PLI Bulletin

Climate, Health, Crime and More

Posted on July 23, 2025

Climate Change Impact Assessment Act: Recent weather disasters remind us that climate change will eventually affect every state and locality with more and worse hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, drought and wildfire. Some of these problems can be predicted and some of the damage mitigated with planning. The Climate Change Impact Assessment Act directs jurisdictions to study, create and implement climate change action plans.

Recent statistics destroy conservative arguments about crime: In the first half of 2025, crime plummeted across the United States. Over the past few years, there has been an extraordinary reduction in violent crime and homicide, especially in major cities. This trend proves that the conventional right-wing arguments about crime prevention are demonstrably false. For details, read the latest IdeaLog, our blog intended to raise eyebrows and engage minds.

Not Another Political Podcast: This is a different take on politics, sometimes rather off-the-wall but interesting, from the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago.

Stand-your-ground laws linked to higher homicide rates: A new report finds that stand-your-ground laws are linked to approximately 10 percent increases in monthly homicide and firearm homicide rates, especially in AL, FL, GA and LA, reports Stateline.

Getting courts to send text reminders to criminal defendants can save time, money and trouble: Missed court appearances are the number one reason people are booked into jail and the most common reason for missing court dates is that people forgot. Like many businesses do, courts should send text reminders and lawmakers can help make that happen, according to a column in Route Fifty.

Featured model bills on Health Policy: These include easy enrollment, health enterprise zones, prescription drug affordability and restrictions on tobacco products, published in our 2025 Progressive Agenda.