Ninth Circuit Rules Seattle “Fair Chance” Housing Ordinance Unconstitutional

March 23, 2023

Washington, D.C.; March 21, 2023: Today the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that the government cannot prevent landlords from asking about applicants’ criminal histories when selecting tenants.   In 2017, Seattle passed the “Fair Chance Housing Ordinance,” forbidding landlords from asking about or considering ...

The Hill: Seattle pays the price for CHAZ

March 20, 2023

Seattle just learned a valuable civics lesson: No matter how important the cause, government cannot deprive owners of the right to access their property without first paying for it. And if it does, it shouldn’t cover up evidence by deleting thousands of text messages. The city found this out the hard way when it paid … ...

A Massachusetts alpaca farmer fights government theft

March 20, 2023

It’s not often you come across a person who leaves behind a well-respected corporate job in engineering to become an alpaca farmer in rural Massachusetts. But there is nothing typical about Alan DiPietro. It isn’t just his impressive beard or his love for alpacas that makes Alan unique. What sets Alan apart from the rest … ...

Telegram & Gazette: Mass. property tax foreclosure laws harmful, inequitable

March 19, 2023

Last year, Deborah Foss was forced to live in her car during the coldest months of the year after New Bedford officials placed a tax lien on her home and sold it to a private company called Tallage for $9,626 — the total amount she owed, including interest. The tax lien gave the investor authority under … ...

Arkansas Governor signs bill protecting the right to equality before the law

March 15, 2023

The Arkansas legislature just passed a law that will help ensure public service workers are not prevented from serving on the Social Work Licensing Board because of their race. This comes as a huge relief to Pacific Legal Foundation client Stephen Haile, whose race has barred him from helping his community. Stephen and his wife … ...

Orange County Register: Ending home equity theft in California, once and for all

March 15, 2023

When the government seizes private property for a public use, the Constitution requires that the original owner must be compensated for the loss. But in California, the law provides a loophole for officials to take that same property for a public use without any compensation if the owner falls too far behind on property taxes. … ...

The Salt Lake Tribune: Utah must drop ban on boys in high school drill team

March 15, 2023

The state championships for Utah high school drill team concluded in early February. If you watched the competitions, you probably noticed there were no boys participating. That’s by design, but it’s also unconstitutional. Jayden Herman-Lopez graduated in 2021 from Granger High School in West Valley City. One of Jayden’s cherished ...

It’s a limited government, after all

March 14, 2023

Not every problem has a solution, but that doesn’t seem to stop the government from attempting to supply one—even if the solution will make things worse. And even if the government doesn’t have the authority to solve a particular problem. Recognizing the history of governments around the world to solve problems by controlling people&# ...

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March 13, 2023

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