Rees Empey

Rees Empey

Senior Director of State Government Affairs

rees@libertas.org

Rees builds relationships with organizations and individuals in other states to export our policy innovations and extend our work's impact. He was born in Utah and raised in Missouri.

Before joining Libertas, he was a Criminal Justice Associate with the Utah Justice Coalition. Rees earned his bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Utah State University. While pursuing his degree, he interned with the Utah State Legislature, the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee, exit polled for the 2016 election, and studied abroad in China.

Aside from engaging in politics, Rees enjoys fishing, hiking, traveling, and reading.

Rees Empey's Articles

West Virginia’s Cardinal Institute proved instrumental in ushering House Bill 2221 through their state legislature before receiving Governor Jim Justice’s signature. West Virginia now joins several other states that have created industry-specific sandboxes, helping innovative businesses avoid problematic or outdated regulations.
The insurance industry is often bloated with extreme barriers for entry but is ripe for innovation. Rather than shutting down innovative companies or preventing creative products from ever making it onto the market, the insurance sandbox proposed in Senate Bill 55 will present companies with an opportunity to offer their unique goods and services in the marketplace that otherwise wouldn’t be allowed under the current regulations in place.
Michigan is the latest state to join the effort to bring digital privacy protections in the 21st Century.