American and Texas Government: Policy and Politics, 10/e By Neal Tannahill 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

Case Study: Americans with Disabilities Act 1991 Federal law protects persons with disabilities Employment Access to public places at owner’s expense Requires “reasonable accommodations” 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

The Importance of Government ADA – millions of Americans with disabilities depend on ADA for access to jobs and basic services Government affects Americans in many ways Regulations Taxes Services What are some examples of government regulations? What are some taxes you pay to the government? What are some services government provides? 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

Government and Politics Related terms, but different Government is the institution with authority to set policy for society. Politics is the process by which decisions for a society are made. 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

Government and Politics Relationship between Government and Politics Government decisions are made politically. Politics is broader than government. Politics determines decisions about the allocation of government resources. Politics is competitive. 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

The Public Policy Approach The public policy approach is a method for studying government and politics that focuses on the process through which government decision-makers respond, or fail to respond, to an issue. This approach is useful to students because it focuses attention on what government actually does rather than just describe structures and organization. The approach also provides a good mechanism for organizing political information. 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

The Public Policy Approach The Policymaking Environment Policymaking occurs within an environment defined by complex factors outside of government itself. The issues government addresses, the kinds of responses it is willing to consider, and the resources available to the government depend on international, cultural, demographic, economic, constitutional, and political environments. The public policy process has five stages through which issues can be traced and discussed. 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

The Public Policy Approach Five Steps Agenda Building Policy Formulation Policy Adoption Policy Implementation Policy Evaluation Let’s look at these one at a time, in the context of the Americans with Disabilities Act 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

The Public Policy Approach Agenda Building – Is this situation a problem? Agenda building is the process through which problems become matters of public concern and government action Before the ADA was considered, advocates for disability rights showed Congress the problems faced by people with disabilities 23% employment rate, compared to 80% for those without Problems with public facilities and transportation 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

The Public Policy Approach Policy Formulation – What to do about the problem? Policy formulation is the development of strategies for dealing with the problems on the official policy agenda. As the ADA was drafted, compromise was necessary between disability advocates and business interests over the cost and scope of the program. 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

The Public Policy Approach Policy Adoption - passing the law Policy adoption is the official decision of a government body to accept a particular policy and put it into effect After extensive negotiations, the ADA was finally adopted in July, 1990 and signed into law by President George Bush 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

The Public Policy Approach Policy Implementation – making the law work Policy implementation is the stage in which policies are carried out, involving not just government officials but individuals and groups outside the government. Implementation of the ADA involved the adoption of thousands of pages of rules by the U.S. Department of Justice on everything from the limits of “reasonable accommodations” to the specific architectural specifications involved in accessibility. 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

The Public Policy Approach Policy Evaluation – Is it working? Can it improve? Policy evaluation is the assessment of policy – an ongoing study of questions of equity, efficiency, effectiveness, and political feasibility. Evaluation can be normative or empirical. Studies have shown the cost of ADA compliance for most employers was only $223 per disabled employee, and that lawsuits have been relatively few, but the majority of ADA complaints have involved issues like “stress,” rather than major mobility impairment, and the employment rate for people with disabilities actually declined between 1992 and , 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

Conclusion We will look at every subject this semester through the lens of this 5-step public policy process. What are some other major issues facing our government today? Let’s apply this process to a current issue Agenda Building Policy Formulation Policy Adoption Policy Implementation Policy Evaluation 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.