Bill Analysis: Protecting Property Rights and Civil Justice Reform

May 6, 2015

"Bill Analysis: Protecting Property Rights and Civil Justice Reform" includes Vice President of Research and Director of the Center for Economic Freedom Bill Peacock's analysis of House Bill 2536.

View Full Publication

Oakland fined this couple $915,000 for preventing fires. That’s 18 times the penalty for actual arson

Imagine buying a piece of property, being ordered by the government to clear it of fire hazards, and then being handed a near-million-dollar bill by that same government for doing exactly what it asked. It sounds like a dystopian satire of bureaucratic overreach, but for Matthew Bernard and Lynn Warner, it is a harrowing legal...

August 19, 2026

Homelessness

Homelessness Services Audits

In 2013, the Obama Administration offered “Housing First” as the means to end homelessness in 10 years. Over a decade later, homelessness is more prevalent than ever, and taxpayers have been financing ever-increasing funding to programs that are failing to achieve their stated goal of ending homelessness. Key points: The “Housing First” approach was proposed...

August 31, 2026

Local Government

Reinvigorating Federalism and Fiscal Discipline in Texas: Establishing the Office of State Sovereignty

Texas governments received $84.3 billion in federal funding in 2023, raising concerns over financial dependency and regulatory consequences. Creating an Office of State Sovereignty to monitor the application, receipt, and conditions of this aid could mitigate fiscal risk and improve transparency. Key points: Texas lacks a centralized system to oversee federal grants potentially flowing to...

September 9, 2026

Related content

Oakland fined this couple $915,000 for preventing fires. That’s 18 times the penalty for actual arson

Homelessness Services Audits

Reinvigorating Federalism and Fiscal Discipline in Texas: Establishing the Office of State Sovereignty