Articles

Courts shouldn't throw out our claims before we have the chance to prove them

August 01, 2016 | By ANASTASIA BODEN

Over half of states have laws that require entrepreneurs to get permission from existing businesses to open up shop.  We call these laws “Competitor’s Veto” laws, and we’ve challenged them successfully in Oregon, Missouri, Kentucky, and Montana.  Now we’re challenging them in West Virginia on behalf of Arty Vogt.  ...

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White House licensing report : what about the Competitor’s Veto?

August 05, 2015 | By TIMOTHY SANDEFUR

One thing the White House’s report on occupational licensing laws unfortunately left out completely is Competitor’s Veto laws: laws that forbid people from entering a business not because they are unskilled or unqualified, but solely and explicitly because existing businesses don’t want competition. While other kinds of occupation ...

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Nevada Governor Sandoval sides with the cronies…and against Nevadans

June 10, 2015 | By TIMOTHY SANDEFUR

Sad news from Carson City today, where Gov. Brian Sandoval has chosen to keep in place the nation’s most anti-competitive licensing law. This morning, Sandoval announced his veto of SB 183, a bill that would have opened the market for entrepreneurs to freely compete for jobs running moving companies, or taxi or limo companies. The … ...

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Montana tries to get our Competitor's Veto lawsuit kicked out of court

April 02, 2015 | By ANASTASIA BODEN

Today we asked a Federal court not to throw out our case challenging Montana’s Competitor’s Veto law.  Our client, Tracie Pabst, has owned shuttle companies in Montana, North Dakota, New Mexico, and Texas, and has provided service to over 170,000 passengers without a single accident or moving violation.  Now she wants to open a taxi ...

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Testimony to the Nevada Senate : Competitor's Veto laws are unconstitutional

March 18, 2015 | By ANASTASIA BODEN

Last week I testified to the Nevada Senate Committee on Transportation about the state’s Competitor’s Veto laws in the transportation industry.  The way these laws work is that when an applicant files a license for a limousine, taxi, or moving company, existing businesses have the right to protest that application.  Existing firms can ...

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How business friendly is Nevada, really?

February 27, 2015 | By TIMOTHY SANDEFUR

The Sacramento Bee‘s Dale Kasler has an in-depth article about our latest Competitor’s Veto lawsuit, challenging Nevada’s laws that bar people from starting moving businesses, limo companies, or taxi businesses, if they would compete with existing companies. As he points out, Nevada has tried hard to persuade California business o ...

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PLF declares war on Competitor's Veto laws

February 19, 2015 | By TIMOTHY SANDEFUR

This morning, PLF is announcing its new nationwide campaign against “Certificate of Convenience and Necessity” laws. These are licensing requirements that apply to taxi and limo companies, moving companies, ambulances, even car dealerships and hospitals. We call these laws “Competitor’s Veto” laws because they allow e ...

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You shouldn’t have to ask your competitors for permission to start a business

February 19, 2015 | By ANASTASIA BODEN

Should existing businesses have the power to veto new enterprises?  Nevada thinks so.  We don’t. Ron and Danell Perlman are the owner-operators of Reno Tahoe Limousine, based in Reno, Nevada.  They own seven limousines that they use for trips within the state, and an additional eight limousines that that they use for trips between Californ ...

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Montana's roadblocks to new taxi services

February 13, 2015 | By TIMOTHY SANDEFUR

The Missoulian today carries my article about our economic liberty lawsuit on behalf of Montana businesswoman Tracie Pabst: Pabst owns Big Sky Shuttle, a transportation company that operates in Texas and New Mexico – but not Montana. She would like to offer taxi service in her hometown of Big Sky, and with nearly a decade of … ...