| Network Report
Thursday, September 21, 2023 |
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This executive summary highlights key findings and opportunities in three core areas of public health: evidence-based action, good governance, and equity and fairness; that resulted from the Innovative Laws and Policies for a Post Pandemic Public Health System report released by the Network in June, 2023. The report outlined effective laws and policies that many states enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to support the physical, mental, and economic health of communities.
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| Renewed Efforts to Address the Negative Impacts of Inequitable School Discipline Students of color, students with disabilities, and boys continue to experience disproportionate rates of discipline. School discipline practices can impede child development and negatively impact health and wellbeing. This year, federal and state agencies have announced renewed efforts to enforce students’ civil rights in school to address longstanding inequities. |
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| Wetlands Essential to Combatting the Health Effects of Climate Change Are at Risk Wetlands absorb and slow floodwaters, help alleviate drought conditions, absorb pollutants, and when left undisturbed, store more carbon than forests. Despite their ability to help counteract the impacts of climate change, many states currently do not protect wetlands beyond what the Clean Water Act requires, and recently, the U.S. Supreme Court eliminated protections for wetlands that have been in place for decades. |
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| The Department of Health and Human Services Recommends Reclassifying Cannabis Cannabis is now legal in most states. Yet, despite the evolution in state policy and broad public support, cannabis remains illegal under federal law. Things could be changing. In October of 2022, President Biden ordered the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Attorney General to initiate the administrative process to review cannabis’s classification under federal law. |
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The CDC Transportation Mask Mandate and Mootness: A Q&A Explanation of Health Freedom Defense Fund v. Biden
In Health Freedom Defense Fund v. Biden, the Eleventh Circuit vacated a lower court decision invalidating the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) transportation mask mandate. Because the mask mandate would have ended on its own terms when the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency expired on May 11, 2023, the Eleventh Circuit determined the case was moot. This Q&A describes the doctrine of mootness and the implications of this case. |
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Network Webinars On-Demand
Recordings of Network webinars on a wide range of critical public health law and policy issues, including access to health care, health equity, vaccination law, drug harm reduction, cross sector data sharing, and health impacts of climate change are available on the Network website. |
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Litigation Tracker
Litigation is an important tool for both defending and advancing public health policy. This resource from the Public Health Law Center shares information and official court documents from select lawsuits, including commercial tobacco control and health eating. Additionally, it also includes some cases relevant to cross-cutting issues that affect public health, such as preemption and First Amendment considerations. Putting Racism-as-a-Public-Health-Crisis Declarations into Practice October 10, 1:00pm ET
This webinar, hosted by The Big Cities Health Coalition, will feature leaders from Austin Public Health who will describe their work to undo systemic racism and institutional inequity, and discuss the importance of prioritizing racial equity in public health policy and practice. |
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Western Region Director (Fully Remote)
The Network is seeking a Region Director to provide strategic and organizational leadership for the Network’s Western Region team. This role is responsible for overseeing the Region’s strategic and sustainability planning, day-to-day operations, legal technical assistance, outreach efforts, and product development activities. This is an exciting leadership position for an attorney with public health experience. This position is fully remote. View the full position description and apply.
Communications Manager (Minneapolis or D.C. Metro Area)
The Network seeks a Communications Manager to assist in raising our national profile, engage with our key constituents, expand our reach, and improve our support to communities around the country. The ideal candidate will be social media savvy with excellent verbal and written communication skills and be able to thrive in a fast-paced environment. This position will be responsible for implementing and managing communications campaigns and developing written and creative content. This position is a hybrid/remote position and can be based in Minneapolis, Minnesota or in the D.C. metro area. View the full position description and apply.
Deputy Director – Policy, Equity, and Community Impact (Hybrid or Remote)
The Network is seeking a Deputy Director of Policy, Equity, and Community Impact to support our efforts to strengthen the connections between public health agencies and communities, with the goal of building engagement and capacity in law and policy to advance public health. The Deputy Director will lead strategy development, manage programs, provide technical assistance on specific issues, conduct training, develop tools and education materials, and facilitate opportunities for networking and peer assistance. This is a hybrid or remote position. View the full position description and apply.
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Thank you!
Your interest in the work of the Network is important. Together, we can advance law as a tool to improve public health. Please forward the Network Report and encourage others to join the Network! |
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The Network for Public Health Law provides information and technical assistance on issues related to public health. The legal information and assistance provided in this document does not constitute legal advice or legal representation. For legal advice, readers should consult a lawyer in their state. |
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Our Contact Information The Network for Public Health Law |
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