The assignment is to write a policy analysis paper on a legislative law/Act (state, federal or from a different country). The paper is roughly 3-4 pages The legislative law/act has already been chosen. There has been a outline provided as well, the only thing needed is for you to elaborte on what has already been provided. For this assignment it is imperative that you are thorough in your writing. This is a graduate level course.

(a) A brief introduction of the law stating its importance for social welfare policy in Texas or the nation. Thus, the introduction should effectively introduce the topic and clearly state why the law is important for social welfare policy. Introduction is where you try to get the attention of the (busy, overworked) audience, you should state as clearly as possible what the law does, why it matters, and what your recommendations are. Many students tend to use introductions to repeat assignment requirements or objectives. This is not productive. Instead, the introduction should "hook" the reader and in so doing, be as specific as possible (about 1 paragraph) [3- points]. (b) A description of the problem/issue that necessitated or preceded law. This section sets up the problem the law is addressing. It makes the audience ready for us to evaluate it on those grounds (and not just whether it's expedient, or provides local "pork," etc.) A successful problem setting should address these types of questions, and not necessarily in this order: Does your paper clearly define the problem? Does it identify the affected population? Does it highlight the impact of the problem? Does it show the urgency of the issue? For example, if you are talking about Ending HIV epidemic, or Cure for AIDS Act, or President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), etc., describe the nature of the problem that necessitated the Act? How widespread was / is it? How many people are affected? Who (everyone? the poor? particular age groups?) is affected and how? What are the known or suspected causes of the problem? How will (or does) the policy address the problem? (about 1-2 paragraphs), [3-points]. (c) The historical background of the law. This section sets up what has been done before, and again, what information do you want your audience to know about the historical background of this issue? Does your paper provide a historical context for the law? How much attention has this problem received historically? How has the problem been handled previously? What is the legislative history of the law? Has it changed over time, how? What recent events led to the creation of the Bill? What are the policies of other states or countries regarding the problem/issue? What gaps need to be filled? (about less than a paragraphs) [2-points]. (d) A thorough description of the policy. Here also think about your audience that you are writing for and how they would find your work informative. E.g. if you are writing for your legislature, let them know how important this policy/law is by asking yourself the following questions: What resources or opportunities is the policy expected to provide for people affected (e.g., economic opportunity, cash, in-kind services, redistribution of goods and services, empowerment, status, preventive services, education, other)? Who will be covered by the policy and how (e.g., selective entitlement, universal entitlement, means testing, other)? How will the policy be implemented? What is the policy’s intended short- and long-term goals and intended outcomes? Under what administrative auspices will the policy be further developed and implemented? What funding is needed? What provisions are made for overseeing, evaluating, and coordinating policy implementation? What criteria will be used to determine the policy’s outcomes and effectiveness? How long is the policy expected to exist (i.e., is there a specific requirement for review and continuation)? On what knowledge base or scientific grounding, if any, does the policy rest? Is there empirical evidence that the policy may achieve its intended result? Your paper should address most of these questions as deemed relevant to your paper. (about 3 paragraphs) [3.5-points].