Understanding State Racial Equity Impact Assessment Laws – a 50-State Legislative Scan

Overview

Addressing structural racism requires structural solutions. Equity impact assessments (or notes or statements) are a tool being used by increasing numbers of state and local governments to drive more equitable policy decisions. They frequently focus on racial equity impacts and are designed to predict whether proposed policies are likely to create, perpetuate, mitigate, or reduce racial disparities, creating opportunities for public awareness, engagement, and policy improvement. 

Through the Collaborative for Anti-Racism and Equity, the Network for Public Health Law partnered with the Public Health Law Center to create compendium of proposed or enacted legislation requiring the use of racisl equity impact assessments (REIAs) in state-level legislative processes, across the 50 states and D.C. This dataset and map is designed to be a resource for policymakers, legislative staff, advocates, researchers, community-based organizations, and other groups who seek to support informed, just and equitable policymaking.