America First Policy Institute Minnesota state chapter Executive Director Zach Freimark issued the following statement ahead of Governor Tim Walz’s eighth and final State of the State address. “Fraud is expected to be on the agenda—and it should be. But before he takes that podium, Minnesotans deserve the full accounting of what happened.”
North Carolina is on track for a major financial penalty that could cost taxpayers nearly $433 million if the state does not take control of its food stamp program. Right now, North Carolina ranks 31st nationally in SNAP payment accuracy, with an error rate of 10.21%. Under the Working Families Tax Cuts, any state with an error rate above 6% will soon be required to start paying a share of food benefit costs. That deadline is approaching fast. If North Carolina does not reduce its error rate by the end of 2026, the burden shifts directly to state taxpayers.
This model policy affirms the fundamental right of parents to make medical decisions for their children, including decisions regarding immunization. It restores the proper locus of decision-making by ensuring that choices regarding non-therapeutic medical interventions remain with families rather than institutions.
When a child has a fever, a doctor prescribes antibiotics, or a surgeon recommends an operation, parents must weigh the risks and benefits and decide what to do. American legal tradition entrusts parents to navigate these and other complex decisions on their children’s behalf (Parham v. J.R., 1979). The state should only become involved when parental choices place a child in immediate danger.
Chairman Allen, Ranking Member DeSaulnier, and members of the subcommittee. Thank you for inviting me to discuss legislation to codify the President’s Great Healthcare Plan and put patients first. My name is Hannah Anderson, and I lead Healthy America Policy at the America First Policy Institute (AFPI). We focus on patients-first health care, and like President Trump has declared -- transparency is a foundational piece in bringing about higher quality, lower prices, and a health care system that supports Americans taking back their health.
Los Angeles is one of the most expensive cities in the United States. The explanations most often offered—land scarcity, coastal geography, population density—are real but incomplete. Embedded in the cost of living in Los Angeles is a governance premium: the invisible surcharge that residents, ratepayers, and businesses pay because their city government has systematically chosen insiders over accountability.
You don’t need a policy brief or a speech from Washington to know when legislation is working. You see it in decisions made and discussions had around the kitchen table on thousands of family farming operations across our state.