Robert Alt, president and chief executive officer of The Buckeye Institute, commented on Ohio’s newly-introduced capital budget, which appropriates nearly $3.7 billion in state spending, saying, “In order to eliminate Ohio’s income tax altogether, though, the General Assembly will need to reduce state spending, including through its capital budget. Continuing with business as usual does not lay the foundation for Ohio to join the no-state-income-tax club.”

The Buckeye Institute filed an amicus brief in Khatibi v. Lawson, calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to tell California that medical professionals do not relinquish their First Amendment rights when the state licenses them. “The state of California has a right to ensure doctors and other medical professionals are qualified to do their jobs. It does not have the right to force these professionals to parrot the government’s position on controversial topics.”

The Buckeye Institute sent a demand letter to Cleveland calling for the city to end its numerous, unconstitutional, and discriminatory race-based contracting programs and requirements. The Buckeye Institute informed Cleveland that its programs and practices violate the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and several U.S. Supreme Court decisions. “Failure to end these discriminatory programs leaves the city open to legal action, and The Buckeye Institute stands ready to assist any individual or business denied access to any contracting opportunities based on race.”

The Buckeye Institute filed its amicus brief in Suncor Energy v. County Commissioners of Boulder County, calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to stop climate activists from using the courts to dictate America’s energy policy and impose a de facto nationwide carbon tax. “Failing to achieve a carbon tax through the normal legislative process, this case represents the latest effort of climate activists to implement their preferred policy—net-zero carbon emissions—through litigation rather than legislation.”

The Buckeye Institute commented on the April 2026 jobs report from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, saying, “In April, Ohio’s unemployment rate fell from 4.1 to 3.9 percent, significantly better than the national average. Although—as reflected in the slide in Ohio’s labor force participation rate—the drop in unemployment is primarily due to unemployed Ohioans no longer looking for work, and mirrors a similar decline seen in the national labor force participation rate.”

It is with tremendous pride that The Buckeye Institute announces our intrepid president and chief executive officer Robert Alt will be recognized with the 2026 Thomas A. Roe Award for Excellence in Leadership. Established in 1992 and named after the now-late businessman and generous philanthropist, the Thomas A. Roe Award pays tribute to those whose achievements have greatly advanced public policy solutions grounded in free-market principles—particularly in the state policy movement—recognizing leadership, innovation, and accomplishment.

The Buckeye Institute submitted written testimony to the Ohio House Energy Committee on Ohio House Concurrent Resolution 35, which calls on Congress to expedite energy production. In his testimony, Greg R. Lawson, a senior research fellow at The Buckeye Institute, applauded lawmakers for adopting reforms championed by The Buckeye Institute and called House Concurrent Resolution 35 “the logical next step” to “modernize and streamline federal regulatory policies” and expedite energy production across the country to meet growing demand.

The Buckeye Institute submitted written testimony to the Ohio House Finance Committee on the policies in Ohio House Bill 413, which will shine a light on the work of local government. In his testimony, Greg R. Lawson, a research fellow at The Buckeye Institute, noted that local governments and jurisdictions are already required to make tax collection and spending information available upon taxpayer request. House Bill 413 simply “streamlines that process.”

America’s upcoming 250th birthday offered a special opportunity to examine how we, as a nation, teach the American Founding. That was the focus of The Fund for American Studies’ 2026 Annual Conference, “Developing Courageous Leaders: Revitalizing Civic Education and America’s Founding Principles.” Robert Alt, The Buckeye Institute’s president and CEO, joined the discussion on a panel “Protecting Liberty Through Separation of Powers,” which also featured Judge Janice Rogers Brown, U.S. Circuit Court Appellate Judge, D.C. Circuit (retired).

In a new policy memo, The Buckeye Institute urged Ohio policymakers to pursue reforms to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to avoid being hit with a $321 million bill for high rates of fraud, waste, and abuse. Rea S. Hederman Jr., vice president of policy at The Buckeye Institute, outlined reforms that are necessary because the federal government “now requires states with a six percent or higher erroneous payment rate to pay between five and 15 percent of benefit costs.”