The Knee Regulatory Research Center

The Knee Regulatory Research Center The Center’s mission is to inform citizens, policy makers, and other researchers of the extent, scope, and effects of occupational regulation.

Supported by a generous grant from the Charles Koch Foundation, the CSOR is housed in the John Chambers College of Business and Economics at West Virginia University. Why the study of regulations matters
Estimates suggest that more than one in four workers (approximately 25%) in the United States is directly impacted by occupational regulation, a percentage that has grown from 5% in the 1950s. Thi

s is far higher than the percentage of workers receiving the minimum wage or the percentage of workers belonging to a union. Last summer, the White House released a report documenting the costs and benefits of occupational licensing and suggested that state governments conduct a similar analysis of existing occupational regulation. The administration would like to establish a framework for licensing reform that encourages a thoughtful approach to licensing and results in a regulatory environment that better serves the public interest. Development of a national database of occupational regulation
To enhance public awareness regarding the impact of occupational licensing and to encourage more discussion and research on the topic, the Center will produce, update, and maintain a national database of occupational regulation that will be freely available to the public. The Center will also organize panels at national research conferences and prepare research reports on the subject. Saint Francis students will have the opportunity to contribute to the work of the Center. The Center will also hire new staff and host visiting researchers from other Universities visiting the campus.

When you're scrolling Facebook and find an unexpected picture of your Director in the wild 😅
08/26/2026

When you're scrolling Facebook and find an unexpected picture of your Director in the wild 😅

Housing, healthcare, transportation, and energy now claim two-thirds of the average household budget. At the SPN Annual Meeting today, Alicia Plemmons of the Knee Regulatory Research Center, Yang Zhou of the University of North Texas, and IHS's Shane Courtland and Reed Dhein outlined state-level reforms that could bring those costs down.

Our Director of Policy Initiatives, Joana da Silva-Gonzalez, J.D., explains why academic research is an important resour...
08/20/2026

Our Director of Policy Initiatives, Joana da Silva-Gonzalez, J.D., explains why academic research is an important resource for policymakers! She also gives great insight into why the Knee Center does what it does.

When legislators propose new bills, they frequently rely on peer-reviewed research to inform policy discussions and committee deliberations. Academic institutions and research centers play a critical role in this process by providing evidence-based information that helps elected officials make infor...

An important message from our Hayek the Fish, our marine economist.
08/18/2026

An important message from our Hayek the Fish, our marine economist.

Fall 2026 is going to be the best semester yet!
08/17/2026

Fall 2026 is going to be the best semester yet!

Did you know that states with Certificate of Need have fewer emergency departments per resident? As well as longer wait ...
08/10/2026

Did you know that states with Certificate of Need have fewer emergency departments per resident? As well as longer wait times for ambulances? Read more from our Research Associate Liam Sigaud in his policy brief with Pacific Legal Foundation.

This research in brief examines how those laws relate to emergency care access and finds that CON states tend to have less emergency-care capacity, longer waits, and weaker ambulance coverage than states without those restrictions.

08/03/2026

Our 2025-2026 Knee Regulatory Research Center Annual Report is LIVE! We are incredibly proud of our team's hard work this year. Join us as we celebrate our recent milestones and look ahead to our next big goals.

The Knee Center is at the National Council of State Legislatures, ! Come talk to Joana da Silva-Gonzalez, J.D. and Alic...
07/27/2026

The Knee Center is at the National Council of State Legislatures, ! Come talk to Joana da Silva-Gonzalez, J.D. and Alicia Plemmons, Ph.D. about any of your research and data needs. We may be from West Virginia University, but we work with all 50 states to provide non-partisan, peer-reviewed data and research to legislators on regulatory topics. Want to know more about effects of a policy in workforce, employment, licensing, healthcare, housing, zoning, criminal justice, or several other topics- we are here to help you get the facts without the noise of interested parties.

Read our announcement and interview with the award winner! Link in the comments!
07/24/2026

Read our announcement and interview with the award winner! Link in the comments!

07/22/2026

A second exciting paper release today! Our PhD Student, Yimin Wang, along with his fantastic co-authors just published their study on relaxing zoning regulations and home prices in Minneapolis.

Our Research Associate, Liam Sigaud, answered the tough question on if sugar-sweetened beverage taxes reduce mortality.
07/22/2026

Our Research Associate, Liam Sigaud, answered the tough question on if sugar-sweetened beverage taxes reduce mortality.

Rising rates of diet-related chronic disease have prompted a growing number of jurisdictions in the US to adopt sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes. These taxes reduce SSB purchases, but their dow...

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