July 1999 PRI Ideas in Action
Policy Update and Monthly Impact Report

PRI continues to impact public policy in California, the nation, and abroad. The following is just a sample of PRI's recent contributions.

Freedom and Technology

On July 20, PRI released Governing Internet Privacy: A Free-Market Primer, by Justin Matlick. In this study, PRI’s Center for Freedom and Technology advances free-market solutions that both solve Internet problems and protect the economic forces that drive its potential. Wired News interviewed Justin about Internet privacy issues on July 26. The Heartland Institute published Justin’s article "Privacy on the Internet: The Best Policy is No Policy at All" in the July/August issue of Intellectual Ammunition.

Environment

On July 8, 1999 PRI released Ending California’s Water Crisis: A Market Solution to the Politics of Water. The press conference at the state capitol was attended by state Senator Ray Haynes and reporters from Capitol Public Radio, Copley News Service, and KXTV, the ABC affiliate in Sacramento. Author Erin Schiller and Steven Hayward, PRI’s director of the Center for Environmental and Regulatory Reform, fielded questions from the capitol press corps and outlined the practical applications of markets for water policy issues.

"Relying on the Markets for Water Allocation," by PRI policy fellow Liz Fowler, appeared in the Orange County Register on June 23 and the San Diego Union-Tribune on June 30. The June Pay Dirt (Bisbee AZ) mentions PRI’s 1999 Index of Environmental Indicators.

Education

"The failure of class-size reduction," by PRI fellow Tom Dawson, appeared in the July 7 San Diego Union Tribune. On July 22, the Orange County Register published "Testing the Teachers," by PRI editorial director Lloyd Billingsley, about upholding the California Basic Education Standards (CBEST) test.

Lance Izumi, co-director of PRI’s Center for School Reform, spoke at a July 6 press conference at the capitol in Sacramento on pending legislation that would increase regulation of charter schools. Lance cited PRI’s forthcoming study Expanding the Charter Idea. Also speaking at the press conference were Senators Tim Leslie, Charles Poochigian, and John Lewis, and Assemblyman Rico Oller.

On July 12, the Santa Cruz Sentinel interviewed Lance about academic standards in California. Lance’s commentary on State Education Secretary Gary Hart’s support for anti-charter school legislation aired July 27. Lance was quoted on school choice in the July 1 Orange County Register, the Porterville Recorder, and the July 2 Appeal-Democrat of Marysville, CA. The National Journal interviewed Lance about Prop. 227 on July 26, and on July 28 Lance discussed charter-school legislation on the "Lee Rogers Show," KSFO radio in San Francisco. "School choices for parents" quoted Lance Izumi in the Orange County Register. Lance attended the July 29-31 "Content and Character in Education" conference in Washington, D.C., co-sponsored by the Link Institute and the Center for Education Reform.

Lisa Mac Lellan, PRI’s director of research, attended the Liberty Fund Colloquium on "Liberty and Responsibility in Higher Education," in Aspen, Colorado, July 15-19.

On July 24, Pam Riley, co-director of PRI’s Center for School Reform, spoke about Oregon’s new charter law and the California charter-school experience at a conference for charter school developers organized by the Columbia Education Institute, in Portland, Oregon. Pam also attended Ed-Ventures ‘99, a July 29-31 Wisconsin conference sponsored by the Association of Educators in Private Practice (AEPP).

John Coons and Stephen Sugarman, authors of the PRI template Making School Choice Work for All Families, are cited by Matthew Miller in "A Bold Experiment to Fix City Schools," in the July Atlantic Monthly.

Civil Rights

On July 12, Naomi Lopez participated in the panel discussion "Do We Still Need Affirmative Action?" in Denver, CO, sponsored by the Education Commission of the States.

Enterprise and Opportunity

On July 20, the Institute for Policy Innovation (IPI) held a press conference in Washington, D.C. to release Barriers to Entrepreneurship, a study by PRI’s Naomi Lopez. Senator Kit Bond, Majority leader Dick Armey, Heritage Foundation regulatory analyst Angela Antonelli, IPI President Tom Giovanetti, and Naomi Lopez mediated the conference. The Heritage Foundation also hosted a July 20 luncheon featuring Naomi’s IPI study. Bloomberg TV interviewed Naomi about the study on July 21. In late June, CNN radio interviewed Naomi on labor conditions and economic indicators. "Preferences shift as wives gain earning power," by Knight Ridder News Service, quotes Naomi in the Times-News (Twin Falls, ID), July 1.

Health and Welfare

PRI released the Action Alerts "Are We Headed for a Medical Privacy Invasion?" by Sue Blevins and "Our Tenuous Privacy" by PRI fellow in health care studies, Dr. Mark Schiller. Both papers discussed medical privacy legislation. CEO policy fellow Joanna Elachi produced two Action Alerts: "Washington Welfare Reform: Quick Fix or CURE?" which stresses the importance of including community-based groups in post-welfare efforts, and "Big Brother Babysitting" which discussed the conflict between government policies and parental rights.

Events

PRI co-sponsored a colloquium on "Restoring the Right to Practice Medicine," from July 29-August 1 at Alden Vineyards. Speakers included University of Chicago law professor Richard Epstein, Tim Ferguson of Forbes magazine, and John Robson, a senior advisor with BancBoston/ Robertson Stephens. Sessions included "How to spur a public debate on health freedom." Sally Pipes, Naomi Lopez, and Cindy Sparks represented PRI.

Notables

Jennifer Berkowitz, PRI’s director of public affairs, and Lisa Mac Lellan attended the National Conference of State Legislatures in Indianapolis, Indiana, July 24-28.

On July 26, 1999, the Wall Street Journal published "More to Fear Than Fear Itself," a review of Walter Lacquer’s The New Terrorism, by PRI fellow Scott McConnell.

"Will Boomers Force Health Fixes?," by John Berlau, mentions the Pacific Research Institute in the July 20 Investor’s Business Daily.

"Grantmakers Declare War on Suburbs," by Daniel T. Oliver, quotes PRI’s Steven Hayward in Human Events, July 9.

"No more business as usual," by Lance T. Izumi, appeared in the July California Journal.

Register Now: Saturday, Octover 30, 1999, Lady Thatcher will address PRI’s 20^th anniversary gala privatization dinner at the Ritz-Carlton in San Francisco. Call Cindy Sparks at 415-989-0833.