Examples of Public Policy

What is public policy? Public policy refers to laws and other actions of a government, including its funding priorities. It encompasses the regulations that reflect given positions, attitudes, cultural ideals, and/or accepted rules specific to any branch of a particular government.

Understanding Public Policy: Definition and Types

Public policy impacts what the government does and how governmental decisions are made. It determines the actions that a government chooses to implement or emphasize, as well as those that it decides not to act on. The public policy definition is broad, encompassing not only laws and regulations, but also how resources are allocated and what is prioritized. Elected officials and governmental entities simultaneously shape and implement public policy.

• When lawmakers or regulators decide whether to pass a law, establish a legislative agenda or implement regulations, they are establishing public policy.
• When elected officials or other government representatives consider whether to give something priority or govern in a certain way, they are implementing public policy.
• When government leaders seek to change previous laws, rules or practices, they are often changing the direction of public policy.

Public Policy Examples by Type

There are four primary types of public policy:

• regulatory
• constituent
• distributive
• redistributive

Regulatory Public Policy Examples

Laws and regulations that allow a government to clearly define the boundaries of what is allowed versus what is not allowed represent regulatory public policy. This type of public policy places restrictions on what individuals or organizations can do for the purpose of protecting overall economic and social welfare.

• When courts refuse to enforce contracts related to illegal behavior, such as refusing to enforce a contract for prostitution or a contract to purchase stolen goods, this is an example of a public policy decision. The courts don't want to encourage wrongful behavior like people entering into illegal contracts.
  
• When lawmakers pass legislation like the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) of 1994, this is an act that shapes public policy. It shows that there is a priority to provide protection for women.
  
• When lawmakers pass legislation protecting workers, instituting wage-and-hour laws and providing enforcement for wage-and-hour laws, this is a public policy decision. The policy is to protect the rights of workers within the society.
  
• When a state imposes tough restrictions on abortion, this is reflective of a pro-life public policy position focused on beliefs about when life begins and protecting the rights of the unborn.
• The issue of gun rights is a matter of public policy. When tougher gun laws are enacted, this is based on a public policy that stricter laws are likely to lower crime and keep guns out of the hands of criminals. When gun laws are looser, this is based on a public policy prioritizing the rights of gun owners and on a belief that restrictive gun laws will not be effective in stopping violence.
• When courts and legislatures make the decision to legalize same-sex marriage or to make same-sex marriage legal or illegal, they will take into account existing laws and how they are interpreted along with the need for new legislation. They'll consider what they believe benefits the public as a whole, along with cultural ideas on the issue.