The Buckeye Institute testified before the Ohio Senate Energy Committee on the policies in Ohio Senate Bill 2. As with Ohio House Bill 15, Senate Bill 2 offers smarter, principled energy policies—several of which The Buckeye Institute and American for Prosperity-Ohio offered in Better Energy Policy for Ohio—that reduce bureaucratic red tape and help power supply keep pace with new demands.

The Buckeye Institute filed an amicus brief in Federal Communications Commission (FCC) v. Consumers’ Research, calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to revive the not-quite-dead nondelegation doctrine and tell Congress it cannot abdicate its lawmaking responsibilities to the executive branch. “This case offers the high court an opportunity to confirm that the nondelegation doctrine restricts Congress’ ability to delegate away its legislative powers and responsibilities.”

The Buckeye Institute filed an amicus brief in The Gym 24/7 Fitness v. Michigan and Mount Clemens Recreational Bowl, Inc. v. Hertel, calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the cases and overturn Penn Central, a nearly 50-year-old case that allows the government—in violation of the U.S. Constitution—to take private property from Americans without just compensation. “For nearly half a century, courts have struggled to apply Penn Central with any consistency due to its weak constitutional foundation.” 

The Buckeye Institute filed a Valentine’s Day love letter to the First Amendment with the Judicial Conference of the United States. The love letter, aka public comments, urged the conference to protect the free speech rights of Americans and reject proposed changes to court rules mandating that organizations filing amicus briefs in federal cases expose the private information of their donors.

The Buckeye Institute filed another lawsuit against the Ohio Association of Public School Employees (OAPSE) for its refusal to end its illegal wage theft. Swanner v. OPASE was filed in Lorain County Court of Common Pleas on behalf of Shannon Swanner of Norwalk, Ohio. “Apparently, death and taxes aren’t the only things that are certain. According to OAPSE, so are union dues.”

The Buckeye Institute testified before the Ohio House Energy Committee on the policies in Ohio House Bill 15—many of which were recommended by The Buckeye Institute and American for Prosperity-Ohio in Better Energy Policy for Ohio. The policies, if adopted, would help ensure a healthy supply of affordable, reliable energy to meet the state’s rising consumer demands.

The Buckeye Institute testified before the Ohio House Medicaid Committee, offering several reforms Ohio can make to enhance Medicaid’s integrity and safeguard the program against potential rule changes in Washington. With potential rule changes from Washington, Hederman offered three reforms Ohio can make to strengthen Medicaid’s integrity.

The Buckeye Institute testified before the Ohio Senate Higher Education Committee on policies in Ohio Senate Bill 1, which, if adopted, would improve higher education in Ohio by increasing accountability. In his testimony, Greg R. Lawson, a research fellow at The Buckeye Institute, praised America’s higher education system, pointing out that it “has long been the envy of the world” and noted that the policies in Senate Bill 1 could help address the systemic and cultural problems facing Ohio’s public universities. 

The Buckeye Institute filed an amicus brief in Ryan LLC v. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Buckeye argues that the FTC exceeded its statutory authority when it regulated employment contracts by drastically limiting noncompete clauses. “One hundred and fourteen years after the Federal Trade Commission Act was adopted, the FTC is asserting that it suddenly possesses not only the expertise but the authority to regulate noncompete clauses in employment contracts. It does not.” 

In a new policy brief, Building a Responsible, Pro-Growth Budget, The Buckeye Institute offers forward-looking policies that Ohio lawmakers should adopt in the next budget to “begin improving Ohio’s tomorrow today.” “By taking strategic, responsible steps to restrain public spending, promote economic growth, and reform failed government and education systems, Ohio can better align fiscal, tax, and education policies with the economic realities of the 21st century.”