Reason Foundation

Federal transit programs need to be reformed to protect taxpayers, improve service - Reason Foundation With costs increasing and transit ridership declining in many cities, Congress needs a more constructive, results-driven approach to federal transit grants.

With costs increasing and transit ridership declining in many cities, Congress needs a more constructive, results-driven approach to federal transit grants.

Evidence, not fear, should guide the FDA’s vaping policies To reduce the spread of illicit products and improve public health outcomes, the FDA should authorize a broader range of regulated, appealing alternatives.

To reduce the spread of illicit products and improve public health outcomes, the FDA should authorize a broader range of regulated, appealing alternatives.

Proxy firms' lawsuits highlight need for public pension systems to prioritize investment returns When pension funds follow flawed advice, the result is lower returns and higher taxpayer costs.

When pension funds follow flawed advice, the result is lower returns and higher taxpayer costs.

Improving Kentucky's open enrollment program would help students and families - Reason Foundation Strengthening Kentucky’s student-transfer policies would further empower families with the freedom to choose public schools.

Strengthening Kentucky’s student-transfer policies would further empower families with the freedom to choose public schools.

State psychedelics legalization and policy roundup — August 2025 Arizona allocates funding for ibogaine research, Reason Foundation to testify at Mississippi informational hearing about ibogaine, and more.

Arizona allocates funding for ibogaine research, Reason Foundation to testify at Mississippi informational hearing about ibogaine, and more. #psychedelics

How the One Big Beautiful Bill Act taxes gamblers on money they didn’t keep When taxes make legal gambling punitive, players move underground—shrinking the legal industry, fueling illicit activity, and costing jobs and revenue.

When taxes make legal gambling punitive, players move underground, shrinking the legal industry, fueling illicit activity, and costing jobs and revenue.

Aviation Policy News: NTSB hearing details FAA institutional failure - Reason Foundation Plus: Using commercial space for return to the Moon, problems with U.S. remote towers, and more.

Using commercial #space for return to the Moon, problems with U.S. remote towers, and more in this edition of Robert Poole’s Aviation Policy News.

Institutional investors are not making housing more expensive Evidence shows institutional investors in housing rarely displace individuals from the housing market or increase prices.

Evidence shows that the presence of institutional investors in housing rarely displaces individuals from the housing market or increases prices.

A moratorium on state laws targeting AI would safeguard innovation and interstate commerce A federal moratorium on bills singling out artificial intelligence would help ensure that the U.S. remains fertile ground for technological growth.

A federal moratorium on bills singling out artificial intelligence would help ensure that the U.S. remains fertile ground for technological growth.

California is undoing pension reform without justification Legislative proposals would reintroduce long-term fiscal risks and obligations to taxpayers and future generations.

Legislative proposals would reintroduce long-term fiscal risks and obligations to taxpayers and future generations.

Supreme Court erodes online privacy and free speech in age verification ruling The ruling in 'Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton' marks a shift in how courts approach online age-verification laws targeting sexual content.

The ruling in 'Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton' marks a shift in how courts approach online age-verification laws targeting sexual content.

Why commercial space should lead the U.S. return to the moon NASA should adapt the public-private partnership approach that it has used successfully for cargo and crew delivery to and from the International Space Station.

NASA should adapt the public-private partnership approach that it has used successfully for cargo and crew delivery to and from the International Space Station. #space

Funding Education Opportunity: School districts slow to close schools despite losing students Plus, school choice news, and the latest legal woes for Ohio and Wyoming’s private school scholarship programs.

Between 2020 and 2024, public school student counts fell in 41 states.

Deepfakes, AI, and existing laws A nuanced policy response can address the challenges of deepfakes while preserving the benefits of creative and expressive digital technologies.

A nuanced policy response can address the challenges of deepfakes while preserving the benefits of creative and expressive digital technologies.

Arizona joins Texas in ibogaine clinical trial research push for veteran, first responder mental health Arizona is now the second state seeking to accelerate U.S. Food and Drug Administration clinical trials for ibogaine.

Arizona is now the second state seeking to accelerate U.S. Food and Drug Administration clinical trials for ibogaine.

Legal gambling enhances sports integrity—despite what critics claim In the shadowy world of illegal gambling, where there is no legal oversight, corruption is harder to detect and easier to profit from.

