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Royal Society of Edinburgh Announces Return of Enterprise Fellowship Programme for Postdoctoral Researchers
EDINBURGH, Scotland, Aug. 18 -- The Royal Society of Edinburgh issued the following news:
* * *
Enterprise Fellowship Scheme returns
The Royal Society of Edinburgh has announced the relaunch of its successful Enterprise Fellowship programme, which will support the next generation of entrepreneurial academics to turn their ideas into practical applications that improve the lives of ordinary Scots.
The renewed Fellowship is aimed at postdoctoral researchers based at a UK higher education institution looking to translate their research into a commercial venture.
Led by RSE Fellows Professor Simon ... Show Full Article EDINBURGH, Scotland, Aug. 18 -- The Royal Society of Edinburgh issued the following news: * * * Enterprise Fellowship Scheme returns The Royal Society of Edinburgh has announced the relaunch of its successful Enterprise Fellowship programme, which will support the next generation of entrepreneurial academics to turn their ideas into practical applications that improve the lives of ordinary Scots. The renewed Fellowship is aimed at postdoctoral researchers based at a UK higher education institution looking to translate their research into a commercial venture. Led by RSE Fellows Professor SimonBest, world-renowned cyclist Mark Beaumont, and other Fellows of the RSE, the scheme has returned following extensive work with previous Enterprise Fellows and the RSE's networks in the research and business communities.
Mark Beaumont FRSE said: "The RSE Enterprise Fellowship Scheme has a brilliant track record of transforming research into real world application and turning ambition into business success.
"We are excited to relaunch it in 2026, backing the next generation of entrepreneurs and bringing to life the RSE's motto of 'knowledge made useful' through funding, peer group learning and business-world experience."
The scheme originally ran between 1997 and 2021, supporting 272 Fellows from 36 UK universities, and created 166 new businesses. It was paused during the COVID-19 pandemic to be reviewed to ensure it properly met the changing needs of the business sector.
Enterprise Fellows receive financial support for their idea, one year's salary, as well as training, networking and mentorship from a wide range of Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and previous Enterprise Fellowship awardees.
Enterprise Fellowships are designed to enable individuals to commercialise the output of their academic research for the public good, while receiving business training and mentoring to bolster their chances of success.
The Fellowships, administered by the Royal Society of Edinburgh, include a development fund of up to pound sterling10,000 to develop their businesses. The business start-ups could be in a wide range of areas, including aerospace and defence, life sciences, manufacturing, chemical sciences, creative industries and tourism.
The renewed version of the Fellowships includes a potential extra pound sterling10, of funding specifically geared towards international expansion. This is intended to help Fellows broaden their commercial perspective, build lasting international relationships, learn from international best practice and strengthen links between Scotland's research and innovation community and key innovation centres across the world. This is a new addition to the scheme that was not part of the previous iteration.
Professor Simon Best FRSE, Chair of the Enterprise Fellowship , added: "I am very excited by the relaunch of the RSE's Enterprise Fellowships.
"We are ready to empower a new generation of serial entrepreneurs with realistic ambitions for global, social, and commercial impact. What sets this scheme apart is the depth of knowledge and the mentoring power, experience and networks of our Fellows - in Scotland, the UK and around the world."
Professor Caroline Barelle was part of the 2015 Enterprise Fellowship cohort. She had spent time in academia, gaining her PhD in biochemistry at the University of Aberdeen and then holding a post-doctoral position there, before working with major pharmaceutical company Wyeth, and latterly with Pfizer.
A bridge from research to business
Around that time she, along with her, team was made redundant by Pfizer, when they had been developing a library of antibody-like molecules that she believed could be put to use in combatting cancer and auto-immune conditions in humans.
Professor Barelle said: "The timing of my Enterprise Fellowship was absolutely perfect. I was just on the cusp of thinking I could start a biotech company, I knew the science because I had been a scientist for a long time - I knew hee-haw about business.
"I worked in science, I was a team leader at Wyeth and at Pfizer, these big pharmaceutical corporations, and also had experience in a small biotech company as well, but I was in the belly of the science.
"Never ever had I ever considered starting my own company and never ever would I have considered starting a biotech company - but I knew what the science could do and I was excited about it and myself and the team knew that the technology had legs and that it could do something for patients.
Perfect timing - and the gift of time
"The timing of the Enterprise Fellowship was absolutely critical for me. It was a year's worth of support, and the form it took was regular training with the rest of the Enterprise Fellows, business fundamentals, landscape scoping, market analysis, how to pitch.
"The other thing it gave me is it gave me time. Time is the most precious thing that anyone can give you. It gave me time to formulate the plan, to think through what we were going to do with the business."
The time was invaluable to Caroline and what would become Elasmogen, as the drug platform could theoretically be turned to many different uses in cancer treatment or auto-immune conditions. Eventually Caroline and her team have settled on a drug-conjugate system for anti-inflammatory uses in patients with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). HS is a chronic auto-immune condition chronic inflammatory skin condition characterised by painful lesions, abscesses and scarring, affecting various parts of the body. Beyond physical discomfort, HS has profound mental impact on people affected by it.
On the benefits of the Fellowship, Caroline added: "One: becoming business savvy; Two: time; and three is something that I maintain today is the power of the network which is great."
The importance of building relationships
Caroline was an RSE Enterprise Fellow in 2015, and maintains relationships with the other 2015 Fellows, as well as the previous Fellows who had already been through the process as the RSE keeps those networks alive through events and other means.
"Really what the Enterprise Fellowship gave me what that sense of: you can do it, Caroline, what's the worst that can happen?
"And you're mixing with people who are all giving it a go as well, which is really lovely, and then you maintain those relationships. Sometimes that might just be a digital coffee and put the world to rights, because it can be quite a lonely experience being a CEO of a small company.
Elasmogen is seeking new investors for their next stage of getting their drug through to the clinic.
After studying Business and Entrepreneurship at the University of Stirling, Callum Murray launched his first business, a painting and decorating contractor with a pound sterling1,000 startup support grant from the Prince's Trust.
From fast growth to court cases
Building a reputation for reliability and service, his company grew quickly from a standing start to a team of ten via client referral and ease of doing business with same day online quotes and mobile card payments.
Having progressed into larger scale clients across hotels, restaurants and construction contracts when the 2008 financial crash hit, the business collapsed whilst pursuing unpaid debts from large scale contractors. Callum navigated the civil court process whilst gaining judgment in his favour, the financial impact effectively ended the business entirely.
"It's a complex, time consuming and paper-based process to access legal help, it should be fast and easy regardless of who you are and what resources you have to make better decisions and navigate regulated services online"
Based on his experience, Callum set out with a group of co-founders to solve the problem and enable trusted routes to access help online.
Uncovering the upstream opportunity
In 2016, Callum secured an RSE Enterprise Fellowship, providing him the initial funding, network and support structure to develop further prototypes and engage with early prospective clients.
With a second-hand laptop and some introductions, the early feedback revealed a deeper issue: the real friction wasn't triaging legal cases or engaging with experts online, but navigating the paper driven compliance challenges to first engage with regulated professions, products and services.
"The feedback we got was that the cost, risk and complexity of doing business online meant that the real opportunity was to solve the onboarding compliance bottleneck".
Based on previous experience, he took the client feedback directly on board and shifted focus to build what the market actually wanted and needed to unlock the longer-term objective for Amiqus.
That pivot created the foundation of Amiqus.
Building for Scale
Callum credits the validation, credibility and initial network as an RSE Enterprise Fellow as a foundational advantage prior to engaging with external investors at the crucial early stages of Amiqus whilst pre product and pre revenue.
"The cohort learning based approach of the fellowship and the timing of support on our journey has played a huge part in our long-term success. It was a great early step whilst also proving that the intent and belief we had in Amiqus was also backed by the RSE."
Today, the business is delivering against a 10x growth plan and counts government, tier one banks and global scale organisations as clients with a team of 55 across the UK and annual revenues approaching pound sterling10 million.
From early validation and support as an RSE Fellow, Callum Murray has long term ambition and impact in mind for Amiqus whilst sharing time and support to other entrepreneurs as an alumni of the RSE fellowship programme.
Applications for the Enterprise Fellowship scheme open at 12pm on 17th August. The call closes on 12th October. Applications are made via the RSE's website.
* * *
Original text here: https://rse.org.uk/enterprise-fellowship-scheme-returns/
* * *
Enterprise Fellowship Scheme returns
The Royal Society of Edinburgh has announced the relaunch of its successful Enterprise Fellowship programme, which will support the next generation of entrepreneurial academics to turn their ideas into practical applications that improve the lives of ordinary Scots.
The renewed Fellowship is aimed at postdoctoral researchers based at a UK higher education institution looking to translate their research into a commercial venture.
Led by RSE Fellows Professor Simon ... Show Full Article EDINBURGH, Scotland, Aug. 18 -- The Royal Society of Edinburgh issued the following news: * * * Enterprise Fellowship Scheme returns The Royal Society of Edinburgh has announced the relaunch of its successful Enterprise Fellowship programme, which will support the next generation of entrepreneurial academics to turn their ideas into practical applications that improve the lives of ordinary Scots. The renewed Fellowship is aimed at postdoctoral researchers based at a UK higher education institution looking to translate their research into a commercial venture. Led by RSE Fellows Professor SimonBest, world-renowned cyclist Mark Beaumont, and other Fellows of the RSE, the scheme has returned following extensive work with previous Enterprise Fellows and the RSE's networks in the research and business communities.
Mark Beaumont FRSE said: "The RSE Enterprise Fellowship Scheme has a brilliant track record of transforming research into real world application and turning ambition into business success.
"We are excited to relaunch it in 2026, backing the next generation of entrepreneurs and bringing to life the RSE's motto of 'knowledge made useful' through funding, peer group learning and business-world experience."
