State legislatures are working to undermine the authority and independence of public health agencies and local governments with preemption bills – and they’re doing so despite the COVID-19 pandemic. This preemption of public health authority has lasting consequences, including:
Making it difficult for local elected officials and public health officials to take steps necessary to protect the health and well-being of their communities during the pandemic;
Worsening existing community health inequities – disparities further amplified by a pandemic that has disproportionately impacted BIPOC communities; and
Making it more challenging for communities to respond effectively to future disease outbreaks and public health emergencies.
The Local Solutions Support Center has designed a toolkit to help organizers understand what public health authority preemption looks like and how to talk about it in a way that’s both accessible to broader audiences, and effective. Take a look at our new resource.