published an article examining the potential implications for Nebraska. While the precise impact of the order remains uncertain, the state’s recent legislative activity related to AI suggests the possibility of conflict between state and federal approaches....
Nebraska’s zoning and permitting process for livestock operations is inconsistent, unpredictable, and varies widely from county to county. This report examines how Nebraska’s Conditional Use Permit (CUP) system works, the origins and goals of the Livestock Siting Assessment Matrix created under LB106, and why the Matrix remains underused nearly a decade later. Drawing on survey...
For decades, the image of government regulation has been synonymous with dusty, overflowing binders and legal jargon. State regulatory codes tend to accumulate year after year, sometimes contradicting themselves and complicating life for those navigating the process. This accumulation of “red tape” creates significant burdens for small business owners trying to remain compliant, citizens trying...
The Occupational Board Reform Act (OBRA) was passed in 2018 and became effective in 2019. It requires legislative committees of jurisdiction to review all occupational licenses in the state, roughly 20% per year, on a five-year rotation. These reviews examine whether the licensing requirements are adequate or excessive by current standards. The committees then submit...
A recent post on substack authored by Dr. Ed Timmons caught our eye. This particular post highlighted rankings of universal recognition laws for occupational licenses around the country, and Nebraska met the “Gold Standard” as can be seen from the image below. This image is just one of many to be found in the most...
The Occupational Board Reform Act (OBRA) was passed in 2018 and became effective in 2019. It requires legislative committees of jurisdiction to review all occupational licenses in the state, roughly 20% per year, on a five-year rotation. These reviews examine whether the licensing requirements are adequate or excessive by current standards. The committees then submit...