Research and Commentaries
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Research & Commentary: Colorado Health Insurance Exchange
Publication -Research and Commentaries -Though several states have rejected federal funding for health insurance exchanges required by President Barack Obama’s health care law, the state of Colorado has accepted an $18 million federal grant to begin implementation of an exchange. -
Research & Commentary: For-Profit Competition in K-12 Education
Publication -Research and Commentaries -Increasing numbers of for-profit service providers have begun to enter the education sector, performing tasks from collecting and analyzing standardized test data to providing tutoring and bus services. -
Research & Commentary: The FutureGen Project
Publication -Research and Commentaries -In the past few decades the federal government has spent millions of taxpayer dollars subsidizing the development of new energy technologies, including large-scale sequestration of carbon emitted from coal-burning power plants. -
Research & Commentary: Amazon Taxes
Publication -Research and Commentaries -Many state legislatures are pursuing legislation to force out-of-state online and catalog retailers to collect and remit sales taxes on purchases made by residents in the state. -
Research & Commentary: Anti-Bullying Measures
Publication -Research and Commentaries -All but three states have enacted anti-school-bullying legislation, 21 of them passing related laws in 2011. The U.S. -
Research & Commentary: Minnesota Health Insurance Exchange
Publication -Research and Commentaries -Despite criticism from state legislators, Gov. Mark Dayton and the Minnesota Department of Commerce have pushed forward with the establishment of a state-crafted health insurance exchange, opening exchange simulations to the public. -
Research & Commentary: The Future of the 30-Year Fixed-Rate Mortgage
Publication -Research and Commentaries -Legislators and regulators in Washington, DC are now considering a gradual winding down of the two giant government-supported mortgage-securitizing enterprises, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. -
Research & Commentary: Economic Impact of Casino Development
Publication -Research and Commentaries -During its 2012 session, the Florida legislature will consider bills to allow the construction of large destination casino resorts in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties. -
Research & Commentary: The Parent Trigger, One Year Later
Publication -Research and Commentaries -California passed the first Parent Trigger law in January 2010, taking until September 2011 to confirm permanent regulations governing it. -
Research & Commentary: Medical Fee Schedules for Michigan Auto Insurance
Publication -Research and Commentaries -Auto insurance will be one of the key issues Michigan legislators face in the upcoming legislative session. -
Research & Commentary: Safe Chemicals Act of 2011
Publication -Research and Commentaries -On November 17, 2011, the Subcommittee on Superfund, Toxics, and Environmental Health of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee held a hearing on the Safe Chemicals Act of 2011, a bill designed to update the regulatory framework for hazardous -
Research & Commentary: Accountable Care Organizations
Publication -Research and Commentaries -As states begin to estimate the price of implementing President Barack Obama’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), one costly component of the law has yet to receive much-needed attention: accountable care organizations (ACOs). -
Research & Commentary: Hydraulic Fracturing Chemical Disclosure
Publication -Research and Commentaries -In just a few short years, shale gas extraction using hydraulic fracturing has transformed the domestic energy landscape, providing billions of cubic feet per day to the nation’s energy supply and billions of dollars to the U.S. economy. -
Research & Commentary: Charter Schools and Incentives for Academic Success
Publication -Research and Commentaries -Approximately 5 percent of U.S. schoolchildren attend public charter schools, and several states—including Michigan and Wisconsin—are considering legislation to lift or remove caps on charter school growth. -
Research & Commentary: Harkin-Enzi NCLB Reauthorization
Publication -Research and Commentaries -The U.S. Senate is considering an 860-page bill and 868-page amendment by Sens. Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Mike Enzi (R-WY) to reauthorize No Child Left Behind. -
Research & Commentary: Shallow Loss Coverage and the CROP Act
Publication -Research and Commentaries -The U.S. agriculture industry receives billions of dollars ($6.5 billion in 2010) in federal insurance subsidies each year. -
Research & Commentary: ‘Second Chance’ Health Insurance Exchange Partnerships
Publication -Research and Commentaries -Several state legislatures are declining to create the health insurance exchanges mandated by President Barack Obama’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). -
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The Leaflet – Mixed Election Results From States
Publication -Research and Commentaries -This week was election week for lawmakers in Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, and Virginia. In Virginia power in the state senate for Republicans hinges on a slim 226 vote lead in the 17th district. -
Research & Commentary: Buy Here Pay Here Auto Dealerships
Publication -Research and Commentaries -Transportation access is an important part of modern life, but purchasing a vehicle is an expensive proposition many people cannot afford. Acquiring financing can be a daunting task for low-income borrowers or those with no or bad credit. -
Research & Commentary: Fee Schedules for Workers’ Comp Reform
Publication -Research and Commentaries -Workers’ compensation insurance provides money for medical care for employees injured in the course of their work. In return for guaranteed benefits, the employee agrees not to sue the employer for injuries caused by employer negligence. -
Research & Commentary: President Obama’s Student Loan Executive Order
Publication -Research and Commentaries -President Barack Obama announced in October 2011 he will issue an executive order changing the federal student loan system. -
Research & Commentary: Section 652 and Cable-CLEC Mergers
Publication -Research and Commentaries -On June 21, 2011, the National Cable and Telecommunications Association (NCTA) filed a petition of regulatory forbearance with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regarding Section 652 of the Communications Act. -
Research & Commentary: Tennessee School Vouchers
Publication -Research and Commentaries -Tennessee state Sen. Brian Kelsey (R-Germantown) has proposed legislation granting tuition vouchers to students who receive free or reduced-price school lunches in four of the state’s most populous counties. -
Research & Commentary: Alternatives to Federal Terrorism Insurance
Publication -Research and Commentaries -The Terrorism Risk Insurance Act can claim broad support, but it has deep flaws and imposes billions of dollars in liabilities on taxpayers. Signed into law in 2002 by President George W.
