The public health and economic crises tied to the COVID-19 pandemic shone a light on existing disparities affecting communities of color, economically distressed communities, and other demographic groups who have historically experienced disinvestment and barriers to opportunity. To adequately address existing disparities and prevent the emergence of new ones, Georgia legislators should have a tool to analyze the potential positive or negative effects of proposed laws or regulations. As they have been applied in at least nine states, equity impact tools are shown to be useful and practical resources that demonstrate the potential scope of the impact of pending legislation on certain demographic populations.