The scheme originally ran between 1997 and 2021, supporting 272 Fellows from 36 UK universities, and created 166 new businesses. It was paused during the COVID-19 pandemic to be reviewed to ensure it properly met the changing needs of the business sector.
Enterprise Fellows receive financial support for their idea, one year's salary, as well as training, networking and mentorship from a wide range of Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and previous Enterprise Fellowship awardees.
Enterprise Fellowships are designed to enable individuals to commercialise the output of their academic research for the public good, while receiving business training and mentoring to bolster their chances of success.
The Fellowships, administered by the Royal Society of Edinburgh, include a development fund of up to pound sterling10,000 to develop their businesses. The business start-ups could be in a wide range of areas, including aerospace and defence, life sciences, manufacturing, chemical sciences, creative industries and tourism.
The renewed version of the Fellowships includes a potential extra pound sterling10, of funding specifically geared towards international expansion. This is intended to help Fellows broaden their commercial perspective, build lasting international relationships, learn from international best practice and strengthen links between Scotland's research and innovation community and key innovation centres across the world. This is a new addition to the scheme that was not part of the previous iteration.
Professor Simon Best FRSE, Chair of the Enterprise Fellowship , added: "I am very excited by the relaunch of the RSE's Enterprise Fellowships.
"We are ready to empower a new generation of serial entrepreneurs with realistic ambitions for global, social, and commercial impact. What sets this scheme apart is the depth of knowledge and the mentoring power, experience and networks of our Fellows - in Scotland, the UK and around the world."
Professor Caroline Barelle was part of the 2015 Enterprise Fellowship cohort. She had spent time in academia, gaining her PhD in biochemistry at the University of Aberdeen and then holding a post-doctoral position there, before working with major pharmaceutical company Wyeth, and latterly with Pfizer.
A bridge from research to business
Around that time she, along with her, team was made redundant by Pfizer, when they had been developing a library of antibody-like molecules that she believed could be put to use in combatting cancer and auto-immune conditions in humans.
Professor Barelle said: "The timing of my Enterprise Fellowship was absolutely perfect. I was just on the cusp of thinking I could start a biotech company, I knew the science because I had been a scientist for a long time - I knew hee-haw about business.
"I worked in science, I was a team leader at Wyeth and at Pfizer, these big pharmaceutical corporations, and also had experience in a small biotech company as well, but I was in the belly of the science.
"Never ever had I ever considered starting my own company and never ever would I have considered starting a biotech company - but I knew what the science could do and I was excited about it and myself and the team knew that the technology had legs and that it could do something for patients.
Perfect timing - and the gift of time
"The timing of the Enterprise Fellowship was absolutely critical for me. It was a year's worth of support, and the form it took was regular training with the rest of the Enterprise Fellows, business fundamentals, landscape scoping, market analysis, how to pitch.
"The other thing it gave me is it gave me time. Time is the most precious thing that anyone can give you. It gave me time to formulate the plan, to think through what we were going to do with the business."
The time was invaluable to Caroline and what would become Elasmogen, as the drug platform could theoretically be turned to many different uses in cancer treatment or auto-immune conditions. Eventually Caroline and her team have settled on a drug-conjugate system for anti-inflammatory uses in patients with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). HS is a chronic auto-immune condition chronic inflammatory skin condition characterised by painful lesions, abscesses and scarring, affecting various parts of the body. Beyond physical discomfort, HS has profound mental impact on people affected by it.
On the benefits of the Fellowship, Caroline added: "One: becoming business savvy; Two: time; and three is something that I maintain today is the power of the network which is great."
The importance of building relationships
Caroline was an RSE Enterprise Fellow in 2015, and maintains relationships with the other 2015 Fellows, as well as the previous Fellows who had already been through the process as the RSE keeps those networks alive through events and other means.
"Really what the Enterprise Fellowship gave me what that sense of: you can do it, Caroline, what's the worst that can happen?
"And you're mixing with people who are all giving it a go as well, which is really lovely, and then you maintain those relationships. Sometimes that might just be a digital coffee and put the world to rights, because it can be quite a lonely experience being a CEO of a small company.
Elasmogen is seeking new investors for their next stage of getting their drug through to the clinic.
After studying Business and Entrepreneurship at the University of Stirling, Callum Murray launched his first business, a painting and decorating contractor with a pound sterling1,000 startup support grant from the Prince's Trust.
From fast growth to court cases
Building a reputation for reliability and service, his company grew quickly from a standing start to a team of ten via client referral and ease of doing business with same day online quotes and mobile card payments.
Having progressed into larger scale clients across hotels, restaurants and construction contracts when the 2008 financial crash hit, the business collapsed whilst pursuing unpaid debts from large scale contractors. Callum navigated the civil court process whilst gaining judgment in his favour, the financial impact effectively ended the business entirely.
"It's a complex, time consuming and paper-based process to access legal help, it should be fast and easy regardless of who you are and what resources you have to make better decisions and navigate regulated services online"
Based on his experience, Callum set out with a group of co-founders to solve the problem and enable trusted routes to access help online.
Uncovering the upstream opportunity
In 2016, Callum secured an RSE Enterprise Fellowship, providing him the initial funding, network and support structure to develop further prototypes and engage with early prospective clients.
With a second-hand laptop and some introductions, the early feedback revealed a deeper issue: the real friction wasn't triaging legal cases or engaging with experts online, but navigating the paper driven compliance challenges to first engage with regulated professions, products and services.
"The feedback we got was that the cost, risk and complexity of doing business online meant that the real opportunity was to solve the onboarding compliance bottleneck".
Based on previous experience, he took the client feedback directly on board and shifted focus to build what the market actually wanted and needed to unlock the longer-term objective for Amiqus.
That pivot created the foundation of Amiqus.
Building for Scale
Callum credits the validation, credibility and initial network as an RSE Enterprise Fellow as a foundational advantage prior to engaging with external investors at the crucial early stages of Amiqus whilst pre product and pre revenue.
"The cohort learning based approach of the fellowship and the timing of support on our journey has played a huge part in our long-term success. It was a great early step whilst also proving that the intent and belief we had in Amiqus was also backed by the RSE."
Today, the business is delivering against a 10x growth plan and counts government, tier one banks and global scale organisations as clients with a team of 55 across the UK and annual revenues approaching pound sterling10 million.
From early validation and support as an RSE Fellow, Callum Murray has long term ambition and impact in mind for Amiqus whilst sharing time and support to other entrepreneurs as an alumni of the RSE fellowship programme.
Applications for the Enterprise Fellowship scheme open at 12pm on 17th August. The call closes on 12th October. Applications are made via the RSE's website.
* * *
Original text here: https://rse.org.uk/enterprise-fellowship-scheme-returns/
Freedom From Religion Foundation: Texas Families Urge Supreme Court to Hear 10 Commandments Law Challenge
MADISON, Wisconsin, Aug. 18 -- The Freedom From Religion Foundation issued the following news release:
* * *
Texas families urge Supreme Court to hear 10 Commandments law challenge
More than two dozen Texas families are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear their challenge to a state law that requires public schools to post a Protestant version of the Ten Commandments in every classroom.
The nonreligious, Unitarian Universalist, Christian, Jewish, Hindu and Baha'i families challenging the Texas law attend 22 school districts across the state and are represented by the Freedom From Religion ... Show Full Article MADISON, Wisconsin, Aug. 18 -- The Freedom From Religion Foundation issued the following news release: * * * Texas families urge Supreme Court to hear 10 Commandments law challenge More than two dozen Texas families are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear their challenge to a state law that requires public schools to post a Protestant version of the Ten Commandments in every classroom. The nonreligious, Unitarian Universalist, Christian, Jewish, Hindu and Baha'i families challenging the Texas law attend 22 school districts across the state and are represented by the Freedom From ReligionFoundation, the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, the ACLU and Americans United for Separation of Church and State, with Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP serving as pro bono counsel. The request, filed today, urges the court to protect students' and parents' religious freedom by blocking Texas Senate Bill 10 (SB 10), ensuring that families -- not politicians -- have the right to decide what role religion plays in their lives. Today's petition seeks review of lower court rulings in two separate but similar cases: Nathan v. Alamo Heights Independent School District and Cribbs Ringer v. Comal Independent School District.
Under SB 10, Texas public schools must permanently display a state-mandated version of the Ten Commandments, drawn from the Protestant King James Bible, in a "conspicuous" place in each classroom, from kindergarten through 12th grade. The families challenging SB 10 object to the law because the displays will pressure children to conform to the state's favored religious beliefs and interfere with parents' right to guide their children's religious instruction.
Today's Supreme Court filing, a joint petition for a writ of certiorari in both cases, follows an April decision by the en banc 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals allowing the state-selected version of the Ten Commandments to go up in the plaintiffs' classrooms. By a narrowly decided vote, the 5th Circuit ruled that SB 10 does not violate either the Establishment or Free Exercise Clauses of the First Amendment -- despite a 1980 Supreme Court case striking down a nearly identical Kentucky law.
"By requiring displays of religious doctrine in every classroom, the state is interfering with our family's decisions about how our children engage with religion," says plaintiff Nichole Manning (she/her), a Dallas-area atheist who is raising her children in a nonreligious tradition that gives them the space and autonomy to develop their own beliefs about religion. "As a parent, I intentionally choose to have my children attend public school because I prefer an educational environment without any religious affiliation. In a diverse public school environment, all students should be treated with equal respect, regardless of their religious beliefs, or lack thereof."
"As a rabbi and parent, forcing a Christian version of the Ten Commandments on children in every classroom is particularly upsetting," says plaintiff Rabbi Joshua Fixler (he/him) of Houston. "I am not only worried about my own kids, but I'm deeply concerned about all the children in my congregation. These displays put children in the position of having to defend themselves and their families' religious beliefs against a government mandate that makes them feel different and separate from their classmates."
