The Regulatory Action Center Review – July 22, 2018

Video of the Week: In this video, political columnist and Reason Magazine contributor Kristin Tate explains the myths behind efforts to regulate the use of plastic straws.

Deregulating Manufacturing: A Success Story

During the 2016 presidential election, then-candidate Donald Trump campaigned heavily on rejuvenating American manufacturing. Thomas A. Hemphill, a Professor of Strategy, Innovation and Public Policy at the University of Michigan-Flint and a policy advisor with the Heartland Institute, analyses the success of the Trump Administration’s deregulatory efforts. Full Article: Manufacturing and Trump’s Deregulation Agenda

Virginia Considering Requiring Parents to Train to Help at Preschool

When examining new rules created by government regulators, a common thread often appears: new regulations often provide a solution in search of a problem. Regulators with Virginia’s Department of Social Services have recently advanced a proposal to require parents who send their children to cooperative preschool to undergo 30 hours of training before assisting for a few hours a month at the school. Ilya Shapiro argued against the new regulations in a recent article published by the Cato Institute, arguing the training would be pointlessly preparing parents to “help in the classroom a few hours each month, completing daunting tasks like passing out snacks and sweeping the floors”. Full Article: Virginia Considers Making Parents Train for 30 Hours to Help at Their Kids’ Preschool

Would EU-Style Privacy Regulations benefit Americans?

As major social media outlets continue to develop strategies to improve user privacy protections, a number of so-called technology policy experts have called for European Union-style privacy regulations. Alan McQuinn, senior policy analyst with the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, and Daniel Castro, vice president of ITIF, discuss a recent study published by their organization demonstrating the unsuccessful nature of the EU’s draconian regulations. McQuinn and Castro conclude: “Going down Europe’s path for strict data protections will come with costs that will hurt both the U.S. digital ecosystem and consumers”. Full Article: More privacy regulations don’t spur more innovation

How Taxis Can Keep Up with the Free Market

The rise of inexpensive and consumer friendly ride-sharing platforms, such as Uber and Lyft, has increasingly threatened the financial viability of government subsidized taxi systems in cities across the United States. Jason Sneed, a Policy Analyst with the Heritage Foundation, highlights the negative impacts of New York City’s regulatory medallion system. Sneed writes: “Perpetuating the medallion system will only cement a cronyist oligarchy, lock another generation of driver owners in government-mandated debt, and force consumers to foot the bill”. Full Article: New York Taxis Want to Kick Out Uber and Lyft. They Should Be Targeting Regulations.

Would Banning E-Cigarette Flavors Do More Harm than Good?

In response to the rising popularity of e-cigarette products, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gotleib has proposed a ban on flavored e-cigarette flavors. Michelle Minton, a senior fellow with the Competitive Enterprise Institute, responded to the FDA proposal in a recent article. Minton argues: “While predictably sold as a means of protecting children from becoming attracted to these products, such a ban will do more harm than good for smoking cessation efforts”. Full Article: For Sake of Public Health, FDA Should Not Ban E-cigarette Flavors

Strengthening Transparency in the EPA

The debate swirling around the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed rule to eliminate the use of secret science in rule-making, “Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science”, will continue until the EPA’s upcoming final decision. The Competitive Enterprise Institute’s Angela Logomasini wrote in favor of the EPA’s proposal last week, arguing the “EPA’s transparency rule will help bolster private pro-transparency efforts and should be the beginning of a government-wide effort”. Full Article: EPA Transparency Rule Will Bolster Science and Improve Rulemaking

Obama’s Legacy: Government Overreach

In the midst of the Trump Administration’s regulatory reform efforts, one seemingly obscure executive action taken under the Obama Administration has impacted local schools across the United States. The 2014 policy, established in the form of a ‘Dear Colleague’ letter, represented President Obama’s progressive approach to school discipline. The Heritage Foundation reports the policy, designed to address concerns of racial discrimination, “forbids not only disparate treatment in school discipline, but also disparate impact” to students of various racial and ethnic backgrounds. Full Article: Time for Secretary DeVos to Rescind Obama-Era School Discipline Policies

Other Articles:

Why Detroit is the most expensive city in America to buy car insurance

Pruitt’s Legacy At EPA

When the City Comes for Your Home-Based Business

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