State Watch

New report: California Coastal Commission has collected nearly $50 million from property owners since 2016

The California Coastal Commission has long been described as the most powerful land use authority in the United States. A new PLF report puts some hard numbers behind that reputation.The Power of Puni...

2026-03-20

The state wants to track lobstermen’s every move. One is asking the Supreme Court to end it.

Everyone in Vinalhaven knows two things: the weather and the price of a lobster — $6.Ten miles off the coast of Maine, this rugged outcropping of fewer than 1,300 people is one of the cradles of the N...

2026-03-20

The Charleston Post and Courier: South Carolina can modernize regulation and grow faster

South Carolina's economy is strong. But from the Lowcountry to the Upstate, anyone who has tried to start or expand a business knows red tape isn't an abstraction. It shows up as thousands of sometime...

2026-03-20

Washington activist continues legal challenge to unpayable fines

Tim Eyman is trapped by an unpayable debt that's growing daily. Between fines, attorney fees, and ever-increasing interest, the State of Washington expects him to find and turn over $8 million. Since ...

2026-03-19

Who owns the rain? When government regulation loses common senseÂ

There are moments when you hear a legal argument and wonder whether common sense has quietly left the building.Take the case of an Oregon man who went to jail in 2012 for collecting rainwater in basin...

2026-03-18

California Globe: In California, You Can Do Everything Right, and Still Get Crushed

Take an oil and gas operator who spends millions upgrading equipment, filing emissions reports, and complying with air-quality rules that change more often than a coastal forecast. Every form is filed...

2026-03-18

How a Policy Interpretation turned Title IX against itself

When Title IX was passed in 1972, it promised to provide men and women with equal access to opportunities like scholarships, athletic programs, and extracurriculars. It was a beacon of progress in the...

2026-03-17

A rancher’s land dispute could prompt SCOTUS to clarify sovereign immunity

Tammy Blakey's career as an airline captain took her all over the world from Shanghai to the Middle East. Now retired, she may soon be heading to the most exotic location yet: The Supreme Court.In 199...

2026-03-17

Wyoming county apologizes for wrongful fee, pays family back

In early March, Wyoming homeowners Shelby and Trey Scharp received an unusual letter from their county government.  The letter began,"Teton County made a mistake. We required you to pay an affor...

2026-03-13

New York says helping your neighbors understand a court form is a crime

In New York, a debt collector can sue you for money you don't owe—and win, if you don't respond. These debt-collection lawsuits aren't uncommon; they make up roughly a quarter of all cases filed in Ne...

2026-03-13

Parents challenge Boston’s tier-based school admissions as unconstitutional

This week, PLF brought its challenge to a Boston public school's admissions system before the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. PLF senior attorney Chris Kieser delivered oral arg...

2026-03-13

El Gobernador Newsom y la Primera Pareja Siebel Newsom incorporan a la 19.ª generación al Salón de Fama de California

2026-03-20

Governor Newsom, First Partner Siebel Newsom induct 19th Class of the California Hall of Fame

2026-03-20

Attorney General Bonta and Law Enforcement Partners Dismantle Narcotics Trafficking Ring, 20 Arrested

March 20, 2026Contact: (916) 210-6000, [email protected]— California Attorney General Rob Bonta, in coordination with state and local law enforcement, today announced the results of a...

2026-03-20

Don’t Touch That Dial: Attorney General Bonta Files Emergency Motion to Stop Nexstar/Tegna Merger

March 20, 2026Contact: (916) 210-6000, [email protected]— California Attorney General Bonta today led a coalition of eight attorneys general in filing amotion for a temporary restraining...

2026-03-20