Policy Advocacy

Far too often, government doesn’t work for the people, it instead serves the interests of a wealthy few. We fight to make sure the government is responsive to and serves the interests of those who are usually ignored in the political process–working-class and poor people. We pursue those goals by working with and listening to that constituency and building a policy agenda around the issues that are harming them and building a policy agenda around the solutions they want to see, including:

  • Clean air & water

  • Decriminalizing poverty

  • Government & election transparency

  • Improving public transit

  • Marijuana criminal law reform

  • Reducing predatory fines & fees

  • Reentry opportunities & support

  • Workers’ rights

Our Policy Victories

Since 2021, we have led or co-led campaigns to pass more than 25 bills in the Louisiana state legislature, as well as local initiatives. Our state policy victories, along with their bill sponsors and our key advocacy partners, include:

We also played a supporting role in helping to pass the following bills:

  • House Bill 137 (2022) by Rep. Joseph Marino 

    • Decriminalize marijuana possession for out-of-state medical marijuana patients who are visiting Louisiana. 

    • Partner organization: Marijuana Policy Project

  • House Bill 248 (2022) by Rep. Matthew Willard 

    • Remove Robert E. Lee Day and Confederate Memorial Day from the list of state holidays.

    • Partner organization: Southern Poverty Law Center

  • House Bill 553 (2022) by Rep. Scott McKnight 

    • Reduce barriers people with criminal records face when trying to find work in the medical marijuana industry.