Uploaded December 2021 | Updated September 2026, 30 minutes ago
On December 14, the Democracy Policy Network hosted New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and other leaders in the public advocate movement to discuss a transformative idea for supercharging government transparency, engagement, and access: The Public Advocate Office. In this video, they share how you can bring a public advocate office to your city or state — and Del. Vaughn Stewart of Maryland spotlights his recently-submitted legislation to establish a publicly-elected, statewide Public Advocate who would serve as an independent liaison between Maryland citizens and the Maryland state government, and whose office would be tasked with and empowered for: (1) watchdogging the state government in the spirit of the public interest; (2) receiving, responding, and acting on citizen complaints about state government; (3) facilitating democratic engagement in state government; and (4) advocating for constructive, systemic solutions to patterns seen in citizen complaints.
Resources:
-The Public Advocate for NYC: An Analysis of the Country's Only Elected Ombudsman, written by Mark Green & Laurel W. Eisner: https://api.democracypolicy.network/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/42NYLSchLRev-2.pdf
-Legislation to restore the NJ Public Advocate Office in 2005: njleg.state.nj.us/2004/Bills/PL05/155_.PDF
-Original memo outlining Maryland Public Advocate legislation: https://api.democracypolicy.network/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Outline-of-a-Maryland-Public-Advocate-Office.pdf ( Maryland legislation to be made public shortly — email Pete@DemocracyPolicy.network for more information. Del. Vaughn Stewart can be reached at vaughn.stewart@house.state.md.us)
Speakers: Jumaane Williams (New York City Public Advocate), Del. Vaughn Stewart (MD), Betsy Gotbaum (former New York City Public Advocate), Mark Green (New York City’s first Public Advocate), Ronald K. Chen (former New Jersey Public Advocate), and others
On December 14, the Democracy Policy Network hosted New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and other leaders in the public advocate movement to discuss a transformative idea for supercharging government transparency, engagement, and access: The Public Advocate Office. In this video, they share how you can bring a public advocate office to your city or state — and Del. Vaughn Stewart of Maryland spotlights his recently-submitted legislation to establish a publicly-elected, statewide Public Advocate who would serve as an independent liaison between Maryland citizens and the Maryland state government, and whose office would be tasked with and empowered for: (1) watchdogging the state government in the spirit of the public interest; (2) receiving, responding, and acting on citizen complaints about state government; (3) facilitating democratic engagement in state government; and (4) advocating for constructive, systemic solutions to patterns seen in citizen complaints.
Resources:
-The Public Advocate for NYC: An Analysis of the Country's Only Elected Ombudsman, written by Mark Green & Laurel W. Eisner: https://api.democracypolicy.network/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/42NYLSchLRev-2.pdf
-Legislation to restore the NJ Public Advocate Office in 2005: njleg.state.nj.us/2004/Bills/PL05/155_.PDF
-Original memo outlining Maryland Public Advocate legislation: https://api.democracypolicy.network/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Outline-of-a-Maryland-Public-Advocate-Office.pdf ( Maryland legislation to be made public shortly — email Pete@DemocracyPolicy.network for more information. Del. Vaughn Stewart can be reached at vaughn.stewart@house.state.md.us)
Speakers: Jumaane Williams (New York City Public Advocate), Del. Vaughn Stewart (MD), Betsy Gotbaum (former New York City Public Advocate), Mark Green (New York City’s first Public Advocate), Ronald K. Chen (former New Jersey Public Advocate), and others
