budget-tax-news
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South Carolina Governor Approves Pension Bill
Opinion -budget-tax-news -South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) approved changes to how the South Carolina state government’s five public pension programs operate. -
DOJ Lawyers Switch Sides, File Brief Opposing CFPB
Opinion -budget-tax-news -Lawyers for the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed an amicus brief opposing a decision by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), switching sides in a lawsuit over the constitutionality of the structure of the independent government agency. -
Congress Considers Bill to Stop Lawsuit Settlement Slush Funds
Opinion -budget-tax-news -Lawmakers in Congress are considering prohibiting federal government agencies from using lawsuit settlements to promote political goals and enrich friendly outside groups. -
‘BUILD WALL’ Civil Asset Forfeiture Bill Under Consideration
Opinion -budget-tax-news -The U.S. House of Representatives is considering a bill to change how the federal government spends the proceeds from local and state law-enforcement agencies’ use of civil asset forfeiture. -
Texas Senate Approves Margins Tax Relief
Opinion -budget-tax-news -The Texas Senate approved a bill to reduce and phase out the state’s margins tax, which is collected from business owners for the privilege of doing business in the state. -
Trump Signals Support for Welfare Reform
Opinion -budget-tax-news -Congress sent President Donald Trump a resolution blocking a U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) regulation that prevents state governments from testing individuals for evidence of illegal drug use when applying for entitlements. -
Connecticut Governor’s Budget Bill Busts Liquor Price Floors
Opinion -budget-tax-news -Connecticut residents may say “cheers” to a proposal in Gov. Dannel Malloy’s (D) proposed budget agenda. -
Indiana Lawmakers Approve Bill Standardizing Local Airbnb Rules
Opinion -budget-tax-news -The Indiana Senate approved a bill blocking local governments in the state from preventing homeowners from using Airbnb and other peer-to-peer economy companies. -
Congressional Committee Approves USPS Pension Reform Bill
Opinion -budget-tax-news -In March, the U.S. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee approved a bill changing how the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) must fund pension payments for its government employees. -
House Considers Burying Federal Death Tax
Opinion -budget-tax-news -Fifteen lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives signed on as cosponsors of a bill that would remove the federal government’s tax on money deceased individuals transfer to family or other loved ones. -
Soda Tax to Hit Thirsty Cook County Consumers
Opinion -budget-tax-news -The cost of enjoying a cold drink on a hot summer day will be going up for consumers in Cook County, Illinois, after a tax hike approved by the Cook County Board of Commissioners in November 2016 takes effect. -
Kansas Calls for Regulation Reform Amendment Convention
Opinion -budget-tax-news -The Kansas Legislature officially approved a resolution calling for a national convention to draft and enact checks on federal agencies’ authority to create costly regulations without lawmakers’ approval. -
Trump Administration Submits Wish List for Trade Bloc Reform
Opinion -budget-tax-news -President Donald Trump’s advisors have released a list of changes Trump would like lawmakers to make to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), a trilateral trade bloc agreed to in 1994 by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. -
Treasury Chief Calls on Lawmakers to Raise Debt Ceiling
Opinion -budget-tax-news -After legal limits on the total amount of federal government debt were reinstated in March, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin called on lawmakers to increase the limits on the federal government’s authority to borrow and spend. -
Mobile, Alabama Lawmakers Uber Mad Over State Ridesharing Bill
Opinion -budget-tax-news -The Mobile, Alabama City Council passed a resolution opposing a state lawmaker’s proposal to standardize government licensing regulations on peer-to-peer transportation network companies (TNC) such as Uber and Lyft. -
FTC Chief Unveils Occupational Licensing Reform Task Force
Opinion -budget-tax-news -The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has created a new task force dedicated to reforming government hurdles to job growth, including occupational licensing. -
An Invigorating Call to Arms Promoting Passionate Civic Engagement
Opinion -budget-tax-news -Review of In the Arena: Good Citizens, a Great Republic, and How One Speech Can Reinvigorate America, by Pete Hegseth (Threshold Editions), 2016, 304 pages, ISBN-13: 978-1476749341; $17.30 on Amazon.com. -
South Dakota Governor Cuts Hairy Occupational Licensing Restrictions
Opinion -budget-tax-news -South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard (R) is cutting back some of the state’s occupational licensing requirements, exempting hair braiders from government rules intended for traditional hair stylists. -
Montana Lawmakers Cook Up Food-Choice Bills
Opinion -budget-tax-news -The State of Montana is considering removing regulations that prevent people from purchasing “raw milk” and homemade foods directly from farmers and bakers. -
E-Cigarette Companies Ask Judge to Void Indiana E-Cigarette Restrictions
Opinion -budget-tax-news -In February, lawyers representing the plaintiffs—Legato Vapors, Jet Setter Juice, Rocky Mountain Ecigs, and Derb E Cigs Indiana—filed paperwork asking Barker to “enter the tendered proposed judgment order and permanent injunction. -
Missouri Becomes 28th Right-to-Work State
Opinion -budget-tax-news -Missouri is joining the growing number of states where union membership in a place of work is voluntary. -
Arizona House Approves Bill Blocking Federal ‘Commandeering’
Opinion -budget-tax-news -Arizona government agencies will be able to refuse to use taxpayer resources in some cases when commanded by the federal government, if a bill passed by the Arizona House in February is approved by the state Senate and signed into law by Gov. Doug Ducey. -
Raise Cigarette Tax to Fix Budget, Connecticut Governor Says
Opinion -budget-tax-news -Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy (D) wants to raise the state’s excise taxes on cigarettes to help cover a projected state budget gap of $1.7 billion, or about $472 in debt per Connecticut resident. -
Senate Considers Bill to Reassert Congressional Trade Oversight
Opinion -budget-tax-news -President Donald Trump’s top trade advisor told lawmakers the president wants to include language in trade agreements that would trigger automatic renegotiation whenever the United States runs a trade deficit with a partner country.
