MONTGOMERY, Ala.—Alabama is taking a major step forward for food entrepreneurs and consumers with Gov. Kay Ivey’s signature of SB160, which will lift Alabama’s restrictive $20,000 cap on gross sales, allow the sale of all shelf-stable foods and allow online sales and shipping. This will allow Alabamans who want to make a living selling delicious…

CLEARWATER, Fla.—Today, the owners of a Florida food truck filed suit in state court to protect their right to earn a living in the Tampa Bay area city they call home, Tarpon Springs. When Elijah Durham lost his job as a chef during the pandemic, he decided to become his own boss. He and his…

ARLINGTON, Va.—The U.S. Supreme Court today unanimously held that the government cannot enter people’s homes without a warrant on the pretense of acting as “community caretakers.” Today’s opinion in Caniglia v. Strom closely tracks arguments made in an amicus brief submitted by the Institute for Justice. The case involved police entering the Caniglia family home…

Arlington, Virginia—Four years ago, Luke Stewart was roused awake by a police officer knocking on his car window after a neighbor called to report a suspicious man asleep in a car. Stewart, who was unarmed and waiting for his friend to return home, did not do anything to threaten the officer, but the situation quickly…

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Gov. Ron DeSantis today signed Senate Bill 148, allowing Florida restaurants to permanently provide to-go cocktails to customers. An executive order provided a lifeline to businesses during the pandemic, but it has also proved popular and safe. The Institute for Justice (IJ) supported the permanent change and applauds lawmakers for giving businesses the freedom…

ARLINGTON, Va.—Yesterday, Gov. Greg Gianforte signed SB 374 into law, allowing doctors in Montana to dispense prescribed medications directly to their patients, a practice known as “doctor dispensing.” The bill was proposed following a lawsuit filed in June 2020 by the Institute for Justice (IJ) on behalf of Dr. Carol Bridges, Dr. Cara Harrop and…

LOS ANGELES—In March, federal agents seized the contents of hundreds of security deposit boxes at a Beverly Hills facility absent any evidence that the people who rented those boxes did anything wrong. Yesterday evening, the Institute for Justice (IJ) weighed into that dispute with a friend-of-the-court brief urging U.S. District Court Judge R. Gary Klausner…

HELENA, Mont.—Tomorrow, Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte is expected to sign HB 279, a bill dramatically expanding the state’s educational choice program and allowing hundreds more children to participate. The program offers students scholarships to attend the private school of their choice and is funded by private donations for which the donor may claim a tax…

OKLAHOMA CITY—Today, Gov. Kevin Stitt signed the Homemade Food Freedom Act into law. The Oklahoma Legislature unanimously approved the bill, making it the fifth state to embrace “food freedom” by allowing homemade food entrepreneurs to sell a variety of products in new ways without needless red tape. Effective November 1, 2021, homemade or “cottage food”…

PHOENIX—Arizona Governor Doug Ducey on Wednesday signed a bipartisan bill (HB 2810) that strengthens due process protections for property owners facing civil forfeiture. The bill had received overwhelming bipartisan support in both the House—which approved it 57-2—and Senate—which approved it 29-1. Arizona, which adopted some reforms in 2017, joins a growing list of states that…

COLUMBIA, S.C.—Today, the South Carolina Court of Appeals reversed a lower court decision dismissing online vision testing company Visibly’s lawsuit against the state. This means that Visibly’s lawsuit can proceed, which could have far-reaching implications for economic freedom in South Carolina. Visibly’s innovative technology allows patients to take an online vision test and have their…

Federal judge decries “Constitution-free zone” that courts have created in which “individuals whose constitutional rights are violated at the hands of federal officers are essentially remedy-less.” Arlington, Virginia—On May 20, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to consider whether to grant review in yet another police brutality case, this time involving a 70-year-old veteran who…

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y.—When every effort to stop a business from operating on its property has failed, can the government just take the land using eminent domain? That is the question at the heart of a new lawsuit filed by the owners of Brinkmann’s Hardware, a family-owned business with several Long Island locations that has teamed…

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—The Florida Legislature today approved a bill that will make it easier to start and run homemade food businesses, opening the door to new women-owned businesses throughout Sunshine State. House Bill 663, named the “Home Sweet Home Act,” reforms rules on selling shelf-stable homemade food, commonly known as cottage foods. Florida law currently includes…

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Under a newly passed bill, Floridians will find it easier to start and run home-based businesses. House Bill 403, which has now passed both the Florida House and Senate, standardizes rules for operating businesses inside of a home. The bill bans city and county governments from regulating work that happens strictly inside a residence.…

The Arizona Senate on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved a bipartisan bill (HB 2810) that would strengthen due process protections for property owners facing civil forfeiture. Under civil forfeiture, law enforcement agencies can seize and keep property without ever charging the owner with a crime. Worse, police and prosecutors can keep 100% of the forfeited proceeds, creating…

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—With the passage of Senate Bill 148, Florida restaurants are a big step closer to being able to permanently provide to-go cocktails to customers. An executive order has provided a lifeline to businesses during the pandemic, but it has also proved popular and safe. The Institute for Justice (IJ) supported the permanent change and…

TAMPA, Fla.—In a blow to property rights, on Monday a federal judge upheld fines against Jim Ficken, a Dunedin property owner who was assessed $30,000 in fines and threatened with foreclosure for the offense of tall grass. Jim, who is represented by the Institute for Justice (“IJ”), plans to appeal the district court’s decision. If…

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed a bill (HB 1746) on Tuesday that will make it much easier for people to enter and work in the beauty industry. Previously, washing, cleansing, blow drying, brushing, or combing hair required a cosmetologist license, a credential that takes at least 1,500 hours of training and can cost tens of…

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—The Legislature today approved a bill that would make it easier for many Floridians to work. House Bill 735 bans Florida municipalities and counties from creating additional licensing requirements for a long list of occupations. For instance, should the bill become law, cities could no longer create new local occupational licenses for handyman services.…