Suchergebnisse

Throughout American history, church groups have sought to influence public policy, sometimes quite successfully. Their general right to do so is respected by the courts, but indirect challenges persist on the popular level and as a by-product of tax exemption regulations and lobby disclosure legislation. In democratic political theory, this right of churches is grounded in the right of all citizens to be respected as sovereign and to exercise their sovereignty either individually or in groups. Religious freedom points in particular to the transcendence of persons as citizens above the state, and it requires opportunity for political expression. The right of church legislative advocacy is limited by respect for the rights of others and by the requirement that all public policy enactments reflect a primary secular purpose, that is, that they do not depend for their rationale upon theological beliefs peculiar to particular religious groups. Churches in fact make important public contributions through legislative advocacy and the state should encourage, not discourage, it. While the churches themselves differ on this, the broad mainstream of Judeo-Christian tradition is deeply supportive of this activity, provided it is pursued with wisdom and restraint.

Probed are questions dealing with the propriety of legislative advocacy by churches. US history is replete with attempts by church groups to influence public policy; sometimes these groups have been successful, eg, as in the antislavery movement, the temperance movement, various labor issues, & the civil rights movement. While courts respect the rights of churches, opposition persists in tax exemption regulations & at the popular level. The right of church legislative advocacy is limited by respect for the rights of others & by the requirements that all public policy enactments reflect a primary secular purpose, ie, that they do not depend for their rationale upon theological beliefs of particular religious groups. The state should encourage legislative advocacy by churches, which make important social contributions. Modified HA.

AbstractAlthough parents of students with disabilities have several rights accorded by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), they infrequently participate in legislative advocacy. Given that Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is expected to be reauthorized within the next few years, it is necessary to educate parents of students with disabilities to engage in broader systemic change. Using a culturally and linguistically diverse sample, this study evaluated the effectiveness of a parent advocacy program. We examined whether the program increased the empowerment, knowledge, and motivation of the participants. We also examined the long‐term effects of the advocacy program. Using pre‐ and postsurveys, we measured change in knowledge of special education and the legislative process, empowerment, and public service motivation of 41 participants in the program. We also conducted 6‐month, follow‐up surveys with 29 (70.7%) of the participants to measure their legislative advocacy activities. Results indicated that participants demonstrated significant gains in empowerment, knowledge (of special education and the legislative process) and public service motivation. Also, after attending the program, participants engaged in legislative advocacy. This study has important implications about parent legislative advocacy for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.

The increased crash risk of young, novice drivers, especially in their teenage years, has been a growing concern at both the state and federal levels. Teenage drivers are involved in fatal crashes at more than double the rate of the rest of the population per 100 000 licensed drivers. The best way of stemming these losses is to enact laws adopting graduated licensure systems that restrict young, novice drivers to conditions that reduce crash risk exposure when they first operate motor vehicles and to educate the public on the need for this legislation. Legislated teenage driving restrictions involve night‐time vehicle driving restrictions, prohibitions on other teenage passengers, and the required presence of supervising adults. These restrictions are relaxed as teenage drivers successfully progress through initial and intermediate stages of graduated licensure before being granted unrestricted driver licenses. Unfortunately, many states have incomplete graduated licensing systems that need further legislative action to raise them to the desirable three‐stage system that has been shown repeatedly to produce the greatest safety benefits. These state efforts should be buttressed by federal legislation that has proved to be crucial in allied driver behavioral concerns. Because reducing crash risk involves other strategies, stringent enforcement of primary seat belt laws as well as improved motor vehicle crash avoidance capabilities and crashworthiness must accompany efforts to reduce young driver crash risk.