Week in Review: Liberty rings across America

January 9, 2018

From restoring free speech on campus in Nebraska to expanding school choice in New Hampshire, the movement to advance individual liberty echoed across America this week. We’re proud to say that both policies are rooted in work done by the Goldwater Institute.

Free speech on campus in Nebraska

Nebraska is the latest in a growing list of states to consider legislation to restore free speech on college campuses, inspired by a model bill released by the Goldwater Institute. North Carolina enacted similar legislation in August, the University of Wisconsin and University of North Carolina adopted Goldwater-style policies to protect speech last year, and related legislation is in the works in 12 other states.

In 2017, the Goldwater Institute released the report Campus Free Speech: A Legislative Proposal, which included a model bill outlining a series of provisions designed to “encourage students and administrators to respect and protect the free expression of others.”

“It is inspiring to see the state of Nebraska take campus free speech rights seriously and move toward protecting free expression throughout the University of Nebraska system,” said Goldwater Institute senior attorney Jim Manley, who is a co-author of the model legislation that inspired the Nebraska bill. “Should this new bill become law, it would create greater accountability regarding the preservation of free speech rights for all on NU campuses.”

School choice in New Hampshire

New Hampshire is on course to become the newest state to expand opportunities in education with an education savings account program. On Wednesday, the state’s House of Representatives voted to institute the program for many students, giving them and their parents more control over a wide range of education options.

Six states have already created education savings accounts, which give parents the flexibility to use their child’s share of school funding to help pay for tutoring, online classes, private school tuition or other learning tools. The policy, which is based on Goldwater Institute research, has been implemented in Arizona, Nevada, Mississippi, Tennessee, Florida, and North Carolina.

“Parents and students should be allowed to create a custom education that works best for them,” said Jonathan Butcher, Goldwater Institute Senior Fellow.

This year, the Goldwater Institute is celebrating its 30th year of working in capitols, courtrooms and communities nationwide to empower all Americans live freer, happier lives. Stay tuned for more news about our anniversary celebration.

Liberty in the News

• Everyone has the right to support causes they believe in and to do so privately. But that right is under attack, as Goldwater senior attorney Matt Miller explains in a new article about laws that are putting donor privacy in jeopardy.
• Greater consumer and entrepreneurial choice will drive down costs and save lives in the dental healthcare market. Grover Norquist and Don Berwick write about how states that allow the licensing of dental therapists can help the millions of Americans suffering from a lack of access to dental care.
• The state of Maine requires a government license for more than 200 types of jobs, restraining citizens’ right to earn a living. In a new article, Jacob Posik of the Maine Heritage Policy Center calls on the state to consider The Right to Earn a Living Act, a policy developed by the Goldwater Institute that restores an individual’s right to enter the profession of their choice.