Better living through better policy.

Category: Legal and Judicial

Albuquerque Journal Covers SPPI’s Legal Victory in Public Records Lawsuit

Post author By Southwest Public Policy Institute
Post date May 16, 2025
No Comments on Albuquerque Journal Covers SPPI’s Legal Victory in Public Records Lawsuit

The victory guarantees access to public vehicle data to investigate the impact of EV mandates on vulnerable communities.

Colorado Conservatism Culture Domestic Policy Economic Opportunity Economy Government Regulation Infrastructure & Technology Legal and Judicial Life Markets and Finance Political Thought Poverty & Welfare Poverty and Inequality Progressivism Public Opinion Technology Updates

Victory in Colorado: HB25-1282 Defeated

Post author By Patrick M. Brenner
Post date April 30, 2025
No Comments on Victory in Colorado: HB25-1282 Defeated

A harmful swipe fee price control bill was defeated in the Senate after passing the House, marking a major victory for economic freedom.

Tags Competition, Credit, Credit Card, Credit Card Rewards Programs, Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, Durbin Amendment, Interchange Fees, Swipe Fees, Taxes

Budget and Spending Courts Culture Domestic Policy Economy Energy & Environment Energy Economics Government Regulation Government Spending Government Transparency and Accountability Infrastructure & Technology Legal Legal and Judicial Markets and Finance New Mexico Renewable Energy SPPI v New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department Taxes Technology Top Issues Transparency Transportation Updates

New Mexico Agency Ordered to Pay $30K After Losing Transparency Lawsuit

Post author By Southwest Public Policy Institute
Post date April 30, 2025
1 Comment on New Mexico Agency Ordered to Pay $30K After Losing Transparency Lawsuit

SPPI won against New Mexico’s Taxation and Revenue Department for violating public records law.

Tags Electric Vehicle Mandates, Electric Vehicles, Government Transparency, Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA), Lawsuit, New Mexico Department of Taxation and Revenue (NMTRD), New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division (MVD), Open Government, Transparency

Budget and Spending Conservatism Culture Domestic Policy Government Spending Government Transparency and Accountability Health Care Legal and Judicial Life New Mexico Political Thought Poverty & Welfare Poverty and Inequality Progressivism Public Health Public Opinion Security Top Issues Updates

Santa Fe New Mexican: Don’t waste the windfall; Use opioid settlement funds where they count

Post author By Patrick M. Brenner
Post date April 28, 2025
No Comments on Santa Fe New Mexican: Don’t waste the windfall; Use opioid settlement funds where they count

Originally published at santafenewmexican.com on April 26, 2025. America may finally be turning a corner in the opioid crisis. For the first time in years, overdose deaths are declining. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported a 17% decrease in opioid-related fatalities between July 2023 and July 2024: a promising sign that prevention and […]

Tags Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Drugs, Fentanyl, Nitazenes, Opioid, Opioid Crisis, Overdose

Conservatism Culture Domestic Policy Government Regulation Government Transparency and Accountability Health Care Legal and Judicial Life New Mexico Political Thought Progressivism Public Health Public Opinion Security Top Issues Updates

Ensuring Accountability and Impact in Opioid Settlement Spending

Post author By Patrick M. Brenner
Post date April 15, 2025
2 Comments on Ensuring Accountability and Impact in Opioid Settlement Spending

The $26 billion opioid settlement offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity to combat America’s deadliest drug crisis, if states and localities spend the funds transparently, strategically, and solely on opioid abatement.

Tags Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Drugs, Fentanyl, Nitazenes, Opioid, Opioid Crisis, Overdose

Alaska Arizona California Colorado Culture Domestic Policy Economic Opportunity Economy Government Regulation Legal and Judicial Life Markets and Finance Nevada New Mexico Oklahoma Political Thought Poverty & Welfare Poverty and Inequality Public Opinion Texas The Constitution Top Issues Updates Utah

Fox Business: Credit card rewards are about to vanish, and guess who’s to blame?

Post author By Patrick M. Brenner
Post date April 5, 2025
1 Comment on Fox Business: Credit card rewards are about to vanish, and guess who’s to blame?

This isn’t just about miles and points; it’s about economic freedom and financial choice.

Tags Banking, Consumerism, Credit, Credit Card Rewards, Credit Card Rewards Programs, Credit Cards, Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, Durbin Amendment, Finance, Interchange Fees, Summer Vacation, Swipe Fees, Travel

Alaska Arizona California Colorado Conservatism Courts Culture Domestic Policy Economic Opportunity Economy Government Regulation Legal and Judicial Life Markets and Finance Nevada New Mexico Oklahoma Political Thought Poverty & Welfare Poverty and Inequality Progressivism Public Opinion Texas The Constitution Top Issues Updates Utah

American Banker: Death by a thousand caps—State laws could kill credit card rewards

Post author By Patrick M. Brenner
Post date March 29, 2025
No Comments on American Banker: Death by a thousand caps—State laws could kill credit card rewards

A group of states are pursuing similar efforts to cap credit card interchange fees, endangering rewards programs that customers value, and raising concerns about an illegal interstate compact.

Tags Credit Card Rewards Programs, Credit Cards, Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, Durbin Amendment, Interchange Fees, MasterCard, Price Controls, Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS), Swipe Fees, Transactions, Visa

Colorado Conservatism Culture Domestic Policy Economic Opportunity Economy Government Regulation Legal and Judicial Life Markets and Finance Political Thought Poverty & Welfare Poverty and Inequality Progressivism Public Opinion Top Issues Updates

Colorado’s House Bill 1282 Swipe Fee Legislation: A Price Control by Another Name

Post author By Patrick M. Brenner
Post date March 24, 2025
No Comments on Colorado’s House Bill 1282 Swipe Fee Legislation: A Price Control by Another Name

Colorado’s interchange swipe fee cap will ultimately harm small businesses, drive up banking costs, and gut credit card rewards.

Tags Competition, Credit, Credit Card, Credit Card Rewards Programs, Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, Durbin Amendment, Interchange Fees, Swipe Fees, Taxes

Alaska Conservatism Culture Domestic Policy Economic Opportunity Economy Government Regulation Legal and Judicial Life Markets and Finance New Mexico Political Thought Poverty & Welfare Poverty and Inequality Progressivism Public Opinion Technology Testimony Top Issues Updates

Fighting Back Against Rate Caps in Alaska: SPPI’s Testimony on Senate Bill 39

Post author By Patrick M. Brenner
Post date March 24, 2025
No Comments on Fighting Back Against Rate Caps in Alaska: SPPI’s Testimony on Senate Bill 39

Last week, I had the opportunity to testify before the Alaska Senate Finance Committee on the dangers of Senate Bill 39, a proposal to impose a 36% APR cap on consumer credit. Additional testimony was submitted to the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee before the bill was advanced to the Senate Finance Committee. This legislation […]