"Texas politicians shouldn't have a seat at the table in deciding how our children receive their religious education. That decision belongs to our family," say plaintiffs Rebekah (she/her) and Ted Lowe (he/him), an Austin-based interfaith couple who are raising their children in the Christian and Jewish traditions. "This law puts one version of religious beliefs above all others in our public schools and sends a message to our children that what we teach them about religion at home is somehow wrong."
"The First Commandment, dictating which god must be worshipped, is the antithesis of our First Amendment," says Annie Laurie Gaylor (she/her), co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation. "It is not the government's role to daily expose young children to a coercive display of one religion's set of religious edicts in our public schools. Our public schools exist to educate, not to proselytize."
"The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected this kind of government-imposed religion before, and it should do so again," says Chloe Kempf (she/her), attorney at the ACLU of Texas. "Having these posters in Texas classrooms puts students at risk of bullying, stigmatization, and religious coercion. Our nation's bedrock principle of separating church and state means that families and faith communities -- not politicians -- get to decide what role religion plays in children's lives. Texas students deserve public schools that welcome them for who they are, respect their religious or nonreligious backgrounds, and give them the high-quality education they need to build their futures."
"Fifty years ago, the ACLU won a Supreme Court victory against a nearly identical Kentucky law -- and we aim to do it again," says Cecillia Wang (she/her), national legal director of the ACLU. "In our country, no legislature can force its preferred scripture on public school students and families."
"Families - not politicians or public school officials - get to decide how, if, and when children engage with religion," says Rachel Laser (she/her), president and CEO of Americans United. "We urge the Supreme Court to make clear that these Ten Commandments mandates violate students' and families' religious freedom as promised by the U.S. Constitution. With ever more states attempting to force one version of religion into public school classrooms, our nation must recommit to our foundational promise of church-state separation, the linchpin of religious liberty."
"This case concerns decisions about personal belief and religious instruction, and whether under our Constitution they remain with families and faith communities or are commandeered by the state," says Jon Youngwood (he/him), global co-chair of the Litigation Department at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP. "The First Amendment has long protected the freedom of individuals to determine for themselves how they engage with spirituality and religion. Those protections are especially important in the public-school setting."
The Lowe and Fixler families share more about how they will be impacted by these Ten Commandments displays and why they oppose them in newly released, heartfelt videos that can be viewed here (https://www.au.org/TenC); transcripts are available here (https://www.au.org/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2026/08/Transcripts-Lowe-Fixler-Ten-Commandments-Videos-Aug.-2026.pdf).
* * *
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to defending the constitutional principle of separation between state and church and educating the public on matters relating to nontheism. With about 41,000 members, FFRF is the largest association of freethinkers (atheists, agnostics and humanists) in North America. For more information, visit ffrf.org.
* * *
For more than 100 years, the ACLU has worked in courts, legislatures, and communities to protect the constitutional rights of all people. With a nationwide network of offices and millions of members and supporters, the ACLU takes on the toughest civil liberties fights in pursuit of liberty and justice for all.
* * *
The ACLU of Texas works with communities, at the state Capitol, and in the courts to protect and advance civil rights and civil liberties for every Texan, no exceptions.
* * *
Founded in 1947, Americans United for Separation of Church and State is a religious freedom advocacy organization that educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.
* * *
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP (www.simpsonthacher.com) is one of the world's leading international law firms. The firm was established in 1884 and has approximately 2,000 lawyers. Headquartered in New York with offices in Beijing, Boston, Brussels, Dallas, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Luxembourg, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Sao Paulo, Tokyo and Washington, D.C., the firm provides coordinated legal advice and transactional capability to clients around the globe.
* * *
Original text here: https://ffrf.org/news/releases/texas-families-urge-supreme-court-to-hear-10-commandments-law-challenge/
[Category: Religion]
* * *
Texas families urge Supreme Court to hear 10 Commandments law challenge
More than two dozen Texas families are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear their challenge to a state law that requires public schools to post a Protestant version of the Ten Commandments in every classroom.
The nonreligious, Unitarian Universalist, Christian, Jewish, Hindu and Baha'i families challenging the Texas law attend 22 school districts across the state and are represented by the Freedom From Religion ... Show Full Article MADISON, Wisconsin, Aug. 18 -- The Freedom From Religion Foundation issued the following news release: * * * Texas families urge Supreme Court to hear 10 Commandments law challenge More than two dozen Texas families are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear their challenge to a state law that requires public schools to post a Protestant version of the Ten Commandments in every classroom. The nonreligious, Unitarian Universalist, Christian, Jewish, Hindu and Baha'i families challenging the Texas law attend 22 school districts across the state and are represented by the Freedom From ReligionFoundation, the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, the ACLU and Americans United for Separation of Church and State, with Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP serving as pro bono counsel. The request, filed today, urges the court to protect students' and parents' religious freedom by blocking Texas Senate Bill 10 (SB 10), ensuring that families -- not politicians -- have the right to decide what role religion plays in their lives. Today's petition seeks review of lower court rulings in two separate but similar cases: Nathan v. Alamo Heights Independent School District and Cribbs Ringer v. Comal Independent School District.
Under SB 10, Texas public schools must permanently display a state-mandated version of the Ten Commandments, drawn from the Protestant King James Bible, in a "conspicuous" place in each classroom, from kindergarten through 12th grade. The families challenging SB 10 object to the law because the displays will pressure children to conform to the state's favored religious beliefs and interfere with parents' right to guide their children's religious instruction.
Today's Supreme Court filing, a joint petition for a writ of certiorari in both cases, follows an April decision by the en banc 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals allowing the state-selected version of the Ten Commandments to go up in the plaintiffs' classrooms. By a narrowly decided vote, the 5th Circuit ruled that SB 10 does not violate either the Establishment or Free Exercise Clauses of the First Amendment -- despite a 1980 Supreme Court case striking down a nearly identical Kentucky law.
"By requiring displays of religious doctrine in every classroom, the state is interfering with our family's decisions about how our children engage with religion," says plaintiff Nichole Manning (she/her), a Dallas-area atheist who is raising her children in a nonreligious tradition that gives them the space and autonomy to develop their own beliefs about religion. "As a parent, I intentionally choose to have my children attend public school because I prefer an educational environment without any religious affiliation. In a diverse public school environment, all students should be treated with equal respect, regardless of their religious beliefs, or lack thereof."
"As a rabbi and parent, forcing a Christian version of the Ten Commandments on children in every classroom is particularly upsetting," says plaintiff Rabbi Joshua Fixler (he/him) of Houston. "I am not only worried about my own kids, but I'm deeply concerned about all the children in my congregation. These displays put children in the position of having to defend themselves and their families' religious beliefs against a government mandate that makes them feel different and separate from their classmates."
"Texas politicians shouldn't have a seat at the table in deciding how our children receive their religious education. That decision belongs to our family," say plaintiffs Rebekah (she/her) and Ted Lowe (he/him), an Austin-based interfaith couple who are raising their children in the Christian and Jewish traditions. "This law puts one version of religious beliefs above all others in our public schools and sends a message to our children that what we teach them about religion at home is somehow wrong."
"The First Commandment, dictating which god must be worshipped, is the antithesis of our First Amendment," says Annie Laurie Gaylor (she/her), co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation. "It is not the government's role to daily expose young children to a coercive display of one religion's set of religious edicts in our public schools. Our public schools exist to educate, not to proselytize."
"The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected this kind of government-imposed religion before, and it should do so again," says Chloe Kempf (she/her), attorney at the ACLU of Texas. "Having these posters in Texas classrooms puts students at risk of bullying, stigmatization, and religious coercion. Our nation's bedrock principle of separating church and state means that families and faith communities -- not politicians -- get to decide what role religion plays in children's lives. Texas students deserve public schools that welcome them for who they are, respect their religious or nonreligious backgrounds, and give them the high-quality education they need to build their futures."
"Fifty years ago, the ACLU won a Supreme Court victory against a nearly identical Kentucky law -- and we aim to do it again," says Cecillia Wang (she/her), national legal director of the ACLU. "In our country, no legislature can force its preferred scripture on public school students and families."
"Families - not politicians or public school officials - get to decide how, if, and when children engage with religion," says Rachel Laser (she/her), president and CEO of Americans United. "We urge the Supreme Court to make clear that these Ten Commandments mandates violate students' and families' religious freedom as promised by the U.S. Constitution. With ever more states attempting to force one version of religion into public school classrooms, our nation must recommit to our foundational promise of church-state separation, the linchpin of religious liberty."
"This case concerns decisions about personal belief and religious instruction, and whether under our Constitution they remain with families and faith communities or are commandeered by the state," says Jon Youngwood (he/him), global co-chair of the Litigation Department at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP. "The First Amendment has long protected the freedom of individuals to determine for themselves how they engage with spirituality and religion. Those protections are especially important in the public-school setting."
The Lowe and Fixler families share more about how they will be impacted by these Ten Commandments displays and why they oppose them in newly released, heartfelt videos that can be viewed here (https://www.au.org/TenC); transcripts are available here (https://www.au.org/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2026/08/Transcripts-Lowe-Fixler-Ten-Commandments-Videos-Aug.-2026.pdf).
* * *
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to defending the constitutional principle of separation between state and church and educating the public on matters relating to nontheism. With about 41,000 members, FFRF is the largest association of freethinkers (atheists, agnostics and humanists) in North America. For more information, visit ffrf.org.
* * *
For more than 100 years, the ACLU has worked in courts, legislatures, and communities to protect the constitutional rights of all people. With a nationwide network of offices and millions of members and supporters, the ACLU takes on the toughest civil liberties fights in pursuit of liberty and justice for all.
