The authority to create laws that protect the public is known as what?

The authority to create laws that protect the public is referred to as police power. In the context of government, police power is a fundamental aspect that allows the state to enact and enforce laws and regulations for the purpose of promoting the health, safety, morals, and general welfare of its citizens. This includes a wide range of activities, such as zoning laws, health codes, and regulations pertaining to businesses, which are all designed to safeguard public interests.

While civil rights pertain to the protection of individual liberties and rights from infringement, they do not specifically refer to the power to create laws for public protection. Legislative authority involves the capacity of legislative bodies to create laws but does not specifically encapsulate the aspect of protecting public welfare as directly as police power does. Regulatory power is more about the specific rules and standards set by government agencies, rather than the broader authority to create and enforce laws aimed at public protection. Police power thus serves as the appropriate term that encompasses the legislative ability to enact laws for societal protection and public order.