Think global, act local: Exploring the critical role of local law in achieving public health goals

Public health law plays a crucial role in maintaining and promoting the health of populations. The broadly demonstrated and disproportionately large impact of policy on health behavior has led local governments to seek legal mechanisms to respond to emerging threats. Indoor smoking laws, trans fat bans, protections from food-borne illness, and creative application of nuisance laws are all examples of the way law may be used to affect public health. The study and use of law in a public health context is stymied by a lack of various resources. Health Departments are underfunded, and many municipal departments have no legal resources or direct access to legal advisers. Yet, there are key examples—e.g., Clean Indoor Air legislation—of the value of local efforts that subsequently expand to state, national and even international implementation. Perhaps the most effective way for local health departments to influence state and national policy is to demonstrate the effectiveness of local policies through implementation within and across local jurisdictions. Broad comparisons of local law, however, may be impossible given poor or non-existent online access to comparable materials from many or most local jurisdictions, even within a single state. The same paucity of resources which limits discovery of local public health laws also limits dissemination of innovative public health law efforts when they do occur. Any mechanism that allows comparison and dissemination public health laws across jurisdictions represents an opportunity for health improvement. We explore how local health departments develop laws, and mechanisms to facilitate and disseminate best practices.