Austin is in the throes of a government-induced affordability crisis, and it’s prompting some at city hall to take action. Earlier this month, the Austin city council approved the Family Homestead Initiative, a “resolution [that] calls for the city to identify all the regulations and costs associated with the process” of building and remodeling homes....
This Letter to the Editor was written in response to the Austin American-Statesman article "Commentary: Tree legislation brings Texas to the edge of anti-localism." The letter was not published by the paper. The accusation that tree legislation in the Legislature would “grant all private property . . . the right to destroy and remove any...
The answer to all of these arguments is as simple as it is proper: it is not the role of the government to act as the middleman and dues collector for private organizations, including unions. Prohibiting the government from acting as a dues-collector for unions, or other organizations, puts both government and unions in their proper place.
One of the key themes of Governor Greg Abbott’s special session call was ending regulatory overreach at the local level. And the governor did not pull his punches in highlighting his determination to protect the rights of citizens regardless of the local government they live under, declaring that he was: “…calling for legislation that reduces,...
Over the weekend, the Austin American-Statesman revealed that Capital Metro will soon roll out a new app-based ride hailing service called Pickup that will be provided to some Austinites free of charge, at least for the first 12 months. The service will allow people living within a 12-square mile section of Northwest Austin to hail...
Congress should consider all of the consequences before enacting a border adjustment tax, particular if it taxes reinsurance. The cost of such a tax could be significant for Texas, for Texans, and for the national economy as a whole.
Government is not instituted in order to guide customers’ purchasing decisions. Customers have many options to help them evaluate businesses, including companies like Yelp or Google Reviews, associations like the BBB, and traditional word of mouth.
Occupational licenses more broadly are not an area where the state often should be involved. A free market can sort out such bad actors without unnecessary government influence and intervention in the marketplace.
Bill Analysis by J.D. Rimann
J.D. Rimann's testimony on Senate Bill 845: Creating Value and Deconstructing Economic Barriers
Currently, it is very difficult for individuals to challenge local licensing laws, which require additional licensing requirements imposed on state-licensee holders by municipalities SB 2178 institutes a judicial relief mechanism to make it easier for state licensees to challenge these types of local regulations and shifts the burden of proof onto local governments to prove...
Brushing Away Unequal Cosmetology Licensing Requirements Bill Analysis — SB 1087 and HB 2407 – by J.D. Rimann, analyst and Kent Cho, research assistant