* * *
The ACLU of Texas works with communities, at the state Capitol, and in the courts to protect and advance civil rights and civil liberties for every Texan, no exceptions.
* * *
Founded in 1947, Americans United for Separation of Church and State is a religious freedom advocacy organization that educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.
* * *
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP (www.simpsonthacher.com) is one of the world's leading international law firms. The firm was established in 1884 and has approximately 2,000 lawyers. Headquartered in New York with offices in Beijing, Boston, Brussels, Dallas, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Luxembourg, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Sao Paulo, Tokyo and Washington, D.C., the firm provides coordinated legal advice and transactional capability to clients around the globe.
* * *
Original text here: https://ffrf.org/news/releases/texas-families-urge-supreme-court-to-hear-10-commandments-law-challenge/
[Category: Religion]
WLF Asks Appeals Court to Vacate Order Treating Ordinary Age-Targeted Ads as Civil-Rights Violations
WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 [Category: Law/Legal] -- The Washington Legal Foundation issued the following news release:
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WLF Asks Appeals Court to Vacate Order Treating Ordinary Age-Targeted Ads as Civil-Rights Violations
*
"The order below converts rational marketing into a civil-rights offense and chills protected commercial speech."
-Cory Andrews, WLF General Counsel & Vice President of Litigation
Click HERE to read WLF's amicus letter.
(Washington, DC)-Washington Legal Foundation (WLF) today asked California's Sixth District Court of Appeal to grant Google's petition for a writ of mandate. ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 [Category: Law/Legal] -- The Washington Legal Foundation issued the following news release: * * * WLF Asks Appeals Court to Vacate Order Treating Ordinary Age-Targeted Ads as Civil-Rights Violations * "The order below converts rational marketing into a civil-rights offense and chills protected commercial speech." -Cory Andrews, WLF General Counsel & Vice President of Litigation Click HERE to read WLF's amicus letter. (Washington, DC)-Washington Legal Foundation (WLF) today asked California's Sixth District Court of Appeal to grant Google's petition for a writ of mandate.WLF contends that the superior court's order wrongly turns commonplace age-based advertising into civil-rights violations under the Unruh Act that threaten every California business with crushing statutory damages.
The case arises from a putative class action alleging that Google violated the Unruh Civil Rights Act by allowing advertisers to target insurance and banking ads by age. On June 11, 2026, the Superior Court of Santa Clara County overruled Google's demurrer. The court held that seniors who did not receive certain ads stated a claim for age discrimination based on Google's provision of neutral targeting tools.
In its amicus letter urging mandamus, WLF argues that the Unruh Act forbids only arbitrary or invidious discrimination, not rational commercial distinctions based on age. The superior court misapplied caselaw and undermined Section 230 by treating Google's neutral tools as collaborative of discriminatory ads. Left standing, the order chills protected commercial speech, strips intermediaries of vital immunity, and coerces settlements under the threat of annihilating class exposure. WLF urges the Sixth District to issue a writ directing the superior court to vacate its order and sustain Google's demurrer.
***
Original text here: https://www.wlf.org/2026/08/17/communicating/wlf-asks-appeals-court-to-vacate-order-treating-ordinary-age-targeted-ads-as-civil-rights-violations/
* * *
WLF Asks Appeals Court to Vacate Order Treating Ordinary Age-Targeted Ads as Civil-Rights Violations
*
"The order below converts rational marketing into a civil-rights offense and chills protected commercial speech."
-Cory Andrews, WLF General Counsel & Vice President of Litigation
Click HERE to read WLF's amicus letter.
(Washington, DC)-Washington Legal Foundation (WLF) today asked California's Sixth District Court of Appeal to grant Google's petition for a writ of mandate. ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 [Category: Law/Legal] -- The Washington Legal Foundation issued the following news release: * * * WLF Asks Appeals Court to Vacate Order Treating Ordinary Age-Targeted Ads as Civil-Rights Violations * "The order below converts rational marketing into a civil-rights offense and chills protected commercial speech." -Cory Andrews, WLF General Counsel & Vice President of Litigation Click HERE to read WLF's amicus letter. (Washington, DC)-Washington Legal Foundation (WLF) today asked California's Sixth District Court of Appeal to grant Google's petition for a writ of mandate.WLF contends that the superior court's order wrongly turns commonplace age-based advertising into civil-rights violations under the Unruh Act that threaten every California business with crushing statutory damages.
The case arises from a putative class action alleging that Google violated the Unruh Civil Rights Act by allowing advertisers to target insurance and banking ads by age. On June 11, 2026, the Superior Court of Santa Clara County overruled Google's demurrer. The court held that seniors who did not receive certain ads stated a claim for age discrimination based on Google's provision of neutral targeting tools.
In its amicus letter urging mandamus, WLF argues that the Unruh Act forbids only arbitrary or invidious discrimination, not rational commercial distinctions based on age. The superior court misapplied caselaw and undermined Section 230 by treating Google's neutral tools as collaborative of discriminatory ads. Left standing, the order chills protected commercial speech, strips intermediaries of vital immunity, and coerces settlements under the threat of annihilating class exposure. WLF urges the Sixth District to issue a writ directing the superior court to vacate its order and sustain Google's demurrer.
***
Original text here: https://www.wlf.org/2026/08/17/communicating/wlf-asks-appeals-court-to-vacate-order-treating-ordinary-age-targeted-ads-as-civil-rights-violations/
Remembering Dr. Thomas A. Medsger Jr.
DANVERS, Massachusetts, Aug. 16 -- The National Scleroderma Foundation posted the following news:
* * *
Remembering Dr. Thomas A. Medsger Jr.
*
The National Scleroderma Foundation joins the scleroderma community in mourning the passing of Dr. Thomas A. Medsger Jr., a true giant in the field whose work profoundly shaped our understanding of systemic sclerosis and the care of people living with this complex disease.
"The scleroderma community lost a giant on August 15," Chair of the Foundation's Board of Directors, Carol Feghali-Bostwick, PhD, said. "Dr. Thomas Medsger was an amazing mentor ... Show Full Article DANVERS, Massachusetts, Aug. 16 -- The National Scleroderma Foundation posted the following news: * * * Remembering Dr. Thomas A. Medsger Jr. * The National Scleroderma Foundation joins the scleroderma community in mourning the passing of Dr. Thomas A. Medsger Jr., a true giant in the field whose work profoundly shaped our understanding of systemic sclerosis and the care of people living with this complex disease. "The scleroderma community lost a giant on August 15," Chair of the Foundation's Board of Directors, Carol Feghali-Bostwick, PhD, said. "Dr. Thomas Medsger was an amazing mentorwho made an indelible impact on me. He was smart, knowledgeable, humble, compassionate, caring, and so passionate about taking care of his scleroderma patients and advancing the scleroderma field. His legacy lives on in the numerous people he mentored and trained who continue his important work."
Throughout his remarkable career, Dr. Medsger was a pioneering clinician, researcher, educator, and mentor. As professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, he made major contributions to the classification, natural history, and clinical understanding of systemic sclerosis. He co-created the University of Pittsburgh Scleroderma Patient Registry, which grew to include more than 4,000 patients, and his influence continues through the many clinicians and investigators he trained. Ten of his former research trainees went on to establish systemic sclerosis research and patient-care programs at other institutions.
Throughout his remarkable career, Dr. Medsger was a pioneering clinician, researcher, educator, and mentor. As professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, he made major contributions to the classification, natural history, and clinical understanding of systemic sclerosis. He co-created the University of Pittsburgh Scleroderma Patient Registry, which grew to include more than 4,000 patients, and his influence continues through the many clinicians and investigators he trained. Ten of his former research trainees went on to establish systemic sclerosis research and patient-care programs at other institutions.
The Foundation proudly recognized Dr. Medsger as Doctor of the Year in 2005, and awarded him the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009, honoring his career-long contributions to scleroderma research and treatment.
Dr. Medsger's legacy lives not only in the knowledge he advanced, but also in the patients he cared for, the colleagues and students he inspired, and the hope he gave to people and families affected by scleroderma. His impact will be felt for generations.
On behalf of our board of directors, staff, volunteers, and the entire National Scleroderma Foundation community, we extend our heartfelt condolences to Dr. Medsger's family, friends, colleagues, former trainees, and patients. We remember him with profound gratitude and will carry his dedication forward in our shared pursuit of better treatments and, ultimately, a cure.
***
Original text here: https://scleroderma.org/remembering-dr-thomas-a-medsger-jr/
* * *
Remembering Dr. Thomas A. Medsger Jr.
*
The National Scleroderma Foundation joins the scleroderma community in mourning the passing of Dr. Thomas A. Medsger Jr., a true giant in the field whose work profoundly shaped our understanding of systemic sclerosis and the care of people living with this complex disease.
"The scleroderma community lost a giant on August 15," Chair of the Foundation's Board of Directors, Carol Feghali-Bostwick, PhD, said. "Dr. Thomas Medsger was an amazing mentor ... Show Full Article DANVERS, Massachusetts, Aug. 16 -- The National Scleroderma Foundation posted the following news: * * * Remembering Dr. Thomas A. Medsger Jr. * The National Scleroderma Foundation joins the scleroderma community in mourning the passing of Dr. Thomas A. Medsger Jr., a true giant in the field whose work profoundly shaped our understanding of systemic sclerosis and the care of people living with this complex disease. "The scleroderma community lost a giant on August 15," Chair of the Foundation's Board of Directors, Carol Feghali-Bostwick, PhD, said. "Dr. Thomas Medsger was an amazing mentorwho made an indelible impact on me. He was smart, knowledgeable, humble, compassionate, caring, and so passionate about taking care of his scleroderma patients and advancing the scleroderma field. His legacy lives on in the numerous people he mentored and trained who continue his important work."
