PLI Bulletin
Stop Intimidation, Omicron Variant, Vaccine Debates and More
Posted on December 1, 2021
Stop Intimidation of Public Officials Act: There has been a steep increase in the number and severity of threats against public officials. The Stop Intimidation of Public Officials Act makes it a felony to intimidate any public official in an attempt to influence that official’s vote, decision or other official action.
Are we toast in 2022? Pundits across the nation say that progressives and Democrats will likely lose in 2022. But the election is still a long way off. For five reasons why circumstances could be quite different eleven months from now, read the latest IdeaLog, our blog intended to raise eyebrows and engage minds.
What we know about the omicron variant: Omicron is COVID with several mutations. Of the many podcasts about omicron, this NPR All Things Considered clip seems shortest and most to the point.
Banning Hair Discrimination Emerges as Racial Justice Issue: Over the past two years, 13 states have passed versions of the CROWN Act (CA, CO, CT, DE, IL, MD, NE, NJ, NM, NY, OR, VA, WA) according to Pew Stateline. About three dozen cities and counties have also passed such laws. (See PLI’s model CROWN Act here.)
How Facebook Gives State Legislators a Pass to Spread COVID Misinformation: A review of Facebook pages by Decode Democracy finds that certain state lawmakers are major sources of misinformation about COVID vaccines and masks.
How to talk to vaccine skeptics: Because it is still very timely, our August 2021 column “How to talk to vaccine skeptics” has been expanded and updated for your use.
Disrespectful Mascots, 911 Diversion, Infrastructure Money and More
Posted on November 17, 2021
Prohibition on American Indian Mascots Act: Stereotypical American Indian sports mascots are symbols of disrespect that degrade Native people and especially harm youth. The Prohibition on American Indian Mascots Act bans the use of...
Election Analysis, Climate Disaster, Food Waste and More
Posted on November 3, 2021
Driving for Opportunity Act: The policy of suspending driver’s licenses for failure to pay fines, court costs or other debts causes more harm than good. The Driving for Opportunity Act repeals existing provisions that...
Forever Chemicals, Supply Chain Problems, Rainy Day Funds and More
Posted on October 20, 2021
Protections from Forever Chemicals Act: A family of chemicals known as PFAS, often called “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down in the environment, are used in many household products and have been linked...
Conservative Selfishness, Troll Farms, Abortion Laws and More
Posted on October 6, 2021
Crisis Pregnancy Center Fraud Prevention Act: This year, Connecticut became the first state to enact legislation (SB 835), based on San Francisco’s successful anti-fraud statute, to address the problem of lies and misrepresentations by...
Vaccine Mandates, Homeless Crisis, Aging Population and More
Posted on September 23, 2021
Prepare for an Aging Population Act: In most jurisdictions, the percent of elderly residents is growing fast. The Prepare for an Aging Population Act would establish a task force to study the state’s or...
Abortion, COVID-19, School Lunch Eligibility and More
Posted on September 8, 2021
Temporary Workers Bill of Rights Act: In the “gig economy,” there are a lot of jobs that are essentially “temporary.” The Temporary Workers Bill of Rights Act establishes minimum standards and enforcement mechanisms for...
Vaccine Skeptics, Census Data, Bold New Laws and More
Posted on August 25, 2021
Divestment from Fossil Fuels Act: It seems like every day we see new evidence of climate change, from wildfires in California to floods in Tennessee. With the Divestment from Fossil Fuels Act, every jurisdiction...
Government Contractors, Liquor Taxes, Twelve Words and More
Posted on August 11, 2021
No Discrimination by Government Contractors Act: States and localities have routinely included language in government contracts to prevent certain types of discrimination. The No Discrimination by Government Contractors Act broadens anti-discrimination requirements to include...
Agency Diversity, Anti-Vaxxers, Stupid Laws and More
Posted on July 28, 2021
Public Agency Diversity Act: Due to many factors, employees in public agencies tend to be disproportionately white and male. The Public Agency Diversity Act requires government offices, when hiring, to reach out to underrepresented...