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Connecting today’s news with the research & opinion you need.

Victory!

What to Know: The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate—the lynchpin of the law—unconstitutional, affirming an argument made by TPPF's attorney.

The TPPF Take: TPPF represented the individual plaintiffs in that case.

“This decision recognizes that Obamacare continues to injure millions of Americans like our clients who have lost their choice of doctor, suffered rationed care, and had their insurance costs skyrocket,” says TPPF’s Robert Henneke. “This puts us one step closer to eventually freeing the American people from Obamacare’s unconstitutional mandates and regulations. We will continue to fight to protect the rights of families and individuals as the case continues to proceed through the courts.”

Paid Sick Leave

What to Know: Cities attempting to pass mandatory paid sick leave ordinances are getting resistance from employers and workers, who are filing lawsuits.

The TPPF Take: The Texas Public Policy Foundation sued the city of Austin over its mandatory paid sick leave ordinance—and won.

“Leave policies are best negotiated between employer and employee without the imposition of a one-size-fits-all mandate from the city that may not be in either party’s best interests,” says TPPF’s Robert Henneke. “And because mandatory paid sick leave requires a higher level of compensation than the Texas minimum wage, these ordinances run afoul of the Texas Minimum Wage Act.”

Child Labor

What to Know: A new study shows the extent to which child labor is used to mine minerals needed for batteries in electric vehicles and other high-tech uses.

The TPPF Take: Renewable energy comes at a cost, which is rarely factored in by environmentalists.

“Los Angeles recently announced it will buy 112 electric buses from China, despite the fact that the cobalt in their batteries is mined by children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” says TPPF’s Mandy Gunasekara. “Instead of signaling moral superiority by trumpeting their expensive electric vehicle initiatives, California’s leaders should help curb this humanitarian crisis and join the fight to end poverty around the world through the power of affordable, reliable energy.”