A Quiet Revolution or a Flashy Blip? The Real ID Act and U.S. National Identification System Reform

In 2005, Congress passed the Real ID Act despite decades of stalemate in reforming the U.S. national ID system. Using John Kingdon’s policy streams framework, the authors examine the development of reform ideas, the opening of a policy window and the shift in the national mood after the 9/11 attacks, and the legislative tactics by the George W. Bush administration that led to the passage of the act. The analysis illustrates the significance of policy entrepreneurship in national crises but also raises questions about the permanency of policy reforms and the ethical responsibilities of public administrators in such times.     

MPP programs emerging around the world19

This paper examines public policy and management programs in Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, and makes comparisons with similar programs in the United States. Our study of public policy programs shows that there are many challenges ahead in terms of making good decisions on the form and content of programs that will add value to governments and citizens. Appropriate choices in terms of program design and pedagogy will reflect different economic, social, environmental, and cultural influences and will be shaped by history, values, and the roles of public policy and management professionals within a particular governmental context.     

Exploring Explanations of State Agency Budgets: Institutional Budget Actors or Exogenous Environment?

Budgetary incrementalism argues that three institutional actors—agencies, executive budget offices, and legislative committees—dominate budget outcomes. The complexity and interdependency of public programs expands this expectation to include the influence of exogenous budget factors. Findings from a survey of state agency heads reveal that budget environments do influence state agency budget outcomes. However, the institutional budgetary participants, especially governors and legislatures, envisioned in classical incrementalism retain their principal and primary influence on state agency budgets. A significant departure from classical incrementalism is that agencies are not as influential as previously depicted.     

Shared Services: Lessons from the Public and Private Sectors for the Nonprofit Sector

Shared services arrangements in the Australian third sector are becoming more common. Notably, however, there is a lack of information to guide nonprofit organisations through the development and engagement of shared structures. This article reviews the lessons that have been recorded from the public and private sectors with respect to the engagement of shared services arrangements. Additionally this article explores the different types of shared services structures that can be adopted. Overall, this article highlights the need for further research and analysis of issues relating to shared services arrangements in order to assist the increasing number of Australian nonprofit organisations engaging these collective arrangements and structures.     

论举证时限的裁量空间

举证时限制度设置的目的应为确立与法定顺序主义相适应的双阶型审判流程。证据适时提出主义赋予了法官过大的裁量权,与设置我国举证时限制度的目的相去甚远。我国民事审判流程的革新本身是想朝着双阶型审判流程而去,却深受民法法系国家证据随时提出主义的影响,淡化了驱动双阶型审判流程的法定顺序主义,最终陷入裁量陷阱。《举证时限通知》的进步在于对法官在举证时限制度运行中过度裁量权的限缩。举证时限制度的合目的运行不仅需要程序技术的进步,更需要程序伦理的支撑与推动。《举证时限通知》的进步仅仅是程序技术方面的进步。     

论科学证据的三大基本理论问题

科学证据可以定义为运用具有可检验特征的普遍定理、规律和原理,解释案件事实构成的变化发展及其内在联系的专家意见,其主要理由在于可以科学原理在科学证据生成过程中所起的作用与功能,将科学证据分为"科学描述型"与"科学检验型"两类,"科学描述型"不是典型意义上的科学证据。从定位来看,科学证据应属于言词证据、间接证据。可以按照不同的标准对科学证据进行分类,以此加深对科学证据的认识。     

关于专利权无效宣告与专利权评价报告制度

本次《实施细则》对专利权无效宣告制度进行了三方面的修改:一、增加宣告专利权无效的理由;二、放宽以权利冲突为理由请求宣告外观设计专利权无效的举证要求;三、特殊情况下无效宣告程序不终止。修改后的《实施细则》还对当事人申请作出专利权评价报告的形式、国家知识产权局作出专利权评价报告的时限等作出了具体规定。     

从人民代表到代表人民-由《选举法》的修改说起

一、楔子 在中华人民共和国建国六十周年之际，当改革开放行进三十年之际，全国人大常务委员会公布了《选举法》修改草案。就草案的内容看，其是我们政治体制改革的进一步深化与具体化，是人民民主之法治化的延伸，是人民当家作主的进一步扩大。     

侦查人员出庭作证的法律依据辨析

侦查人员出庭作证已列入我国新一轮司法改革方案之中,但理论界对侦查人员出庭作证的法律依据一直存在争论。有的认为《刑事诉讼法》第48条规定的证人包含了侦查人员,此条即为侦查人员出庭作证的法律依据;也有的认为《刑事诉讼法》第28条关于侦查人员应当回避的规定实际上否定了侦查人员出庭作证的资格。笔者对上述意见概不同意,认为在我国现行刑事诉讼法上侦查人员出庭作证是有依据的,只是不够直接、明确,应当根据侦查人员的法定职责、审判活动的实际需要、侦查人员及侦查工作的特殊性等因素完善侦查人员出庭作证的法律依据。