Juvenile Justice Reform Act: This model bill combines three urgent reforms. First, it restricts the use of pretrial confinement to young offenders who actually pose a danger to society or where this is a...
Political activists have a notion that there is something beyond logic and self-interest that drives the choices of average voters. We know that low-income Whites often vote against their own economic interests. We know...
Pharmaceutical Cost Transparency Act: Last week, Vermont became the first state to enact a Pharmaceutical Cost Transparency Act, requiring drug companies to justify the most egregious Rx price increases. Under the new law, companies...
America is not really a nation of laws. Our legislative system governs only the most egregious behavior. The way Americans treat each other day-to-day—attitude and etiquette, willingness or wariness, prejudice or tolerance—is driven mostly...
** Indicates new legislation since our last report Civil Rights & Liberties The Iowa Senate passed SF 2284 which would make it a hate crime to commit an offense against a person because that...
Abortion with Dignity Act: Many anti-abortion statutes violate one of the basic tenets of ethical medicine—informed consent. The Abortion with Dignity Act would provide a reproductive healthcare patient the right to sign a waiver...
Americans who avoid politics are far more likely to pay attention in a presidential election year. This is our chance to persuade. I suspect you may want to talk about single-payer health insurance, a...
** Indicates new legislation since our last report Civil Rights & Liberties The Massachusetts Senate passed SB 2107 and the New Jersey Senate and Assembly passed SB 992 to help close the pay gap...
Tobacco Tax Act: Despite cigarette tax increases in recent years, polls show that voters would gladly raise them higher in places like Idaho, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, California and essentially any other state. The Tobacco Tax...
HIGHLIGHTS So far during the current legislative sessions, abortion rights legislators have introduced at least 131 proactive bills, as well as 16 others that repeal abortion restrictions. Thirty-six bills have passed at least one...