Why Free Market Think Tanks Matter — and What Pelican Institute Brings to Louisiana
Bills don’t write themselves. Long before a reform reaches a committee hearing, someone has to do the research, draft workable language, and build public support strong enough to survive the legislative process. Legislators are busy, agencies are focused on implementation, and it can be difficult for elected officials to have the bandwidth to build detailed policy from scratch. Free market think tanks exist to fill that gap by doing the research, drafting legislation, and building coalitions to turn ideas into solutions.
The Value of a National Network
One of the most underrated assets a state think tank brings isn’t produced in-house at all — it’s imported. Pelican staff regularly attend national gatherings like the State Policy Network’s Annual Meeting, American Legislative Exchange Council, and Pacific Legal Foundation conferences to name a few. This week our team is attending the State Policy Network Annual meeting which convenes state-based think tank teams, board members, and more than 100 national partner organizations in one place.
These aren’t networking trips for their own sake. They’re where Pelican identifies reforms already proven in other states and adapts them for Louisiana’s political and legal landscape. Rather than reinventing reform ideas from scratch, Pelican can bring a model that has already survived legislative scrutiny and administrative implementation somewhere else, saving time and lending credibility: “this worked in Utah” is a stronger opening argument than an untested idea.
What That Looks Like in Louisiana
Pelican’s work shows the model in practice: One Door to Work implementation is in full force, occupational licensing reform is advancing, government transparency bills are filed each year, First Amendment rights for workers were secured in 2026, and fiscal measures to phase out the state income tax by utilizing a Government Growth Limit remain a topic of interest. Several 2026 licensing reform bills were introduced by lawmakers independent of Pelican — a sign the underlying argument has already moved from “outside idea” to conventional wisdom in the legislature. Pelican’s annual Solutions Summit continues to grow in popularity, drawing several hundred lawmakers and policy professionals. It’s our opportunity to make sure that great ideas from across the nation are injected into Louisiana conversations.
Why It Matters Now
None of this replaces the legislature’s role — bills still have to be filed, debated, and signed. But with 2027 elections poised to set the agenda for Louisiana’s future, the groundwork laid now, informed by ideas tested elsewhere and built into a public mandate ahead of time, will do much of the work of determining what’s actually possible in 2028 and beyond. The Pelican team is investing our time, energy, and expertise preparing to launch the next chapter of Louisiana’s Comeback Story, The Second Line and we want you will help write that story. Stay tuned!