In the shadowy world of illegal gambling, where there is no legal oversight, corruption is harder to detect and easier to profit from. reason.org/commentary/l... @reason.org

Legal gambling enhances sports integrity—despite what critics claim In the shadowy world of illegal gambling, where there is no legal oversight, corruption is harder to detect and easier to profit from.

Legal gambling can help catch suspicious activity and game-fixing. Regulated sportsbooks first flagged unusual betting activity around NBA games and alerted authorities, triggering the investigations.

Nicotine pouch taxes undermine efforts to help smokers quit Rhode Island's new 80 percent tax increase on nicotine pouches threatens to undermine harm reduction efforts.

Rhode Island's new 80 percent tax increase on nicotine pouches threatens to undermine harm reduction efforts aimed at reducing smoking.

Debtor Nation 2025 At $36 trillion, the United States' debt-to-GDP ratio now exceeds 120%, surpassing the peak reached after World War II.

At $36 trillion, the United States' debt-to-GDP ratio now exceeds 120%, surpassing the peak reached after World War II.

Yes, sell some federal land. But that won’t help much on housing. A smart approach to federal land sales could strengthen rural economies, increase local property tax revenue, and bring environmental protection and land management under local oversight.

Congress can’t solve the housing crisis by selling federal land, but that doesn’t mean we should cling to an outdated land ownership model that serves nobody well.

Important public pension reforms are under threat in several states Policymakers seem ready to repeat pension errors that would increase debt and costs for taxpayers and state and local governments.

Policymakers seem ready to repeat pension errors that would increase debt and costs for taxpayers and state and local governments.

The ‘Montana Miracle’ continues through housing reform passed in 2025 These reforms are promising steps toward expanding Montana’s housing supply and bringing down home prices across the state.

These reforms are promising steps toward expanding Montana’s housing supply and bringing down home prices across the state.

Surface Transportation News: Indiana takes the lead on Interstate tolling - Reason Foundation Plus: Virginia plans missing link in Beltway managed lanes, dashboard screens vs. buttons, and more.

Virginia plans missing link in Beltway managed lanes, dashboard screens versus. buttons, and more in this edition of Robert Poole’s Surface Transportation News.

Public employees are not underpaid When adjusted for work hours, benefits, and aptitude, there is no meaningful compensation gap between equivalent public and private-sector employees.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, state and local public employees earn wages that are, on average, 26% higher than those of private sector workers. When benefits are taken into account, this disparity increases.

Healthy families start with compassionate policy: Addressing drug use during pregnancy Reason Foundation's new model legislation gives states a clear and actionable roadmap for protecting families and improving maternal health outcomes.

Reason Foundation's new model legislation gives states a clear and actionable roadmap for protecting families and improving maternal health outcomes.

Why “good cause” or “just cause” eviction risks undermine housing markets New York recently passed a law significantly restricting landlords’ ability to remove tenants and imposing new limits on rent increases.

New York recently passed a law significantly restricting landlords’ ability to remove tenants and imposing new limits on rent increases.

Walking away from the high-speed rail project would be best for taxpayers and the state Since studies show the train system would lose millions of dollars annually if it ever started operating, paying down the debt is still cheaper for taxpayers.

Since studies show the train system would lose millions of dollars annually if it ever started operating, paying down the debt is still cheaper for taxpayers.

Reducing harm, saving lives: the case for supervised drug consumption sites Supervised consumption sites offer a targeted, community-driven, and compassionate response to an urgent crisis.

Supervised consumption sites aren’t about growing government or endorsing drug use. Rather, they are a targeted, community-driven, and compassionate response to an urgent crisis.

Prisons selling vapes? Smart public health policy and a step toward autonomy behind bars Making vape pens available in prison commissaries could improve inmate health and lower prisons’ healthcare expenses without increasing risk to the public.

Making vape pens available in prison commissaries could improve inmate health and lower prisons’ healthcare expenses without increasing risk to the public.

Proposed I-5 express lanes would help Southern California's drivers and economy - Reason Foundation Express lanes would reduce congestion along the I-5 corridor. Less stop-and-go traffic also means the project would reduce emissions.

Express lanes would reduce congestion along the I-5 corridor. Less stop-and-go traffic also means the project would reduce emissions.