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.

Some Unsolicited Advice To Nancy Pelosi (and Those Who Would Replace Her)

By Sean J Kealy November 1st, 2018 in Analysis, Legislative Operations, Opinion

If the “Blue Wave” materializes next week, as so many predict, you Madame Leader, will become Speaker of the House once again. Time marches on, and as many have already pointed out, you and the rest of the top Democratic House leaders are all closing in on 80 years old. ... More

The Problems With Euclidean Zoning

By Rachel Watsky July 19th, 2018 in Analysis, State Legislation

Since the1926 landmark Supreme Court case, Village of Euclid v. Ambler Realty Co., 272 U.S. 365, it has been understood that the localities, municipalities, towns, and cities of the United States have the right to zone by dividing the town or community into areas in which specific uses of land are... More

The U.S. Postal Service is Staying Alive (for now)

By Caitlin Britos July 19th, 2018 in Analysis, Federal Legislation, Legislative Oversight

During the Spring, President Trump has brought to the spotlight a little-discussed, quite unsexy policy dilemma: how to save the U.S. Postal Service. In a series of Tweets, the President accused Amazon of unfairly taking advantage of the U.S. Postal Service. The first of these Tweets appeared on his Twitter feed... More

Can Partisan Gerrymandering be Stopped?

By Mikayla Foster July 19th, 2018 in Analysis, Legislation in Court, Legislative Operations, State Legislation

Attention to partisan gerrymandering has heightened as the next wave of redistricting fast approaches and the Supreme Court’s 2017-2018 docket included two cases regarding the constitutionality of partisan gerrymander. Following the release of the 2020 census, states will set out to redraw their district maps. States redistrict at least every... More

Arizona’s Teacher Strikes: The End or Just the Beginning?

By David Bier July 19th, 2018 in Analysis, Budget & Appropriations, State Legislation

For six school days in late April and early May, teachers across the state of Arizona walked out of their classrooms to demand better pay, more classroom funding, and other concessions from governor Doug Ducey (R) and the Republican-controlled state legislature. These teachers, inspired by similar walk-outs in West Virginia, More