PLI Bulletin

Russia Boycotts, Open Data, Praising Democracy and More

Posted on March 9, 2022

Community Service Ombudsman Act: At the city, county and state levels, nonprofit organizations provide a great deal of the social services that residents need. The Community Service Ombudsman Act creates an office of ombudsman whose job is to help those nonprofits in their interactions with government, allowing them to provide even more and better services.

Let us praise democracy: Twelve score and six years ago, our founding fathers created a new nation with a new form of government—of, by and for the people. This experiment worked and was, in time, embraced around the world. But today, democracy is under siege in Ukraine and elsewhere. For more, read the latest IdeaLog, our blog intended to raise eyebrows and engage minds.

How open data helps cities be more accountable: About two minutes into this StateScoop podcast, Los Angeles Comptroller Ron Galperin explains how his office uses data to produce a great deal of analysis.

States and Cities Impose Boycotts Against Russian Goods: Some are removing Russian products from government-owned stores, some are blocking investments in Russian entities, and some are stopping the purchase of goods or services from Russan companies, according to Governing Magazine.

It Turns Out State Lawmakers Hate Auto-Renew Contracts, Too: At least thirteen states have enacted laws to regulate online automatic contract renewals, according to Pew Stateline.

2022 Progressive Agenda for States & Localities: The Progressive Agenda highlights 50 model bills and hyperlinks to more than 200 models. You can download a PDF with hyperlinks built-in, or read it in HTML text. Or email us for printed copies for yourself or your caucus.