Illinois General Assembly

• One of those people is Erin Merryn, a mother and social worker originally from the Chicago suburbs who endured abuse as a child.
• Her efforts as an adult ultimately resulted in 38 states passing legislation named Erin’s Law that aims to prevent child abuse through education of children in schools.
• How do different state legislatures respond to interactions with what public policy scholars call a “policy entrepreneur” like Erin Merryn?

Laws were reactive

• Child abuse in the United States became a major public concern after the publication of “The Battered-Child Syndrome” in 1962.
• However, meaningful state-level actions to address the problem were limited until Erin’s Law was enacted.
• Erin’s Law was different – it aimed to prevent abuse before it starts through education, which is a proactive approach, rather than a reactive approach that focuses on abuse that has likely already happened.

Erin’s journey

• After four months of extensive research, they completed the initial draft of Erin’s Law.
• In November 2010, Merryn was invited to the Illinois State Capitol, where she delivered short testimony on the need for the law.
• Normally, policies are adopted when state legislators come together in regular sessions and debate in committees about the policy.
• Merryn faced multiple roadblocks along the way, but her perseverance played an important role in the widespread adoption of Erin’s Law.
• Her recognition as the 2012 Glamour magazine “Woman of the Year” further boosted her visibility and impact as she continued the advocacy.

Policy entrepreneurs get results