Throughout his remarkable career, Dr. Medsger was a pioneering clinician, researcher, educator, and mentor. As professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, he made major contributions to the classification, natural history, and clinical understanding of systemic sclerosis. He co-created the University of Pittsburgh Scleroderma Patient Registry, which grew to include more than 4,000 patients, and his influence continues through the many clinicians and investigators he trained. Ten of his former research trainees went on to establish systemic sclerosis research and patient-care programs at other institutions.
Throughout his remarkable career, Dr. Medsger was a pioneering clinician, researcher, educator, and mentor. As professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, he made major contributions to the classification, natural history, and clinical understanding of systemic sclerosis. He co-created the University of Pittsburgh Scleroderma Patient Registry, which grew to include more than 4,000 patients, and his influence continues through the many clinicians and investigators he trained. Ten of his former research trainees went on to establish systemic sclerosis research and patient-care programs at other institutions.
The Foundation proudly recognized Dr. Medsger as Doctor of the Year in 2005, and awarded him the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009, honoring his career-long contributions to scleroderma research and treatment.
Dr. Medsger's legacy lives not only in the knowledge he advanced, but also in the patients he cared for, the colleagues and students he inspired, and the hope he gave to people and families affected by scleroderma. His impact will be felt for generations.
On behalf of our board of directors, staff, volunteers, and the entire National Scleroderma Foundation community, we extend our heartfelt condolences to Dr. Medsger's family, friends, colleagues, former trainees, and patients. We remember him with profound gratitude and will carry his dedication forward in our shared pursuit of better treatments and, ultimately, a cure.
***
Original text here: https://scleroderma.org/remembering-dr-thomas-a-medsger-jr/
Reason Foundation Issues Commentary: Data Center Taxation Should Be Guided by Sound Policy, Not Short-Term Gains
LOS ANGELES, California, Aug. 15 -- The Reason Foundation issued the following commentary by Managing Director of Technology Policy Max Gulker:
* * *
Data center taxation should be guided by sound policy, not short-term gains
States should craft tax policy that is efficient, neutral in its treatment of different businesses, and built for long-term prosperity.
-
Public political pushback against data centers has state lawmakers rethinking tax breaks they passed with little controversy only a few years ago. Between 2008 and 2025, 38 states passed legislation offering tax exemptions and incentives ... Show Full Article LOS ANGELES, California, Aug. 15 -- The Reason Foundation issued the following commentary by Managing Director of Technology Policy Max Gulker: * * * Data center taxation should be guided by sound policy, not short-term gains States should craft tax policy that is efficient, neutral in its treatment of different businesses, and built for long-term prosperity. - Public political pushback against data centers has state lawmakers rethinking tax breaks they passed with little controversy only a few years ago. Between 2008 and 2025, 38 states passed legislation offering tax exemptions and incentivesto these centers in hopes of attracting more of what they saw as a new and booming type of business.
Now, amid a backlash over data centers that has reached near fever pitch in recent months, the mood in state capitols has undergone a sudden change. In the spring and summer of 2026 alone, lawmakers in at least eight states have introduced bills that would repeal data center tax exemptions, with several more pausing or reducing tax breaks that appeared safe only a couple of years ago.
During the initial legislative boom, proponents argued these tax exemptions would attract more data centers to their states. Amid increasingly stiff competition from dozens of other states passing similar packages, legislators sought to bring a larger share of data center construction within their borders. To assure residents of the benefits of increased data center activity, each state attached requirements to data centers receiving tax breaks, such as overall capital investment dollars in the project and new jobs created. But when it became clear in the last two years that the boom in question was, in reality, far larger than anyone expected, states began to rightfully question whether tax breaks were really necessary to reap the benefits.
When reconsidering the tax breaks they recently passed, states should not repeat the mistake of singling out data centers for short-term political benefits but instead look to sound long-term tax policy. Some of the exemptions offered by states to data centers are the same as those long provided to other types of businesses like manufacturers, and that experts have long argued should be extended to all firms. States should keep exemptions for data centers on the books when they are justified based on fair and efficient taxation, and repeal them when they are not.
Sales and property tax exemptions
While the state tax packages vary in their technical details, they are mostly similar in the type of exemptions they offer and the benchmarks they require in return. In 37 of 38 states, an exemption on sales tax for machinery and equipment (M&E) is the principal break offered, which covers chips, servers, cooling and electrical equipment, and networking gear. Some states extend this sales tax exemption to also cover utilities. (Montana, which does not have a sales tax, passed legislation with a property tax exemption.)
Property taxes fill the other category of exemptions found in some states' packages. Property tax incentives offered to data centers are both less frequent and more idiosyncratic than the sales tax exemptions at the core of almost every state bill. A few states, such as Iowa and Montana, passed statewide property tax abatements covering either land or previously purchased equipment. Others like Indiana and Mississippi passed legislation authorizing cities and counties to offer data centers special property tax breaks during their negotiations.
Virtually all of the data center tax breaks offered by states are conditional on the recipients meeting "economic development" benchmarks. While benchmarks vary from state to state, they most commonly take the form of requirements on capital investment and jobs. To qualify for sales tax breaks in Virginia, data centers must make $150 million in new capital investment and hire 50 workers at wages at least 150% of the local average (with these hurdles lowered in "distressed areas"). In Illinois, qualifying data centers must make $250 million in capital investment and create 20 jobs within 60 months. Other states such as Michigan add "green" building requirements to the list of necessary qualifications.
The economic case for M&E exemptions
While the combination of exemptions and incentives makes the tax treatment of data centers unlike any other business, the practice of single-stage sales taxes that exempt B2B transactions and apply once only at the point of final consumption is both time-tested and economically sound. In fact, the wave of legislation from 2008 to 2025 brought data centers more closely in line with how states tax traditional manufacturers. Forty states exempt factories from paying sales tax on M&E, with a smaller subset again extending the break to electricity. In this regard, states' treatment of data centers and manufacturers now tracks very closely.
Sales taxes are a critical part of how most state governments operate, accounting for approximately one-third of revenue in the 43 states that impose them. A well-designed sales tax applies only to the final stage of consumption. Most of what we buy in a modern economy goes through many steps in a supply chain. If businesses and manufacturers must pay the sales tax in full at each step in that chain, goods and services that pass through several steps will be taxed several times. This is called "tax pyramiding." Tax pyramiding penalizes manufacturers that produce goods that require many stages of production and can disadvantage smaller firms by incentivizing vertical integration. Capital investment is similarly penalized when sales tax falls on B2B transactions. Finally, repeated taxation at each stage of the value chain can obscure the essential signals that market prices send to buyers and sellers, a problem only compounded when goods or services move across the borders of states with different rules.
For these reasons, economists and tax experts widely agree that all businesses should receive M&E sales tax exemptions of this kind. Karl A. Frieden and Fredrick J. Nicely, authors of a 2024 study examining sales tax history, note that historically services and wholesale did not typically receive such robust exemptions, and observed that sound taxation principles like neutrality (treating all types of business as similarly as possible) and avoiding tax pyramiding were less prominent in more recent debates. They recommend all states with manufacturing exemptions on the books extend them to digital products as a matter of "good tax policy." Jared Walczack of the Tax Foundation found that eliminating the sales taxation of intermediate goods for all types of business, while raising rates on final consumption goods in a revenue-neutral manner, would increase capital accumulation and ultimately output in state economies by billions of dollars. Data center M&E sales tax exemptions represent progress toward the goal of a single-stage sales tax for all types of businesses.
Looking forward
Unfortunately, proponents of the data center tax bills focused on the flimsier prospect of short-term economic and political benefits rather than on sound longer-term tax policy. Lawmakers told their constituents they would out-compete other states for a larger piece of a construction boom destined to bring investment and jobs in the short-term. What happened next shows why targeting handpicked industries and firms for special treatment is misguided.
Predictions of a boom proved wildly underestimated. States did not need to out-compete each other because it turned out there would be enough projects to go around. This is an unavoidable problem when designing policy around handpicked businesses and predictions about cutting-edge new technology. Businesses and governments alike are bound to make false assumptions. But while businesses must face self-correcting market mechanisms, governments risk keeping policies in place long after these assumptions are proven wrong.
States are therefore better off crafting tax policy that is efficient, neutral in its treatment of different businesses, and built for long-term prosperity rather than short-term gains. To the extent that states gave data centers tax breaks that other businesses do not have and that lack justification, repeal them.
The 37 states that passed M&E sales tax exemptions should keep them in place. Were it politically feasible, states would best proceed by extending these exemptions to all businesses. But if such a proposal is too politically messy, it nevertheless makes sense to leave these specific exemptions in place for data centers. Repealing them would amount to placing short-term political gains ahead of sound tax policy.
* * *
Max Gulker, Ph.D., is managing director of technology policy at Reason Foundation.
* * *
Original text here: https://reason.org/commentary/data-center-taxation-should-be-guided-by-sound-policy-not-short-term-gains/
* * *
Data center taxation should be guided by sound policy, not short-term gains
States should craft tax policy that is efficient, neutral in its treatment of different businesses, and built for long-term prosperity.
-
Public political pushback against data centers has state lawmakers rethinking tax breaks they passed with little controversy only a few years ago. Between 2008 and 2025, 38 states passed legislation offering tax exemptions and incentives ... Show Full Article LOS ANGELES, California, Aug. 15 -- The Reason Foundation issued the following commentary by Managing Director of Technology Policy Max Gulker: * * * Data center taxation should be guided by sound policy, not short-term gains States should craft tax policy that is efficient, neutral in its treatment of different businesses, and built for long-term prosperity. - Public political pushback against data centers has state lawmakers rethinking tax breaks they passed with little controversy only a few years ago. Between 2008 and 2025, 38 states passed legislation offering tax exemptions and incentivesto these centers in hopes of attracting more of what they saw as a new and booming type of business.
