The Docket: May 15, 2026
The Docket is PLF’s weekly newsletter covering the cases, clients, and policy battles shaping the future of liberty in America. You can catch up on last week’s Docket here and subscribe below to receive future editions in your inbox.
New PLF research explores why it’s almost impossible to open a mine in the U.S.; Iowa and Georgia sign pro-liberty reforms into law; and Dr. Sean McBride joins American Heroes to discuss his fight against California’s telehealth restrictions.
29 years to abundance: Why U.S. mines never open
Despite growing demand for critical materials like copper and lithium—which can be found in abundance in the United States—opening new mines is almost impossible.
PLF’s new report explores the legal barriers that have ballooned mine permitting in the U.S. to an average of 29 years—the second longest of any country in the world.
When the lowest bid isn’t good enough
Earle Asphalt Company has been building the infrastructure that holds New Jersey together since 1968. The company has grown into one of the state’s most established heavy civil contractors, with a workforce of 650 employees and a portfolio that includes major public projects like the New Jersey Turnpike.
When asked what differentiates his company from its competitors, owner Michael Earle didn’t mince words: “We all use the same equipment… we all use the same aggregates… The only difference that we have is our people, and we constantly try to showcase our people.”
Under New Jersey law, however, Earle Asphalt’s freedom to manage its workforce comes with strings attached. Now, Michael and his company are fighting back—with a federal lawsuit.
American Heroes: Is a doctor’s call a crime?
In this week’s episode of American Heroes, PLF’s Kathy Hoekstra sits down with Dr. Sean McBride, a nationally recognized radiation oncologist who has partnered with PLF to take on California’s telehealth restrictions.
Listen to the full 10-minute conversation—or catch the highlights—at the link below.
Georgia enacts new law to reduce agencies’ abuses of power
Earlier this week, Georgia took a crucial step toward limiting government overreach when Governor Brian Kemp signed House Bill 1247 into law. The bill requires courts to independently interpret laws and regulations without deferring to government agencies.
“By adopting key reforms like this, Georgia is making it abundantly clear that bureaucrats do not have the power they’ve claimed,” said PLF’s Jaimie Cavanaugh. “This law rejects the notion that courts should act as rubber stamps for agencies’ abuses of power and instead affirms that they operate as neutral, independent arbiters.”
Iowa reform allows for new options for healthcare, expanding access and lowering costs
On Wednesday, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed legislation scaling back the State’s certificate of need (CON) laws, which require healthcare providers to receive a permission slip from their competitors before opening or expanding facilities.
PLF’s Kileen Lindgren celebrated the reform, noting that “when the government decides who gets to open a hospital or clinic, it’s consumers who pay the price, in higher costs and fewer choices.”
