Publications

The Center for Policy Alternatives publishes a wide variety of material--everything from issue briefing books to model legislation to state-by-state economic reports.

Progressive Agenda

2007 saw a string of progressive victories in the states on a wide range of economic and social issues. For progressives, the policies of tomorrow are developing in the states today. The Progressive Agenda for the States 2007: Values and Vision for America lays out 50 of the most innovative progressive solutions being debated and enacted in the states. This handbook covers a wide range of domestic issues—from corporate accountability to predatory lending, from global warming to identity theft protection. And it doesn't shy away from hot-button issues, addressing reproductive health, gun control, immigration, and same-sex marriage. This, the eighth annual edition of CPA's Progressive Agenda, both sets and reflects trends in the states. Of the major progressive laws enacted in the states during 2006, about 70 percent resemble solutions featured in previous editions. Some of the model legislation presented in this book has become law almost verbatim.

 Download 2008 Agenda in PDF format

Progressive Agenda for State Housing Policy

We are committed to helping legislators increase the supply of high-quality, affordable homes in their states. Affordable housing is linked to economic development, health care, education, and a clean environment for working families. We offer this handbook as a resource to help legislators address a variety of housing policy issues.

 Download 2007 State Housing Policy Agenda in PDF format

Progressive Platform for the States: Candidate Briefing Book

The Progressive Platform for the States is a policy briefing book designed to help progressives build a persuasive agenda that connects with voters in this crucial election year. This book covers a wide range of domestic issues—from corporate accountability to predatory lending, from prescription drug pricing to sentencing reform. And it doesn't shy away from hot-button issues like reproductive health, gun control, the death penalty, medical marijuana, and same-sex marriage.

 Download 2006 Progressive Platform in PDF format

Progressive Policy Models for the States

A new reference book is now available for progressive legislators and advocates in the states. Progressive Policy Models for the States 2006 is a compilation of 123 model bills on 100 different topics. Some are updates of older CPA models—like Family Leave Benefits, Hate Crimes, School Testing, Bottle Bill, Medical Marijuana, and Individual Development Accounts. Others have never been released before—like International Trade Agreements, Offshoring State Jobs, Dating Violence Prevention, Mental Health Parity, Fair Prescription Drug Benefits Management, and I-SaveRx Drug Importation.

 Download 2006 Progressive Policy Models in PDF format

Progressive Agenda for Election Reform

State legislators are leading the fight for a vibrant and inclusive democracy. As a part of our ongoing efforts to empower state leaders to achieve progressive change, CPA has released The Progressive Agenda for Election Reform as a resource to legislators who want to wrest power from special interests and return it to the people. This handbook features policy briefs and model legislation for 11 election reform topics, including Absentee and Early Voting, Election Day Registration, and Voter Identification and Integrity. The Progressive Agenda for Election Reform was made possible by the generous support of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

 Download Progressive Agenda for Election Reform 2006 in PDF format

Progressive Victories Report

The progressive movement is alive and well in state legislatures across the nation according to a study, Progress in the States: A Report on Proactive, Progressive Victories in 2007, released by the Center for Policy Alternatives in July 2006. Progress in the States describes 229 proactive, progressive measures that became law in the first half of 2006. The study demonstrates the vitality and variety of progressive successes in the states.

 Download 2007 Progressive Victories Report in PDF format
 Download 2006 Progressive Victories Report in PDF format
 Download 2005 Progressive Victories Report in PDF format
 Download 2004 Progressive Victories Report in PDF format

Annual Report

2006 was another great year for CPA! Our 2006 Annual Report, Leadership for America, describes our activities throughout this very successful year and highlights the Flemming Leadership Institute, now in its 15th year. More than 400 legislators have graduated from the Flemming Institute, including seven current Members of Congress: U.S. Senator Jon Tester (MT) and U.S. Representatives Keith Ellison (MN), Gabrielle Giffords (AZ), Ron Klein (FL), Kendrick Meek (FL), Grace Napolitano (CA), and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL). Also during 2006, we continued to expand our State Action Network—now including more than one in four legislators; we distributed our flagship policy books—the Progressive Agenda and the Progressive Platform—to more than 5,000 legislators and legislative candidates; and we held our 10th annual Summit on the States conference.

 Download 2006 Annual Report in PDF format

CPA News

Read current edition and archived newsletters

Subscribe to CPA News - the monthly e-mail newsletter of the Center for Policy Alternatives. You'll receive information about the status of progressive state issues, events sponsored by CPA, links to new reports and analysis, and other state news of interest.

Archived Publications from CPA:

Please contact Nicholas Polt at npolt@cfpa.org or 202-956-5128 for more information about our past publications. We expect to have more information on this page shortly.

