Public Policy To Law: Understanding The Process

Public policy is a broad term that refers to the actions taken by a government, including laws, regulations, and executive orders. It is a system of laws, regulatory measures, courses of action, and funding priorities concerning a given topic, promulgated by a governmental entity or its representatives. Public policy is made in response to an issue or problem that requires attention and is oriented toward a goal or desired state, such as the solution of a problem. The implementation of public policy is known as public administration. Public policies come from all governmental entities and at all levels: legislatures, courts, bureaucratic agencies, and executive offices at national, local and state levels. This article will explore the process of how public policy becomes law, including the stages of agenda setting, policy formulation, legitimation, implementation, and evaluation.

Public policy is a system of laws, regulatory measures, courses of action, and funding priorities

Public policy can be understood as a series of stages known as "the policy cycle", which includes agenda setting, policy formulation, legitimation, implementation, and evaluation. Agenda setting identifies problems that require government attention and involve policy formulation, which entails a conscious and deliberate effort to define policy aims and map them instrumentally. Legitimation is when approval or support for the policy instruments is gathered, and implementation is when the policy is put into action by the government. Finally, evaluation is the process of assessing the extent to which the policy has been successful and deciding whether to terminate, continue, or modify it.

Public policy is enacted on behalf of the public and typically by a government, though it can also be made by non-profit organisations or in co-production with communities or citizens. It is created by policymakers affiliated with currently elected politicians and involves various actors such as elected politicians, political party leaders, pressure groups, civil servants, publicly employed professionals, and journalists.

A major aspect of public policy is law, which includes specific legislation and provisions of constitutional or international law. Laws can influence how certain groups, such as survivors of violence against women, are treated and the types of services they receive. Legislation also identifies areas for research funding and determines the amount of funding allocated. As such, public policy debates often occur over proposed legislation and funding.

Individuals and groups may attempt to shape public policy through education, advocacy, or mobilisation of interest groups. Advocacy can be defined as attempting to influence public policy through education, lobbying, or political pressure. Advocacy groups aim to educate the general public and policymakers about the nature of problems, the necessary legislation, and the required funding. While advocacy is viewed as unseemly by some, public policy priorities are influenced by advocacy, and sound research data can improve the public policy process.

Public policy is made in response to an issue or problem

Public policy is created and/or enacted on behalf of the public, typically by a government. Sometimes they are made by nonprofit organizations or are made in co-production with communities or citizens, which can include potential experts, scientists, engineers, and stakeholders. They are usually made by policymakers affiliated with currently elected politicians in democratic polities. The policy process is a complex political process with many actors, including elected politicians, political party leaders, pressure groups, civil servants, publicly employed professionals, judges, non-governmental organizations, international agencies, academic experts, journalists, and sometimes citizens.

Public policy can be understood through a series of stages known as "the policy cycle", which was first discussed by political scientist Harold Laswell in his book "The Decision Process: Seven Categories of Functional Analysis", published in 1956. The basic sequence of the policy cycle is agenda setting, policy formulation, legitimation, implementation, and evaluation. Agenda setting identifies problems that require government attention, deciding which issues deserve the most attention, and defining the nature of the problem. Policy formulation involves setting the objectives for the policy and identifying the cost and effect of solutions proposed by policy instruments. Legitimation is when approval or support for the policy instruments is gathered through executive approval, legislative approval, or seeking consent through consultation or referendums. Policy implementation involves establishing or employing an organization to take responsibility for the policy, ensuring the organization has the necessary resources and legal authority, and ensuring the policy is carried out as planned. Evaluation involves assessing the extent to which the policy has been successful and deciding whether to terminate or continue the policy.

Public policy can take many forms, including laws, regulations, executive orders, and legal precedents. Laws are created by the legislative branch of the government, while regulations are rules made by executive branch agencies and departments with the authority granted to them by Congress. Executive orders are official directives from the president that have the force and effect of law, but they cannot appropriate funding or create new laws.

Public policy is made on behalf of the public

Public policy is ultimately made by governments, although the ideas may come from outside the government or through the interaction of the government and the public. It is important to note that public policy is not limited to a single, all-encompassing definition, as it can refer to a variety of things in different contexts. In the US federal government, public policy refers to actions taken by any branch of the government, including laws, rules, regulations, executive orders, and legal precedents.

Public policy is created to address various aspects of life, such as education, healthcare, employment, finance, economics, and transportation. The implementation of public policy, known as public administration, is a dynamic, complex, and interactive system through which public problems are identified and resolved through the creation of new policies or the reform of existing ones. This process involves multiple stages, including agenda setting, policy formulation, legitimation, implementation, and evaluation.

Public policy is influenced by competing interest groups who attempt to shape it through education, advocacy, or mobilization. Advocacy groups, in particular, aim to educate both the general public and policymakers about the nature of problems, the necessary legislation, and the required funding. While advocacy is viewed as unseemly by some, it is clear that public policy priorities are influenced by these groups. Sound research data can be a valuable tool in this process, as it can be used to educate and inform policy decisions.

Public policy is made by governments, but ideas can come from outside government

While public policy is ultimately made by governments, the ideas behind these policies can originate from various sources outside the government. This includes individuals and groups who attempt to shape public policy through education, advocacy, or the mobilization of interest groups. For example, advocacy groups often try to educate both the general public and policymakers about the nature of problems, the necessary legislation to address them, and the required funding. Additionally, public policy can be influenced by lobbyists, such as big corporations, who push for policies that favour their interests.

The process of public policymaking is complex and involves many participants with different roles, interests, and resources. It typically begins with problem identification, where a situation is recognised as a problem requiring a solution. This is followed by agenda setting, where the problem is considered by official policymakers and potential solutions are proposed. The next step is policy formulation, where courses of action are developed, and then policy adoption, where a majority coalition is formed to support the chosen solution.

Public policy is also influenced by the political beliefs of the party in power. For example, the Conservative party in the UK implemented austerity measures after the 2008/2009 financial crisis, while the Labour Party criticised these measures for their negative impact on the working classes.

In summary, while public policy is made by governments, the ideas behind these policies can come from a variety of sources outside the government, and the policymaking process is complex and involves many different participants and steps.

Public policy is influenced by competing interest groups

Interest groups can also influence public opinion through arguments and source cues. Arguments are statements given in support of a specific idea, while source cues are pieces of information about the source of an argument that individuals use to infer something about the argument itself. Research suggests that interest groups primarily influence public opinion through the arguments they convey, particularly when those arguments contain concrete information. The impact of source cues, on the other hand, is minimal.

In a democratic system, interest groups play a crucial role in shaping public policy by representing various interests and perspectives. They provide a means for citizens to engage in the political process and help governments understand which issues are of greatest concern to the public. However, it is important to recognise that not all interest groups are equal, and economic bias can lead to disproportionate influence for certain groups, particularly those representing business or professional interests.

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