Advocacy Glossary

Sunset provision

What does sunset provision mean?

A sunset provision is a clause that makes a law or program expire on a set date unless the legislature votes to renew it.

Why it matters for advocates

Sunsets force lawmakers to revisit a policy instead of letting it run forever. Tax breaks and new programs often come with them.

An upcoming sunset is an advocacy deadline. Renewal fights are a natural time to defend a program, expand it, or fix what did not work.

The fastest way to put these terms to work: generate a one-page policy brief free at PolicyPage