Campaign Finance

• Model Campaign Contribution Incentive Act (7 pp., 1993)

• Model Campaign Spending Limits Act (13 pp., 1993)

Child Care Financing

• Financing the Future: Innovations in Child Care Financing (30 pp., 1996)

• Child Care Loan Guarantee Act (15 pp., 1993)

• The Child Care Credit Crunch (16 pp., 1993)

• Investing in the Future: Child Care Financing Options for the Public and Private Sectors (66 pp., 1993)

• Child Care Loan Guarantee Funds (15 pp., 1993)

• Reinvesting in Child Care (54 pp., 1991)

Environmental Justice

• Toxic Wastes and Race Revisited (23 pp., 1994)

Family & Work

• Rewarding Work: State EITCs for Working Families (11 pp., 2000)

• Family & Work: A New Paradigm for Business and Community--Support & Solutions (7 pp., 1999)

• Family & Work: Who's Watching our Families--Valuing our Caregivers (6 pp., 1999)

• Family & Work: Elder Care--An Emerging Public Priority (6 pp., 1999)

• Family & Work: Caring for the Next Generation--Child Care and After-School Activities (9 pp., 1999)

Health Care

• State of the States: Overview of 2002 Oral Health State Legislation (12pp., 2002)

• Playing Fair: State Action to Lower Prescription Drug Prices (9 pp., 2000)

• The High Cost of Gun Violence (8 pp., 1999)

• Overview of State Legislation on Access to Oral Health, 1999 (12 pp., 1999)

• The Sale and Conversion of Not-for-Profit Hospitals (6 pp., 1998)

• Approaches to Managed Care: A Health Care Briefing Book (30 pp., 1997)

• Communities and Health Care Conversions: A Health Care Briefing Book (34 pp., 1997)

• Purchasing Power in the Health Care Market: A Health Care Briefing Book (34 pp., 1997)

• Integrated Health Systems: A Health Care Briefing Book (45 pp., 1997)

• Community Health Workers: A Leadership Brief on Preventive Health Programs (24 pp., 1997)

Issue & Policy Briefing Books

• 1998 Women and the Economy Policy Briefing Book (200 pp., 1998)

• 1998 Southeast Community Policy and Leadership Forum Policy Briefing Book (1998)

• Southeast Community Policy and Leadership Forum Affirmative Action Issue Brief (100 pp., 1998)

• Southeast Community Policy and Leadership Forum Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Issue Brief (40 pp., 1998)

State of the States

• Progress in the States: A Report on Proactive, Progressive Victories in 2003 (28, 2003)

Women and the Economy

• State of the States: Facts on Women & The Economy 1996-2000 (8 pp., 2000)

• State Venture Policy: Investing in Women Entrepreneurs (2000)

• Solutions for the New Economy: Building Blocks for a Strong and Healthy Economy, Families and Communities (2000)

• Pushing the Boundaries: State Action Improves Women's Economic Lives (11 pp., 2000)

• Women's Voices 2000: Results of the National Poll (74 pp., 2000)

• Balancing Family and Work: Facts about Working Families (1999)

• Women's Leadership on Affirmative Action: Values, Economics & Opportunities (70 pp., 1998)

• State of the States: Women and Entrepreneurship (15 pp., 1998)

• Women at Work: Fast Facts About Working Women (8 pp., 1998)

• America's Economic Agenda: Women's Voices for Solutions (47 pp., 1998)

• An Executive Summary of America's Economic Agenda: Women's Voices for Solutions (1998)

• Women's Voices for the Economy '96 (62 pp., 1996)

• A Matter of Simple Justice (48 pp., 1996)

• Girls & Young Women: Cornerstone for the Future -- Video ((TRT 14:40), 1996)

• Women's Voices for the Economy '96 -- Slides (65 slides, 1996)

• Women's Voices for the Economy - 1995: A Focus Group Study (18 pp., 1995)

• Women Entrepreneurs: The New Economic Champions (37 pp., 1995)

• State of the States for Women & Politics (17 pp., 1995)

• State of the States for Women & and Economic Security (8 pp., 1995)

• Report on Women's State Agenda Projects (24 pp., 1994)

• Women's Resource Directory (68 pp., 1994)

• Working Women: More than Time for New Approaches (10 pp., 1994)

• State Report on Reproductive Choice (23 pp., 1994)

• Toward a Healthier Nation: A Reproductive Health Care Agenda (30 pp., 1993)

• Working Paper from Arlington Hill: The Women's Economic Summit (8 pp., 1992)

• Women's Voices: A Joint Project by CPA and the Ms. Foundation (1992)