Issue Research

MB Public Affairs, Inc. provides an effective approach to public affairs research that gives our clients a clear understanding of the political landscape and its potential impact upon their business or political goals. The firm draws upon decades of experience and issue expertise to help ballot measure committees, lobbying efforts, issue advocacy campaigns and other public affairs efforts.

We analyze legislation, regulatory proposals and local ordinances, explore the likely effects of such proposals, develop policy alternatives and present other strategies as described below:

Impact Analysis

• Fiscal Impact – Calculating the expected costs to government budgets from legislation, regulations and local ordinances. For example, if legislation banned a specific product, what would the replacement cost be to the General Fund for agencies using the item and how would that impact the fiscal committee analysis of the proposal?

• Consumer Impact – Analyzing the likely effects that legislation, regulations and local ordinances would have on consumers and end users. For example, to what extent would a local ordinance create new costs for small businesses, eliminate consumer choice, negatively impact specific demographic groups or produce other negative impacts?

• Existing Policy Impact – Assessing how legislation, regulations and local ordinances affect existing government programs and other public policy priorities. For example, would a regulation negatively impact a popular program such as recycling? Would the alternative products or processes created by a regulatory proceeding produce an even greater environmental impact?

Policy Development

• Historical / Geographic Research – Summarizing similar legislation, regulations and local ordinances that have been considered during prior years in California, other states and at the federal level. For example, has similar legislation passed in another state led to a series of unforeseen and negative consequences, or not provided the promised positive benefit?

• Alternative Proposals – Presenting more viable, less onerous and less costly options to legislation, regulations and local ordinances. For example, could the intent of a local ordinance be pursued by means of an alternative approach that doesn’t produce negative impacts to specific demographic groups or popular governmental programs?

• Expert Opinion – Assembling expert opinion about legislation regulations and local ordinances. For example, could persuasive materials from academia, government and non-profit organizations be compiled in support of or opposition to a proposed regulation? Similarly, could recognized experts be engaged to provide in-depth background research in support of or opposition to a regulatory proposal?