Agriculture
Ag labor myths persist, posing challenges to reform
The national average for the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) is $17.33/hr., with individual states being held to a fluctuating rate. California’s current federally mandated AEWR is $19.75/hr., making it one of the top five highest in the nation. However, wage rates are not the only cost associated with the ...
AI
Has California Created A Free Speech Problem?
He is deliberating whether to sign or veto Senate Bill 771, which would impose civil penalties of up to $1 million against social media companies that knowingly or recklessly aid their users in violating the state’s hate speech and civil rights laws. “Hate speech” isn’t mentioned by name, but the bill contains references to ...
Blog
Read the latest from PRI's Free Cities Center
It’s not just AI: California city minimum wages also kill jobs
As if it didn’t kill enough jobs, 39 cities have imposed their own, even higher minimums. A dozen of the cities did so on July 1. The highest general minimum is Emeryville’s, at $19.90. Some cities also mandate higher minimums for certain jobs. For the city of Los Angeles, the ...
Agriculture
Livestock showing, public policy are more similar than it seems
As a veteran livestock exhibitor – rabbits, market lambs, and cattle – and as someone now involved in public policy, drawing parallels between the two was easy. Here are three things required in livestock showing and public policy: Patience If you’ve ever tried to train a wild animal, you know ...
Blog
California loosens housing regs, but they still slow construction
California loosens housing regs, but they still slow construction By Sarah Downey | September 26, 2025 As the rate of homeownership declines in California, it’s raising more questions about the bureaucratic costs that make housing development in the Golden State much slower than other parts of the country. New data ...
AI
Read the latest from PRI's Free Cities Center
Cities should rethink their zeal for subsidizing AI data centers
Kate Gallego has had it. In her 2025 State of the City address, Phoenix’s mayor called on lawmakers to eliminate Arizona’s special tax treatment for “new data centers.” Calling it “a holdover from a time before our economy was the magnet for job growth that it is today,” Gallego declared ...
Blog
On Young Americans and their Growing Acceptance of Socialism
Their survey found that 53% of Americans aged 18-39 would like to see a democratic socialist candidate win the 2028 presidential election, while 76% of respondents agree that ‘major industries like health care, energy, and big tech should be nationalized to give more control and equity to the people.’ Among ...
Blog
SB 627 – A Law in Search of a Crime
ICE has been busy, and despite not living up to the Trump administration’s promise to deport 1 million illegal aliens, they have arrested and have either deported or held 202,464 individuals since January 2025. In that dragnet, they have managed to arrest a few people whose cases are the subject ...
Blog
Not Even Jay Leno Can Get Lawmakers to Update State’s Antiquated Classic Car Rules
California requires all cars built from 1976 on to pass a smog inspection every two years. A bill introduced in the current session would have moved that date to 1990, “making it easier to own and maintain classic cars,” says Car Buzz. But the legislation, Senate Bill 712, introduced by Sen. Shannon ...
Blog
Spending Watch
Legislators Did Not Relieve California’s Energy Poverty Problem
Legislators Did Not Relieve California’s Energy Poverty Problem Wayne Winegarden September 2025 The legislative year is over and there is lots to be concerned about. Paramount among these concerns, the legislature passed several bills that will worsen the state’s energy affordability problems. Perhaps most disappointing, though not unexpected, legislators passed ...
Ag labor myths persist, posing challenges to reform
The national average for the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) is $17.33/hr., with individual states being held to a fluctuating rate. California’s current federally mandated AEWR is $19.75/hr., making it one of the top five highest in the nation. However, wage rates are not the only cost associated with the ...
Has California Created A Free Speech Problem?
He is deliberating whether to sign or veto Senate Bill 771, which would impose civil penalties of up to $1 million against social media companies that knowingly or recklessly aid their users in violating the state’s hate speech and civil rights laws. “Hate speech” isn’t mentioned by name, but the bill contains references to ...
Read the latest from PRI's Free Cities Center
It’s not just AI: California city minimum wages also kill jobs
As if it didn’t kill enough jobs, 39 cities have imposed their own, even higher minimums. A dozen of the cities did so on July 1. The highest general minimum is Emeryville’s, at $19.90. Some cities also mandate higher minimums for certain jobs. For the city of Los Angeles, the ...
Livestock showing, public policy are more similar than it seems
As a veteran livestock exhibitor – rabbits, market lambs, and cattle – and as someone now involved in public policy, drawing parallels between the two was easy. Here are three things required in livestock showing and public policy: Patience If you’ve ever tried to train a wild animal, you know ...
California loosens housing regs, but they still slow construction
California loosens housing regs, but they still slow construction By Sarah Downey | September 26, 2025 As the rate of homeownership declines in California, it’s raising more questions about the bureaucratic costs that make housing development in the Golden State much slower than other parts of the country. New data ...
Read the latest from PRI's Free Cities Center
Cities should rethink their zeal for subsidizing AI data centers
Kate Gallego has had it. In her 2025 State of the City address, Phoenix’s mayor called on lawmakers to eliminate Arizona’s special tax treatment for “new data centers.” Calling it “a holdover from a time before our economy was the magnet for job growth that it is today,” Gallego declared ...
On Young Americans and their Growing Acceptance of Socialism
Their survey found that 53% of Americans aged 18-39 would like to see a democratic socialist candidate win the 2028 presidential election, while 76% of respondents agree that ‘major industries like health care, energy, and big tech should be nationalized to give more control and equity to the people.’ Among ...
SB 627 – A Law in Search of a Crime
ICE has been busy, and despite not living up to the Trump administration’s promise to deport 1 million illegal aliens, they have arrested and have either deported or held 202,464 individuals since January 2025. In that dragnet, they have managed to arrest a few people whose cases are the subject ...
Not Even Jay Leno Can Get Lawmakers to Update State’s Antiquated Classic Car Rules
California requires all cars built from 1976 on to pass a smog inspection every two years. A bill introduced in the current session would have moved that date to 1990, “making it easier to own and maintain classic cars,” says Car Buzz. But the legislation, Senate Bill 712, introduced by Sen. Shannon ...
Spending Watch
Legislators Did Not Relieve California’s Energy Poverty Problem
Legislators Did Not Relieve California’s Energy Poverty Problem Wayne Winegarden September 2025 The legislative year is over and there is lots to be concerned about. Paramount among these concerns, the legislature passed several bills that will worsen the state’s energy affordability problems. Perhaps most disappointing, though not unexpected, legislators passed ...