Now, amid a backlash over data centers that has reached near fever pitch in recent months, the mood in state capitols has undergone a sudden change. In the spring and summer of 2026 alone, lawmakers in at least eight states have introduced bills that would repeal data center tax exemptions, with several more pausing or reducing tax breaks that appeared safe only a couple of years ago.
During the initial legislative boom, proponents argued these tax exemptions would attract more data centers to their states. Amid increasingly stiff competition from dozens of other states passing similar packages, legislators sought to bring a larger share of data center construction within their borders. To assure residents of the benefits of increased data center activity, each state attached requirements to data centers receiving tax breaks, such as overall capital investment dollars in the project and new jobs created. But when it became clear in the last two years that the boom in question was, in reality, far larger than anyone expected, states began to rightfully question whether tax breaks were really necessary to reap the benefits.
When reconsidering the tax breaks they recently passed, states should not repeat the mistake of singling out data centers for short-term political benefits but instead look to sound long-term tax policy. Some of the exemptions offered by states to data centers are the same as those long provided to other types of businesses like manufacturers, and that experts have long argued should be extended to all firms. States should keep exemptions for data centers on the books when they are justified based on fair and efficient taxation, and repeal them when they are not.
Sales and property tax exemptions
While the state tax packages vary in their technical details, they are mostly similar in the type of exemptions they offer and the benchmarks they require in return. In 37 of 38 states, an exemption on sales tax for machinery and equipment (M&E) is the principal break offered, which covers chips, servers, cooling and electrical equipment, and networking gear. Some states extend this sales tax exemption to also cover utilities. (Montana, which does not have a sales tax, passed legislation with a property tax exemption.)
Property taxes fill the other category of exemptions found in some states' packages. Property tax incentives offered to data centers are both less frequent and more idiosyncratic than the sales tax exemptions at the core of almost every state bill. A few states, such as Iowa and Montana, passed statewide property tax abatements covering either land or previously purchased equipment. Others like Indiana and Mississippi passed legislation authorizing cities and counties to offer data centers special property tax breaks during their negotiations.
Virtually all of the data center tax breaks offered by states are conditional on the recipients meeting "economic development" benchmarks. While benchmarks vary from state to state, they most commonly take the form of requirements on capital investment and jobs. To qualify for sales tax breaks in Virginia, data centers must make $150 million in new capital investment and hire 50 workers at wages at least 150% of the local average (with these hurdles lowered in "distressed areas"). In Illinois, qualifying data centers must make $250 million in capital investment and create 20 jobs within 60 months. Other states such as Michigan add "green" building requirements to the list of necessary qualifications.
The economic case for M&E exemptions
While the combination of exemptions and incentives makes the tax treatment of data centers unlike any other business, the practice of single-stage sales taxes that exempt B2B transactions and apply once only at the point of final consumption is both time-tested and economically sound. In fact, the wave of legislation from 2008 to 2025 brought data centers more closely in line with how states tax traditional manufacturers. Forty states exempt factories from paying sales tax on M&E, with a smaller subset again extending the break to electricity. In this regard, states' treatment of data centers and manufacturers now tracks very closely.
Sales taxes are a critical part of how most state governments operate, accounting for approximately one-third of revenue in the 43 states that impose them. A well-designed sales tax applies only to the final stage of consumption. Most of what we buy in a modern economy goes through many steps in a supply chain. If businesses and manufacturers must pay the sales tax in full at each step in that chain, goods and services that pass through several steps will be taxed several times. This is called "tax pyramiding." Tax pyramiding penalizes manufacturers that produce goods that require many stages of production and can disadvantage smaller firms by incentivizing vertical integration. Capital investment is similarly penalized when sales tax falls on B2B transactions. Finally, repeated taxation at each stage of the value chain can obscure the essential signals that market prices send to buyers and sellers, a problem only compounded when goods or services move across the borders of states with different rules.
For these reasons, economists and tax experts widely agree that all businesses should receive M&E sales tax exemptions of this kind. Karl A. Frieden and Fredrick J. Nicely, authors of a 2024 study examining sales tax history, note that historically services and wholesale did not typically receive such robust exemptions, and observed that sound taxation principles like neutrality (treating all types of business as similarly as possible) and avoiding tax pyramiding were less prominent in more recent debates. They recommend all states with manufacturing exemptions on the books extend them to digital products as a matter of "good tax policy." Jared Walczack of the Tax Foundation found that eliminating the sales taxation of intermediate goods for all types of business, while raising rates on final consumption goods in a revenue-neutral manner, would increase capital accumulation and ultimately output in state economies by billions of dollars. Data center M&E sales tax exemptions represent progress toward the goal of a single-stage sales tax for all types of businesses.
Looking forward
Unfortunately, proponents of the data center tax bills focused on the flimsier prospect of short-term economic and political benefits rather than on sound longer-term tax policy. Lawmakers told their constituents they would out-compete other states for a larger piece of a construction boom destined to bring investment and jobs in the short-term. What happened next shows why targeting handpicked industries and firms for special treatment is misguided.
Predictions of a boom proved wildly underestimated. States did not need to out-compete each other because it turned out there would be enough projects to go around. This is an unavoidable problem when designing policy around handpicked businesses and predictions about cutting-edge new technology. Businesses and governments alike are bound to make false assumptions. But while businesses must face self-correcting market mechanisms, governments risk keeping policies in place long after these assumptions are proven wrong.
States are therefore better off crafting tax policy that is efficient, neutral in its treatment of different businesses, and built for long-term prosperity rather than short-term gains. To the extent that states gave data centers tax breaks that other businesses do not have and that lack justification, repeal them.
The 37 states that passed M&E sales tax exemptions should keep them in place. Were it politically feasible, states would best proceed by extending these exemptions to all businesses. But if such a proposal is too politically messy, it nevertheless makes sense to leave these specific exemptions in place for data centers. Repealing them would amount to placing short-term political gains ahead of sound tax policy.
* * *
Max Gulker, Ph.D., is managing director of technology policy at Reason Foundation.
* * *
Original text here: https://reason.org/commentary/data-center-taxation-should-be-guided-by-sound-policy-not-short-term-gains/
Mich. State University Research Foundation: Mobility Summit Focuses on State's Competitive Edge in a Changing Mobility Economy
EAST LANSING, Michigan, Aug. 15 -- The Michigan State University Research Foundation issued the following news release:
* * *
Mobility Summit Focuses on Michigan's Competitive Edge in a Changing Mobility Economy
Co-hosted by the MSU Research Foundation and MSU Mobility, the summit drew more than 200 attendees from across Michigan's mobility ecosystem to address the forces reshaping the industry and the state's ability to compete.
-
Leaders from across Michigan's automotive and mobility ecosystem gathered at the Graduate by Hilton East Lansing on August 11 for the 2026 Mobility Summit: Michigan ... Show Full Article EAST LANSING, Michigan, Aug. 15 -- The Michigan State University Research Foundation issued the following news release: * * * Mobility Summit Focuses on Michigan's Competitive Edge in a Changing Mobility Economy Co-hosted by the MSU Research Foundation and MSU Mobility, the summit drew more than 200 attendees from across Michigan's mobility ecosystem to address the forces reshaping the industry and the state's ability to compete. - Leaders from across Michigan's automotive and mobility ecosystem gathered at the Graduate by Hilton East Lansing on August 11 for the 2026 Mobility Summit: MichiganMoves -- Building the Next Mobility Economy, co-hosted by the MSU Research Foundation and MSU Mobility.
Supported by Waymo, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and the Michigan Outdoor Recreation Industry Office, the daylong summit brought together researchers, entrepreneurs, automotive leaders, investors, policymakers, and government partners for conversations spanning autonomous mobility, emerging technologies, defense innovation, and Michigan's position in an increasingly competitive global industry.
The summit opened with remarks from Judd Herzer, Director of MSU Mobility, who welcomed attendees and introduced Britany Affolter-Caine, Executive Director of Research Universities for Michigan, to set the stage for the opening keynote.
Who Will Build the Future of Mobility?
The keynote fireside conversation featured Dr. Shashank Priya, Vice President for Research and Innovation at Michigan State University, and Jim Quesenberry, Innovation Outreach at Magna International, moderated by David Washburn, Chief Executive Officer of the MSU Research Foundation.
Speakers challenged participants to consider what stronger university-industry partnerships could unlock for Michigan's mobility sector.
From Prototype to Policy
Autonomous mobility took center stage during From Prototype to Policy: Michigan's Path to Autonomous Mobility, introduced by Jeff Smith, Executive Director of Research Parks at the MSU Research Foundation and moderated by Justine Johnson, Senior Vice President and Chief Mobility Officer at MEDC's Office of Future Mobility and Electrification.
Panelists Derek Caveney of Toyota Motor North America, Niall Berkery of Neumo, Michelle Mueller of Michigan Department of Transportation, Emily Frascaroli of Ford Motor Company, and Lara Dailey of Waymo explored the intersection of autonomous vehicles, roadway safety, human factors, infrastructure, public trust, and policy.
Rather than focusing solely on when autonomous vehicles will arrive, the discussion examined what it will take for the technology to be deployed safely and at scale, and how Michigan can leverage its automotive, research, infrastructure, and public-sector assets to help lead that transition.
Research and Emerging Technologies
Three Michigan State University researchers presented technologies ready for industry engagement through rapid research spotlights. Nizar Lajnef, MSU faculty and founder of Infratico presented infrastructure sensing technology; Chengcheng Fang, MSU faculty and founder of Current Collector, highlighted innovations in EV battery current collectors; and Josh Siegel, MSU faculty and founder of AI Mechanic, demonstrated technology that uses a smartphone microphone to diagnose vehicle problems from sound in real time. The session was introduced by Brice Nelson, the director of corporate partnerships at MSU.
