State legislators work for the folks. When there’s a community-based downside that may be addressed via legislative motion, residents ought to voice their considerations to their state representatives.
Not too long ago, I hosted a podcast and found a significant flaw within the legal guidelines of my state concerning protections for youngster human trafficking victims. This discovery led me to working with a number of state legislators on the Senate and Home aspect to introduce a brand new invoice that may enhance the protections for youngster human trafficking victims.
From this course of, I discovered that anybody can work with their state legislative consultant to introduce a invoice so long as the legislators help the invoice. Nonetheless, there may be typically an expectation that if you champion a trigger – resembling proposing a brand new regulation to appropriate an issue – you’re anticipated to do the vast majority of the legwork to help the laws.
Completely different Authorities Branches Play Completely different Roles in Passing New Payments
Completely different authorities branches play completely different roles and work collectively to get laws handed. The legislative department is a bicameral legislative physique with a Home and Senate. Typically, a consultant from each the Home and Senate aspect are wanted to co-sponsor a invoice earlier than it’s launched to the Home and Senate ground.
The manager department entails the state’s governor. As soon as a invoice passes the Home and Senate, then the governor must signal the invoice to make it enforceable.
The judicial department consists of the state Supreme Courtroom, Courtroom of Appeals and Trial Courts. These entities should interpret a brand new invoice when it turns into a regulation.
The Steps of the L.A.W.S. Course of
Within the strategy of getting laws handed, there are 5 steps. I refer to those steps because the “L.A.W.S. Course of”.
Step one of getting a invoice handed within the L.A.W.S. course of begins with laying the groundwork for the brand new regulation. It entails conducting analysis into how new laws will mitigate an issue.
Researching current legal guidelines and articulating why they don’t present the protections essential and reviewing different states’ legal guidelines can be a part of this step. As well as, it’s additionally essential to contact your state legislators and request a gathering.
Second, you could articulate to state legislators why the invoice is required. You’ll need to current your analysis, documentation and every other supporting info that identifies the necessity for the brand new regulation.
A few of this documentation might embrace opinion letters from sheriffs or state attorneys who describe the necessity for the brand new regulation. If the brand new invoice entails offering safety for victims, sufferer statements that specify how the proposed invoice will shield them are essential.
The third step within the L.A.W.S. course of is to win allies, which can embrace growing group help. Having your coworkers, neighbors and kin contact their representatives to help the proposed laws could be efficient. Holding city halls and different conferences to garner public help could also be wanted on this step.
The fourth and fifth steps are to safe passage of the brand new invoice and to behave swiftly, which requires help from the legislators and their workers.
Getting a Invoice Handed to Shield Baby Human Trafficking Victims Is a Lot of Work, However It’s Worthwhile
The method of getting a invoice signed into regulation is a significant endeavor. But when there’s a sturdy want for brand spanking new laws and sufficient help for it, then it’s attainable. Here’s a normal overview of the method I name “D.I.C.E.D”:
Being a part of the method to get laws handed is a rewarding expertise, as a result of it could strengthen legal guidelines to create extra accountability. As well as, it could present extra safety to the residents of our communities and particularly to probably the most susceptible folks resembling youngster human trafficking victims.
