SW 313: Social Welfare Policy: Strategy & Assistance

Welcome! This guide will help you understand the process of researching legislation. Here are some basic steps:

1. Decide on the policy area: housing, education, healthcare, labor, etc.
2. Decide on the level of policy: State, City, Federal.
3. Familiarize yourself with the legislative process at this level.
4. Identify legislation in your policy area. From less to more difficult:
• Refer to an advocacy organization you are aligned with: what are they watching?
• Locate the legislative committee that reviews and amends bills in your policy area
• Search for legislation. This is the most difficult because authors don't use standard language, e.g., "severe weather" and "extreme weather," or "health care" and "healthcare," might appear in legislation. Be prepared to try multiple search terms.
5. Once you have a bill number, you can often sign up to receive updates on its progress.

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