The Progressive States Network is one of my favorite orgs. I mean, how can you not love an entity that describes itself thusly:
The Progressive States Network was founded in 2005 to drive public policy debates and change the political landscape in the United States by focusing on attainable, progressive state actions. PSN advances this agenda by providing coordinated research and strategic advocacy tools to forward-thinking state policymakers, legislative staff, and non-profit organizations. We function as a meeting space for progressive legislators, activists, and citizens, and serve as a hotbed of information exchange. We track legislation in all 50 states, helping to spark change across the country. We make it easier for people to learn more about how to get good ideas passed into law-and take power into their own hands.
They exist to empower state legislators across the country to make real progressive change. They produce great scholarship on policy, write model progressive legislation and are at the forefront of fostering real citizen participation in their own state governments. They are huge proponents of transparency and accountability. They also do wonders in the arena of enabling legislator to legislator communication across all 50 states. In short, they rock.
Last week's signing of the federal stimulus package provides a fantastic opportunity to educate and empower progressive legislators. In true PSN fashion, they are all over it and what they've produced, a report/resource titled Federal Funding for State Innovation: Implementing the Recovery Plan: A Resource Guide for State Legislators and Advocates is simply phenomenal. From a PSN release:
PROGRESSIVE STATES NETWORK LAUNCHES NEW INITIATIVE TO HELP STATE LEADERS IMPLEMENT RECOVERY ACT
New online hub will offer comprehensive resources to help state leaders meet the economic and political challenges of investing for recovery
Poised to receive billions in federal grant money amidst unprecedented budget shortfalls, state governments across the country face a host of difficult decisions over how to identify and allocate the resources they need to turn their ailing economies around. Amidst this daunting backdrop, Progressive States Network, in partnership with a broad coalition of advocacy organizations, today launched an initiative to assist state legislators in understanding funding guidelines and identifying progressive policy priorities as they move forward to implement the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
According to PSN Interim Executive Director Nathan Newman, "We stand at a historic crossroads where states can play an instrumental role in turning this country around. We want to make sure that state legislators and advocates have every possible resource at their disposal to introduce bold legislation that will not only help alleviate the current crisis, but also put our country on track toward sustainable and shared economic growth for years to come."
Central to the initiative is the announcement of an online resource hub at progressivestates.org/stimulus that will host policy guidelines, model legislation, information about where federal funding is being directed, and links to resource organizations in a host of key issue areas, including: transparency, unemployment insurance, infrastructure and transit, health care, clean energy, and increasing access to and adoption of broadband.
A quick perusal of what's available at the link reveals some really sharp and extremely valuable analysis and advice. It should mandatory reading for both lawmakers and staff as well interested citizens.
PSN will be hosting a call next Thursday that "will bring together progressive state legislators and policy experts from across the country to answer questions and share strategies for using the stimulus as an opportunity to effect lasting progressive change."
Kudos to the Progressive States Network. This is really great stuff.
You can register for next Thursday's call here. |
