Issues
Public policy is too important to be left just to the experts.
PRI’s work encompasses countless studies, commentary, books, podcasts, blog posts, and events surrounding our mission to promote the principles of individual freedom and personal responsibility. Our areas of research include health care, education, environment, innovation, California reform, and business economics. Explore our topics below.
Health Care
Most Recent Post:
Trump Takes Aim Hospitals’ Pricey Lack of Transparency
Sally C. Pipes
June 30, 2026
Americans typically know the price of a television, refrigerator, or airline ticket before they buy it. But when it comes to hospital care, many don’t learn the cost until the bill arrives. The Trump administration is trying to change that. Earlier this month, federal regulators ...
Most Recent Post:
Indiana’s Bears play could put taxpayers behind an $8 billion franchise
Anthony Velasquez
June 25, 2026
Illinois has plenty of problems. Its tax system is complicated, its approval process is slow, and its politics made the Arlington Heights path harder than it needed to be. In this case, though, Illinois not rushing into a special deal for the Bears was not ...
California Reform
Most Recent Post:
Let’s Make a Deal!
Pacific Research Institute
June 24, 2026
This week, Tim and Matt discuss the frantic, last-minute negotiations going on at the Capitol to try and avert expensive ballot proposition fights this fall. They also discuss ideas to reform California’s electoral system in light of the June primary, and what can be done ...
Education
Most Recent Post:
Alternative Catholic Education Models Gain Popularity and Attention
Lance Izumi
June 29, 2026
Recently, I had the pleasure of moderating a panel on alternative Catholic education models at a retreat conference for the Order of Malta, which is a lay order of the Catholic Church founded a millennium ago and which focuses on medical, social, and humanitarian aid ...
Environment
Most Recent Post:
California’s Bad Energy Policy Is the Real Threat to the AI Boom
Anthony Velasquez
June 30, 2026
In early 2026, data centers consumed roughly 1,000 megawatts of electricity, about 2% of California ISO’s peak load. The California Energy Commission projects that figure will reach 4,500 megawatts, or 9% of peak demand, by 2040. That projection sits on top of overall peak demand the CEC expects ...