National Study

LWV of the United States 2010 – 2012 Studies

Privatization

At the 2010 LWVUS Convention a proposal to study privatization of government services, functions and assets was brought to the floor by delegates.  The approved study’s scope is:

. . .to identify those parameters and policy issues to be considered in connection with proposals to transfer federal, state or local government services, assets and/or functions to the private sector.  It will review the stated goals and the community impact of such transfers, and identify strategies to ensure transparency, accountability, and preservation of the common good.

In November and December, 2011, study papers and consensus questions were made available by the national study committee.  To access the materials, please click on links below:

About the Privatization Study

Timeline and Scope of the Study

Surveying State Laws Addressing Privatization

Privatization: The Public Policy Debate

Public Library Privatization – A Case Study

Privatization of a Publicly Owned Waste Water Treatment Plant

The Legal Framework of Transparency and Accountability Within the Context of Privatization

Privatization of Prisons

State Level Privatization 2011

Strategies for Best Practice (in Privatization)

Subcontracting Public Education

Deregulation of Railroads

Consensus Questions – Privatization Study

Federal Role in Public Education

Delegates to the 2010 LWVUS Convention voted to adopt the LWVUS Board recommended study of the Federal Role in Public Education. The two-year study would focus on the role of the federal government in education policymaking, with possible consideration of funding, common standards and/or governance relationships among all levels of the government. The scope will be dependent on available resources, including committee and LWVUS staff time.

Local Leagues received study materials in May of 2011 and turned in consensus in November, 2011.  The Tulsa League voted against participation in this study because of the short timeline.