8. LAWMAKING
Creation of Policy
1,000 laws in single session
10-12 bills per legislator
Total: Considering 101,000
bills and passing 19,000
Revising constitutions and
ratifying amendments
REPRESENTATION
Representation of Interests
Components of
Representation
9. CONSTITUENT SERVICE
Personalized services to
citizens
What does legislative work
entail?
OVERSIGHT
Role in legislative process
Committee Role
Examples of Oversight
Conflict with Executive
Agencies
Impact of “Sunset” Laws
10. APPROPRIATIONS
Approving State Budgets
The “Power of the Purse”
IMPEACHMENT
What is impeachment?
Stages of Impeachment
#1: Impeachment
#2:Trial
State Examples
Why is impeachment rare?
17. Shift from biennial to annual sessions
Biennial: 31 6; Annual: 19 44
Changes in overall size
Slight decrease in state legislators
About 7,400 state legislators today
Changes in legislative membership
Some states have increased their membership, while
others have decreased over time
18.
19. LARGER LEGISLATURES
Fewer Members =
Fewer Constituents
One-Party Dominance
The Legislative Process
Population and Legislative
Costs
SMALLER LEGISLATURES
Competitive Elections
Legislator Role
Discussion and Debate
Decrease in committees
20.
21.
22.
23. PEVERILL SQUIRE
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI
COMPONENTS OF
SQUIRE MEASURE
1) Member Salary and Benefits
2)Time in Session
3) Staff and Resources
What is the impact
for individual legislators and
the legislature as a whole?
24.
25. Professional Legislatures
No extra income
80% + of full-time job
Large staff
Similar to Congress
Higher population
An example of a
professional legislature
is California.
26. Professional or Full-Time Legislatures
Hybrid Legislatures
Prefer extra income
66.6% of full-time job
Intermediate staff
Middle of population
A hybrid legislature
exists in Louisiana.
27. Professional or Full-Time Legislatures
Hybrid Legislatures
Citizen Legislatures
Require extra income
50% of full-time job
Small staff
Smaller, more rural states
Nevada is an example
of a citizen legislature.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32. F = Functional
Has time, staff, and rules to conduct business
A = Accountable
Process open and accessible to public
I = Informed
Committees and staff; Review of executive branch
I = Independent
Runs own affairs; Oversight, Manages Conflict, Lobbyists
R = Representative
Diverse membership (social, economic, ethnic characteristics)
33.
34. Constitutional Basis
Powers for House and Senate
Structure
Size
59 Senate Districts; 118 House Districts
Partisan Composition
Democrats control House; Democrats control Senate
Professionalism
Time in Session
Member Salary and Benefits
Staff and Resources
35. The LRU provides nonpartisan, objective,
documented, and timely information.
The organization also provides policy research,
bill drafting, and educational materials.
36.
37. State Legislature
System used in most states
District lines subject to majority in legislature and veto by governor
Advisory Commission
Advise legislature about boundaries
Draft initial redistricting plans
Politician Commission
Elected state officials (not just legislators) may serve as members
Independent Commission
Limits direct participation by elected officials
38. Packing
Concentrating partisan voters in single district
“Wastes” votes to protect majorities by party in other districts
Cracking
Splintering or dividing up minority group into several districts
to deny it enough voting strength to elect representative.
Racial Gerrymandering
Partisan Gerrymandering
39. Is this a district I can win?
Can I beat my opponent?
Do they have an “incumbency advantage?”
Can I get money to run winning campaign?
How are the national and state trends
running?
42. African-American Representation
Elected in majority black districts
Impact on civil rights issues
Hispanic Representation
3% of all state legislators (14% ofVAP)
Female Representation
Significant gains in occupying legislative seats (24%)
Serve in leadership posts (committee chairs)
47. SYMBOLIC
REPRESENTATION
Represents positive values
about politics and govt.
DESCRIPTIVE
REPRESENTATION
Representation includes
race, ethnicity, gender
State legislatures should
look like America.
Do they?
President Obama speaks
to students in Arlington, VA
48.
49. SUBSTANTIVE
REPRESENTATION
FORMER REP. DEB MELL
(D-CHICAGO)
Legislators advocate for
particular groups in society
Rep. Mell could
advocate for pro-LGBT policies
for all homosexuals in Illinois,
whether or not they are in her district.
50.
51.
52. Standing Committees
Permanent Committees
Major Policy Areas (e.g.Appropriations, Education)
Importance of Rules Committee
Select or Special Committees
Temporary Committees (e.g. investigations)
Focused on narrow issues
Joint Committees
Membership from both chambers
Conference Committees
Resolve House and Senate versions of passed legislation