We’re living in surreal and volatile times. Every day, online and in real life, I see someone telling someone else to do their own research, usually in an incredibly nasty tone. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to cut through the vitriol and dishonesty. Many of the issues that divide us are clouded, to say the least. We’re becoming people who don’t know what to trust.
In the nonprofit sector, we devote a lot of time to convincing people to do the right thing. That means that we have a responsibility to think deeply about what the right thing is and understand how things work. We can’t expect to educate the public if we aren’t educated ourselves.
While objective truth in politics isn’t always the easiest thing to find, we can easily research proposed legislation that affects us and the people we serve. Every bill that may become law in any US state is readily available to be read online. On LegiScan.com, you can read every bill for any state, searchable by keyword or bill number. You can read summaries or entire bills. This can be somewhat frustrating, as the bills are full of jargon and unnecessarily complicated language, but we mustn’t let that discourage us from finding out what are legislators are proposing. Every day, more and more controversial laws are being proposed. This is our chance to go directly to the source where we don’t have to rely on potentially biased reporting or the word of anyone else.
Another great thing about this site is that it allows you to see who is sponsoring each bill and what committee is reviewing it, so you know where to look for further clarification and who to contact to make your opinion known. You can see each sponsor’s entire voting record, so you know what issues matter to them the most. You can also find out what individuals and groups donate money to their campaigns, so you’ll know whose interests they have in mind. Watch this video for a brief demonstration.
We tend to worry the most about national issues that get a lot of attention, but local laws have the most impact on our day to day lives. We also have the most chance to make a difference locally. It’s important to remember that legislators work for us. We have a right and responsibility to understand what they’re doing and why. We have the right to be heard about the legislation they propose.
Substance and Style 