The summit also looked beyond ground transportation during Skyward: Michigan in the Air. Moderated by Nicole Noll-Williams, President and CEO of the Capital Region Airport Authority, the conversation featured Surya Congress of Michigan State University, Dakoyta Greenman of Westwood AI, and Mike Bucci of Birdstop, exploring drones, autonomous systems, airport applications, and the barriers to real-world aerial mobility deployment. Brad Garmon of Michigan Outdoor Recreation Industry Office introduced this session.
Built Together: MSU's Cross-College Model examined how expertise across Michigan State University can support increasingly complex mobility research and commercialization. The session featured Satish Udpa, David Frayer, John Verboncoeur, Jenny Carter-Johnson, and Sri Kalyanaraman. This session was introduced by Sanjay Gupta, co-chair of the Green and White Council at Michigan State University.
Mobility, Defense, and Global Competition
Congressman Tom Barrett kicked off the afternoon sessions with remarks on mobility in national defense and Michigan's role in World War II, setting the stage for the panel, Arsenal of Democracy: Michigan's Next Mission. Moderated by John Manza of the MSU Office of Research and Innovation, the panel explored mobility as it relates to national security.
Panelists Talia Marie Sebastian of the U.S. Army DEVCOM Ground Vehicle Systems Center, Dr. Mahmoodul Haq, Chris Thomas of Assembly Ventures, and Parker Boundy, CEO of General Orbit, discussed Michigan's potential role in dual-use mobility technology, defense manufacturing, federal procurement, applied research, investment, and startup deployment.
Drawing on Michigan's historic role as the Arsenal of Democracy, the discussion considered what that legacy could mean in the 21st century and what it will take to move emerging technologies from development into defense applications.
The final panel, Michigan's Supply Chain: Built to Compete, turned toward global competition. Tu Le of Sino Auto Insights opened with an assessment of China's mobility supply chain and what it means for Michigan manufacturers, followed by a discussion with Chris Nolte of Bloom, Sriram Narayanan of Michigan State University, and Katie O'Brien, General Manager, Purchasing Supplier Development at Toyota Motor North America.
The conversation challenged participants to consider where Michigan can compete globally, what capabilities it must strengthen, and what decisions industry, government, universities, and investors need to make now.
The Summit closed with remarks from David Washburn, CEO of the MSU Research Foundation, who reflected on the day's conversations and called on attendees to act on the partnerships and commitments made throughout the day.
Designed for Connection
Beyond the stage, structured networking opportunities were incorporated throughout the day, including a lunch hosted by Clean Fuels Michigan. Facilitated lunch tables brought participants together around autonomy, advanced air mobility, clean fuels, workforce, policy, investment, startups, and defense.
An outdoor showcase featured a Waymo Jaguar I-P and a Ford Mustang Mach-E, as well as MSU Drift Drone, rockets from MSU Rocketry Team, Formula 1 race cars from MSU and University of Michigan, a SpartanXpress autonomous bus, and exhibiting companies including Ketchel Axle Systems, Neumo, Motion Sync, the MSU Industrial Training and Assessment Center, Next Energy, EMC Squared Vehicles, Infratico and a variety of small electric vehicles.
The summit also included the Satish Udpa Mobility Awards, named in honor of the founding leader of the MSU Mobility program. Pete Savolainen, Chair of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Michigan State University, was named Faculty Member of the Year, while Jim Quesenberry of Magna International was recognized as Council Member of the Year. The awards recognized their contributions to advancing mobility research, collaboration, and innovation.
Three Key Takeaways from the 2026 Mobility Summit
1. Michigan's Mobility Strengths Need Stronger Connections: Michigan has automotive expertise, university research, manufacturing capacity, startups, and public-sector support, but maintaining a competitive edge will depend on connecting those assets more effectively.
2. Deployment is Becoming as Important as Development: Across autonomous vehicles, drones, defense technologies, and university research, discussions repeatedly returned to the infrastructure, policy, partnerships, and capital required to move technologies into real-world use.
3. Global Competition is Raising the Stakes: From China's mobility supply chain to emerging defense needs, the summit underscored that Michigan is competing in a rapidly changing global environment that demands faster commercialization and closer collaboration between industry and research.
To learn more about upcoming summits and events hosted by the MSU Research Foundation, visit msufoundation.org/events.
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Original text here: https://msufoundation.org/mobility-summit-focuses-on-michigans-competitive-edge-in-a-changing-mobility-economy/
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Mobility Summit Focuses on Michigan's Competitive Edge in a Changing Mobility Economy
Co-hosted by the MSU Research Foundation and MSU Mobility, the summit drew more than 200 attendees from across Michigan's mobility ecosystem to address the forces reshaping the industry and the state's ability to compete.
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Leaders from across Michigan's automotive and mobility ecosystem gathered at the Graduate by Hilton East Lansing on August 11 for the 2026 Mobility Summit: Michigan ... Show Full Article EAST LANSING, Michigan, Aug. 15 -- The Michigan State University Research Foundation issued the following news release: * * * Mobility Summit Focuses on Michigan's Competitive Edge in a Changing Mobility Economy Co-hosted by the MSU Research Foundation and MSU Mobility, the summit drew more than 200 attendees from across Michigan's mobility ecosystem to address the forces reshaping the industry and the state's ability to compete. - Leaders from across Michigan's automotive and mobility ecosystem gathered at the Graduate by Hilton East Lansing on August 11 for the 2026 Mobility Summit: MichiganMoves -- Building the Next Mobility Economy, co-hosted by the MSU Research Foundation and MSU Mobility.
Supported by Waymo, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and the Michigan Outdoor Recreation Industry Office, the daylong summit brought together researchers, entrepreneurs, automotive leaders, investors, policymakers, and government partners for conversations spanning autonomous mobility, emerging technologies, defense innovation, and Michigan's position in an increasingly competitive global industry.
The summit opened with remarks from Judd Herzer, Director of MSU Mobility, who welcomed attendees and introduced Britany Affolter-Caine, Executive Director of Research Universities for Michigan, to set the stage for the opening keynote.
Who Will Build the Future of Mobility?
The keynote fireside conversation featured Dr. Shashank Priya, Vice President for Research and Innovation at Michigan State University, and Jim Quesenberry, Innovation Outreach at Magna International, moderated by David Washburn, Chief Executive Officer of the MSU Research Foundation.
Speakers challenged participants to consider what stronger university-industry partnerships could unlock for Michigan's mobility sector.
From Prototype to Policy
Autonomous mobility took center stage during From Prototype to Policy: Michigan's Path to Autonomous Mobility, introduced by Jeff Smith, Executive Director of Research Parks at the MSU Research Foundation and moderated by Justine Johnson, Senior Vice President and Chief Mobility Officer at MEDC's Office of Future Mobility and Electrification.
Panelists Derek Caveney of Toyota Motor North America, Niall Berkery of Neumo, Michelle Mueller of Michigan Department of Transportation, Emily Frascaroli of Ford Motor Company, and Lara Dailey of Waymo explored the intersection of autonomous vehicles, roadway safety, human factors, infrastructure, public trust, and policy.
Rather than focusing solely on when autonomous vehicles will arrive, the discussion examined what it will take for the technology to be deployed safely and at scale, and how Michigan can leverage its automotive, research, infrastructure, and public-sector assets to help lead that transition.
Research and Emerging Technologies
Three Michigan State University researchers presented technologies ready for industry engagement through rapid research spotlights. Nizar Lajnef, MSU faculty and founder of Infratico presented infrastructure sensing technology; Chengcheng Fang, MSU faculty and founder of Current Collector, highlighted innovations in EV battery current collectors; and Josh Siegel, MSU faculty and founder of AI Mechanic, demonstrated technology that uses a smartphone microphone to diagnose vehicle problems from sound in real time. The session was introduced by Brice Nelson, the director of corporate partnerships at MSU.
The summit also looked beyond ground transportation during Skyward: Michigan in the Air. Moderated by Nicole Noll-Williams, President and CEO of the Capital Region Airport Authority, the conversation featured Surya Congress of Michigan State University, Dakoyta Greenman of Westwood AI, and Mike Bucci of Birdstop, exploring drones, autonomous systems, airport applications, and the barriers to real-world aerial mobility deployment. Brad Garmon of Michigan Outdoor Recreation Industry Office introduced this session.
Built Together: MSU's Cross-College Model examined how expertise across Michigan State University can support increasingly complex mobility research and commercialization. The session featured Satish Udpa, David Frayer, John Verboncoeur, Jenny Carter-Johnson, and Sri Kalyanaraman. This session was introduced by Sanjay Gupta, co-chair of the Green and White Council at Michigan State University.
Mobility, Defense, and Global Competition
Congressman Tom Barrett kicked off the afternoon sessions with remarks on mobility in national defense and Michigan's role in World War II, setting the stage for the panel, Arsenal of Democracy: Michigan's Next Mission. Moderated by John Manza of the MSU Office of Research and Innovation, the panel explored mobility as it relates to national security.
Panelists Talia Marie Sebastian of the U.S. Army DEVCOM Ground Vehicle Systems Center, Dr. Mahmoodul Haq, Chris Thomas of Assembly Ventures, and Parker Boundy, CEO of General Orbit, discussed Michigan's potential role in dual-use mobility technology, defense manufacturing, federal procurement, applied research, investment, and startup deployment.
Drawing on Michigan's historic role as the Arsenal of Democracy, the discussion considered what that legacy could mean in the 21st century and what it will take to move emerging technologies from development into defense applications.
The final panel, Michigan's Supply Chain: Built to Compete, turned toward global competition. Tu Le of Sino Auto Insights opened with an assessment of China's mobility supply chain and what it means for Michigan manufacturers, followed by a discussion with Chris Nolte of Bloom, Sriram Narayanan of Michigan State University, and Katie O'Brien, General Manager, Purchasing Supplier Development at Toyota Motor North America.
