Dome:
Law, Legislation & Policy

Housed at Boston University School of Law, Dome is a valuable resource for news, analysis, and opinion on legislation and public policy. Dome is staffed by students of BU Law’s various legislation clinics. Dome features work contributed by staff members, scholars, practitioners, and law students interested in legislation and public policy.

Time to Hang up the Boxing Gloves? The Fight Over the Johnson Amendment

By Kate Lipman
May 14th, 2020 in Analysis, Federal Legislation, Lobbying.

Most Americans have never heard of the Johnson Amendment, never mind the nearly 70 year legal and political battle over its meaning and reach.  What is the Johnson Amendment, and why is it so important to so many organizations that they have been either trying to protect or destroy it... More

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The Comprehensive CREDIT Act: Taking Down Credit Barriers

By Kathryn Buckley
May 14th, 2020 in Analysis, Federal Legislation.

A pivotal financial moment, like finding a new job, buying a home, or taking out a student loan, a person's credit history can become an obstacle to achieving what they want to do. Though credit reports and scores can be effective in determining whether to lend money to a borrower, More

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Electric Scooters and Data Reporting: A Roadmap to Smart Development

By Graham Louis
May 13th, 2020 in Analysis, Local Legislation, State Legislation.

In many cities electric scooters appeared virtually overnight. These new forms of transportation have many benefits including: decreasing carbon emissions, making public transit more accessible, and solving first/last mile issues. Scooters also exacerbate many issues facing urban planners: taking up space on sidewalks, scaring pedestrians, increasing congestion, and may decrease... More

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The American Family Act is both Effective Policy and Politically Viable, Let’s Make it Law

By Rebecca Gottesdiener
January 24th, 2020 in Analysis, Federal Legislation.

 With the 2020 Democratic Primary underway, candidates are engaged in a ‘race to the left’ defined by progressive proposals for expansive federal programs aimed to combat social, economic, and environmental injustices. Underpinning these ideas is the belief in government as an effective mechanism for improving the lives of Americans and... More

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Dying for a Greener Tomorrow: Legalizing Alkaline Hydrolysis

By Tyler Heneghan
January 24th, 2020 in Analysis, Local Legislation, State Legislation.

From the first intentional Neanderthal burials to Polish vampire burials and Himalayan sky burials, burial practices have long been and continue to be a large part of our cultural understanding of death and the afterlife. Today’s growing concerns with land and natural resource sustainability as well as global climate change, More

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