Advocates can work with local government to create healthier environments for children by reporting instances when municipal ordinances (local laws) are not being observed. Some communities, for example, have adopted menu-labeling laws requiring fast food and chain restaurants to disclose nutrition information about the foods they sell—but advocates may find that not all restaurants comply.

The National Policy & Legal Analysis Network to Prevent Childhood Obesity (NPLAN) developed this fact sheet to help advocates and other community leaders report local ordinance violations.

Be sure to check out NPLAN's other fact sheets: Effective Implementation and Enforcement Clauses in Ordinances, explaining the different ways local governments can enforce laws, and How to Enforce a Wellness Policy, helping parents and community advocates ensure that their district’s policy is enforced.