Insights
Insights: analysis, research, and informed commentary from Sutherland experts. For elected officials and public policy professionals.
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Transparency is a constitutional check on federal agency power
Agencies have developed a practice of publishing enforcement manuals and sending letters and similar communications to explain how they understand the law, and by implication, how they plan to enforce it.
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Hurdles facing education choice programs across the nation
Education choice programs will need ongoing support and improvement. False narratives should be corrected, but real issues should be resolved.
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Free speech, not politics: Why the Supreme Court rejected Colorado’s counseling law
The Court’s decision in Colorado prioritized the Constitution over policy preferences and protected the integrity of our system.
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What Trump’s education budget means for state lawmakers in 2026
Trump’s new education budget seeks to reduce funding overall, eliminating and streamlining programs, similar to last year.
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The DOJ’s voter roll demand has a federalism problem
The DOJ’s attempt to obtain state voter registration information is hard to square with the constitutional arrangement.
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Sutherland Institute’s public comment on the new civics course standards
The passage of last year’s H.B. 381 and this year’s H.B. 312 and S.B. 268 adjust Utah’s civics and social studies requirements.
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Fair Treatment of Religious Organizations Act: Protecting religious freedom at the national level
This type of national legislation is an important supplement to state efforts, which cannot address disparate treatment of religious organizations by federal agencies.
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Does the most religious state need religious freedom protections?
In the recently concluded session of Utah’s legislature, three bills aimed at protecting religious freedom were approved. Why would the leaders of a highly religious community need religious freedom protections?
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Requiring school accreditation and education choice
Lawmakers should be cautious about introducing a requirement for accrediting private schools in education choice programs.
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Faith’s Quiet Advantage: New Research on Religion and Academic Outcomes
Religious schools make a unique and important contribution to student outcomes and to solving problems in higher education, such as accessibility, affordability, and attainability.