Support and Resources for Strengthening Public Health Protections

Public health agencies use their authority for more than preventing epidemics and the spread of disease; they serve many other critical functions, such as preventing injuries, testing children for lead exposure, promoting healthy behaviors, responding to disasters, advancing health equity and more. Act for Public Health provides direct support to public health departments and others through consultation, training, legal technical assistance, research, and resources to address legislation that weakens their ability to protect the communities they serve.

Connect with Us

Join our email list to receive updates on new and upcoming legislation and litigation, along with resources and events related to public health authority.

Do you want to know about your jurisdiction’s public health authority or have questions about current or pending laws or litigation impacting public health in your jurisdiction? Are there specific bills that have been introduced or laws passed that you would like us to review.?

We are tracking public health authority-related litigation and pending and passed laws so that we can share them with the public health community. Let us know about pending cases and legislation.


What is public health authority?

Public health authority refers to a public health department’s legal ability to further public health by using tools
such as community engagement, data collection, scientific research, laws and regulations, enforcement, and the many
methods of sharing information and guidance with those who need it most.

Partners

Who We Are

We are an initiative of the Public Health Law Partnership, a group of organizations and experts applying their decades of experience in public health law and policy work to help push back against legislative attempts to block public health officials’ ability to do their job.


ASSOCIATE PARTNERS

We work in partnership with others who are also working to ensure that public health officials have the tools, resources and support they need to do their jobs and protect their communities.

  • American Public Health Association

    The American Public Health Association champions the health of all people and all communities. We are the only organization that combines a 150-year perspective, a broad-based member community and the ability to influence policy to improve the public’s health. One of APHA’s current projects supports state affiliates in their efforts to protect public health authority.

  • Local Solutions Support Center

    The Local Solutions Support Center is a national hub that coordinates and creates efforts to counter the abuse of preemption. Our goals are to raise awareness of state preemption and its consequences, reduce the use of this threat to local autonomy, and strengthen the power of local governments to advance policies that promote equity, inclusion, public health, and civic participation.