IdeaLog
Five more new model bills for 2023
Posted on January 25, 2023
Our 2023 Progressive Agenda for the States & Localities recommends 50 bills for this year, many of them brand new. Our last IdeaLog suggested five innovative model bills on a variety of subjects. Here are five more.
Prepare agencies to defeat cyber attacks
Local governments and their agencies are currently the entities most under cyberattack in the U.S. The biggest problem is “phishing,” when a hacker sends fraudulent emails or other messages pretending to be from a reliable source in order to deceive people into revealing sensitive information or installing malware. Very often, it takes the mistake of only one inadequately trained staff member to endanger an entire agency’s database. Because there are so many different state and local government agencies—school systems, police departments, water authorities—many are simply not prepared.
The Agency Cyber Preparedness Act creates a state office of cybersecurity and directs it to work with local governments to establish and implement standards for the security of all information and information systems.
Limit the size of ammunition magazines
High-capacity ammunition magazines enable a shooter to fire many bullets very quickly without reloading. While such ammunition magazines can hold as many as 100 rounds, most hold 20 or 30 rounds and can be purchased for as little as $10 apiece. Shootings with high-capacity ammunition magazines cause more fatalities and injuries than those without such magazines. Such magazines are extremely useful for, and commonly used in, mass shootings and gang violence.
No civilian needs a high-capacity ammunition magazine for their gun. From 1994 to 2004, federal law banned the manufacture or sale of magazines holding more than ten rounds. Today, at least ten states ban magazines of different sizes. The Large-Capacity Ammunition Magazine Prohibition Act is based on the most recent such law, in Delaware.
Support a behavioral health hotline
In mid-2022, the federal government set up the phone number 988 as a national suicide prevention hotline, but it is up to states to promote and staff the number. Typically, a state funds a nonprofit to staff the hotline, which may also offer counseling and mobile crisis assistance teams. Some states are broadening the scope of that hotline to any behavioral health problem, not just suicide.
According to the National Academy for State Health Policy, 17 states (CO, CT, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MA, MN, NV, NJ, NY, OR, VA, WA, WV) have enacted legislation to implement the 988 system. The Behavioral Health Hotline Act will ensure that the 988 hotline is staffed and funded.
Transition to zero emission vehicles
In the United States, about 20 percent of greenhouse gas emissions come from motor vehicles. So, it is essential to minimize vehicle emissions as soon as possible. Every state and most localities own fleets of vehicles and most also license private fleets, like buses and taxicabs.
The Transition to Zero Emissions Act creates programs to gradually convert all government-owned and licensed fleet vehicles to zero emission vehicles.
Encourage recycling through packaging responsibility
Cities and counties in the U.S. recycle only about five percent of plastic waste products. The rest ends up in landfills, which have diminishing capacity. In the past two years, four states have enacted Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, which encourage companies to make their product packaging more readily recyclable.
The Packaging Responsibility Act creates an enhanced recycling program funded by producers of products that use specific enumerated materials.
Five new model bills for 2023
Posted on January 11, 2023
Our 2023 Progressive Agenda for the States & Localities recommends 50 bills for this year, many of them brand new. Here are five innovative model bills on a variety of subjects. Fight back against...
Five lessons of the 2022 midterm election
Posted on December 14, 2022
Was 2022 a turnout election? Which groups are trending toward one of the parties? How important was inflation? Do voters even like the Democratic Party? In short, what mattered to voters in the midterms?...
Ballot initiatives are trending progressive
Posted on November 30, 2022
Progressive ballot measures did quite well in 2022. In contrast, before the last decade or so, conservatives largely dominated ballot measures, using them to energize their base with an anti-tax, anti-labor and anti-LGBT agenda....
Start planning abortion rights ballot measures for 2024
Posted on November 16, 2022
There were six state referenda on abortion this year (CA, KS, KY, MI, MT, VT) and abortion rights won all of them. Proactive ballot measures not only enshrine good laws, they drive turnout and...
2022 elections come down to turnout
Posted on November 2, 2022
The 2022 elections will be decided by voter turnout, just like the elections of 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2021. The polls suggest that the battle for control of the U.S. Senate is razor-close, and...
Three basics of political messaging
Posted on October 18, 2022
We were asked three key questions about political messaging. Here are the questions and answers: 1. How can progressives persuade Americans to confront their biases and reconsider their stances on politics and policy? First,...
Conservatives are lying about crime
Posted on October 5, 2022
Over the past two years, violent crime across the United States plunged to its lowest level in decades. The Justice Department said so on September 20. Bet you hadn’t heard that. No wonder, since...
How to persuade one-on-one
Posted on September 21, 2022
Direct face-to-face persuasion is a bit different. When you talk to people at their doors (e.g., campaigning) or in their offices (e.g., lobbying), there are potential advantages, if you use them. The big difference...
The three pillars of fascism
Posted on September 7, 2022
Last week, President Biden declared that the “MAGA philosophy” is “semi-fascism,” and right-wing heads exploded. It seems they have no idea what fascism is. So, let’s talk about it. But first, remember we’re talking...