The conversation challenged participants to consider where Michigan can compete globally, what capabilities it must strengthen, and what decisions industry, government, universities, and investors need to make now.
The Summit closed with remarks from David Washburn, CEO of the MSU Research Foundation, who reflected on the day's conversations and called on attendees to act on the partnerships and commitments made throughout the day.
Designed for Connection
Beyond the stage, structured networking opportunities were incorporated throughout the day, including a lunch hosted by Clean Fuels Michigan. Facilitated lunch tables brought participants together around autonomy, advanced air mobility, clean fuels, workforce, policy, investment, startups, and defense.
An outdoor showcase featured a Waymo Jaguar I-P and a Ford Mustang Mach-E, as well as MSU Drift Drone, rockets from MSU Rocketry Team, Formula 1 race cars from MSU and University of Michigan, a SpartanXpress autonomous bus, and exhibiting companies including Ketchel Axle Systems, Neumo, Motion Sync, the MSU Industrial Training and Assessment Center, Next Energy, EMC Squared Vehicles, Infratico and a variety of small electric vehicles.
The summit also included the Satish Udpa Mobility Awards, named in honor of the founding leader of the MSU Mobility program. Pete Savolainen, Chair of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Michigan State University, was named Faculty Member of the Year, while Jim Quesenberry of Magna International was recognized as Council Member of the Year. The awards recognized their contributions to advancing mobility research, collaboration, and innovation.
Three Key Takeaways from the 2026 Mobility Summit
1. Michigan's Mobility Strengths Need Stronger Connections: Michigan has automotive expertise, university research, manufacturing capacity, startups, and public-sector support, but maintaining a competitive edge will depend on connecting those assets more effectively.
2. Deployment is Becoming as Important as Development: Across autonomous vehicles, drones, defense technologies, and university research, discussions repeatedly returned to the infrastructure, policy, partnerships, and capital required to move technologies into real-world use.
3. Global Competition is Raising the Stakes: From China's mobility supply chain to emerging defense needs, the summit underscored that Michigan is competing in a rapidly changing global environment that demands faster commercialization and closer collaboration between industry and research.
To learn more about upcoming summits and events hosted by the MSU Research Foundation, visit msufoundation.org/events.
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Original text here: https://msufoundation.org/mobility-summit-focuses-on-michigans-competitive-edge-in-a-changing-mobility-economy/
Foundation for Economic Education Posts Commentary Entitled 'True Courage in Hong Kong'
DETROIT, Michigan, Aug. 15 -- The Foundation for Economic Education posted the following commentary by Yale law student Rachel Chiu:
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True Courage in Hong Kong
What Jimmy Lai teaches us about free markets and free speech.
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As Jimmy Lai's imprisonment shows, a country's economic prosperity means very little if it fails to preserve civil liberties.
In May, President Trump met with Xi Jinping in Beijing, marking the first US presidential visit to China since 2017. Trump returned with agreements to strengthen US-China relations and cooperate on major foreign policy issues. One of the most ... Show Full Article DETROIT, Michigan, Aug. 15 -- The Foundation for Economic Education posted the following commentary by Yale law student Rachel Chiu: * * * True Courage in Hong Kong What Jimmy Lai teaches us about free markets and free speech. - As Jimmy Lai's imprisonment shows, a country's economic prosperity means very little if it fails to preserve civil liberties. In May, President Trump met with Xi Jinping in Beijing, marking the first US presidential visit to China since 2017. Trump returned with agreements to strengthen US-China relations and cooperate on major foreign policy issues. One of the mostnotable post-meeting developments was the speedy release of Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri, who was detained in October 2025 for leading an underground Christian church. While Jin's homecoming is a significant victory for religious liberty, Trump was unable to secure the release of another prominent political prisoner: Jimmy Lai, the Hong Kong businessman (and British citizen) who has been in jail for over five years for running the pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper.
Lai, a self-made entrepreneur and billionaire, had the opportunity to flee before his arrest, but chose to stay to encourage millions of Hong Kongers to keep fighting for the freedom and autonomy that the region has had for decades. His plight resonates strongly with me because of my family's experiences during the Chinese Communist Revolution, but it should be just as meaningful for every American who believes in the virtues of economic and social freedoms.
In recent years, China has complicated the long-held belief among classical liberals that free markets are key to economic prosperity. Although the country has embraced central planning, it has become the world's second-largest economy after the United States. Hong Kong is situated in a fragile position: the island has been under British influence and, at times, control since 1842. In 1997, Britain's lease on the territory ended, and Hong Kong was handed back to China. The "one country, two systems" policy promised that Hong Kong would become part of China while retaining its capitalist economy and partially democratic political system during the 50-year transition period. Activists argue that China has eroded freedoms and punished dissent, leading to major protests in 2014 and 2019.
Yet, as Jimmy Lai's imprisonment shows, economic prosperity cannot persist unless the country also respects civil liberties. Lai has been detained since August 2020. In February, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison for colluding with foreign forces under the region's national security law. At age 78, civil rights groups have rightfully called this a "death sentence." He has been held in solitary confinement, where he has experienced substantial weight loss and health deterioration.
Recently, the Hong Kong government has attempted to confiscate over HK$127 million ($16 million) from Lai, alleging that the funds are linked to his crimes. When a government does not respect civil liberties, economic prosperity reaches only as far as its leaders allow.
Lai represents the change occurring in Hong Kong, from a city that embraced freedoms consistent with British and American systems to one struggling to maintain what it once had. Hong Kong may be thousands of miles away, but the values that Lai and other activists are fighting for are the same ones that Americans believe in: freedom to participate in governance, critique politicians and their decisions, and publish views without fear of retribution. These values should not feel foreign to Americans.
President Trump is set to meet with Xi again next month. The Chinese government's willingness to free Pastor Jin gives reason to hold onto optimism for Lai, though Trump is correct that it will be "tough" to secure his release. But the United States cannot give up on him. Lai is a hero who has put his own life at stake so that others can continue to fight for our shared values of freedom and human dignity.
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Rachel Chiu is a recent graduate of Yale Law School and a Young Voices contributor focused on online speech and technology policy.
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Original text here: https://fee.org/articles/true-courage-in-hong-kong/
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True Courage in Hong Kong
What Jimmy Lai teaches us about free markets and free speech.
-
As Jimmy Lai's imprisonment shows, a country's economic prosperity means very little if it fails to preserve civil liberties.
In May, President Trump met with Xi Jinping in Beijing, marking the first US presidential visit to China since 2017. Trump returned with agreements to strengthen US-China relations and cooperate on major foreign policy issues. One of the most ... Show Full Article DETROIT, Michigan, Aug. 15 -- The Foundation for Economic Education posted the following commentary by Yale law student Rachel Chiu: * * * True Courage in Hong Kong What Jimmy Lai teaches us about free markets and free speech. - As Jimmy Lai's imprisonment shows, a country's economic prosperity means very little if it fails to preserve civil liberties. In May, President Trump met with Xi Jinping in Beijing, marking the first US presidential visit to China since 2017. Trump returned with agreements to strengthen US-China relations and cooperate on major foreign policy issues. One of the mostnotable post-meeting developments was the speedy release of Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri, who was detained in October 2025 for leading an underground Christian church. While Jin's homecoming is a significant victory for religious liberty, Trump was unable to secure the release of another prominent political prisoner: Jimmy Lai, the Hong Kong businessman (and British citizen) who has been in jail for over five years for running the pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper.
Lai, a self-made entrepreneur and billionaire, had the opportunity to flee before his arrest, but chose to stay to encourage millions of Hong Kongers to keep fighting for the freedom and autonomy that the region has had for decades. His plight resonates strongly with me because of my family's experiences during the Chinese Communist Revolution, but it should be just as meaningful for every American who believes in the virtues of economic and social freedoms.
In recent years, China has complicated the long-held belief among classical liberals that free markets are key to economic prosperity. Although the country has embraced central planning, it has become the world's second-largest economy after the United States. Hong Kong is situated in a fragile position: the island has been under British influence and, at times, control since 1842. In 1997, Britain's lease on the territory ended, and Hong Kong was handed back to China. The "one country, two systems" policy promised that Hong Kong would become part of China while retaining its capitalist economy and partially democratic political system during the 50-year transition period. Activists argue that China has eroded freedoms and punished dissent, leading to major protests in 2014 and 2019.
Yet, as Jimmy Lai's imprisonment shows, economic prosperity cannot persist unless the country also respects civil liberties. Lai has been detained since August 2020. In February, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison for colluding with foreign forces under the region's national security law. At age 78, civil rights groups have rightfully called this a "death sentence." He has been held in solitary confinement, where he has experienced substantial weight loss and health deterioration.
Recently, the Hong Kong government has attempted to confiscate over HK$127 million ($16 million) from Lai, alleging that the funds are linked to his crimes. When a government does not respect civil liberties, economic prosperity reaches only as far as its leaders allow.
Lai represents the change occurring in Hong Kong, from a city that embraced freedoms consistent with British and American systems to one struggling to maintain what it once had. Hong Kong may be thousands of miles away, but the values that Lai and other activists are fighting for are the same ones that Americans believe in: freedom to participate in governance, critique politicians and their decisions, and publish views without fear of retribution. These values should not feel foreign to Americans.
President Trump is set to meet with Xi again next month. The Chinese government's willingness to free Pastor Jin gives reason to hold onto optimism for Lai, though Trump is correct that it will be "tough" to secure his release. But the United States cannot give up on him. Lai is a hero who has put his own life at stake so that others can continue to fight for our shared values of freedom and human dignity.
* * *
Rachel Chiu is a recent graduate of Yale Law School and a Young Voices contributor focused on online speech and technology policy.
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Original text here: https://fee.org/articles/true-courage-in-hong-kong/