State Legislatures

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State Legislatures

• Reading SGB (Ch. 6)
• S (15-18)

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Legislative Functions

• Policymaking
• Representation
• Oversight

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What do legislatures look like?

• Names legislature, General Assembly, General
  Court (MA)

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What do legislatures look like?

• Names legislature, General Assembly, General
  Court (MA)
• Bicameral (49), Unicameral (NE)

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What do legislatures look like?

• Names legislature, General Assembly, General
  Court (MA)
• Bicameral (49), Unicameral (NE)
• Upper chamber (senate, 20-67)
• Lower chamber (house of representatives, 40-400)

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What do legislatures look like?

• Partisanship
• Lower Chamber
• Dems (23), Repubs (25), Split (MT)
• Individual legislators D2697, R2674

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What do legislatures look like?

• Partisanship
• Lower Chamber
• Dems (23), Repubs (25), Split (MT)
• Individual legislators D2697, R2674
• Upper Chamber
• Dems (24), Repubs (24), Split (IA)
• Individual legislators D955, R960

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National Conference of State Legislatures 2006
Election Maps

• http//www.ncsl.org/statevote/partycomptable2007.h
  tm

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What do legislatures look like?

• Gender (2007)
• 76.5 male, 23.5 female
• Female 1,178 Ds, 540 Rs

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What do legislatures look like?

• Gender (2007)
• 76.5 male, 23.5 female
• Female 1,178 Ds, 540 Rs
• Race (2004)
• 8 black, 3 Hispanic, Asian 1

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Legislative Districts

• Who draws them?

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Legislative Districts

• Who draws them?
• State legislature (36 states)
• Bipartisan commission (12 states)
• Governor (2 states)

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Legislative Districts

• Gerrymandering
• The process of creatively designing a legislative
  district (usually for partisan advantage)

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Elbridge Gerry, MA 1811
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Gerrymandering 101
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Gerrymandering 101
Before Redistricting
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Gerrymandering 101
After Redistricting
Packing
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Racial Gerrymandering

• Vote dilution
• Methods to dilute the vote of racial minorities
• frequently used after passage of VRA in South
• Racial gerrymandering as an example

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Mississippi Congl Districts 1966
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Racial Gerrymandering to Promote Representation
of Minorities

• Supreme Court rulings once required
  majority-minority districts to be drawn whenever
  possible
• Recent rulings have backed down from this
  requirement, but still suggest race can be a
  factor

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Racial Gerrymandering to Promote Representation
of Minorities
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Single-Member vs. Multi-Member Districts

• Congress all SMDs

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Single-Member vs. Multi-Member Districts

• Congress all SMDs
• State and Local Govts can choose

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Single-Member vs. Multi-Member Districts

• Congress all SMDs
• State and Local Govts can choose
• 13 states (NH 74 districts)

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Single-Member vs. Multi-Member Districts

• Congress all SMDs
• State and Local Govts can choose
• 13 states (NH 74 districts)
• Political effects
• Multimember districts as a form of vote dilution
  (highly concentrated pops)
• Multimember districts promote the election of
  female candidates (Why?)

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African-American State Legislators1970-2000
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Malapportionment

• Unequal representation
• Example NJ 1962 49,000-924,000

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Malapportionment

• Unequal representation
• Example NJ 1962 49,000-924,000
• Baker v. Carr 1962
• U.S. Supreme Court rules 14th Amendment applies
  to state legislatures
• Political Impact?

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Legislative Structure

• Leaders
• In each chamber
• Presiding officer - President/Speaker
• President/Speaker pro tem
• Majority and Minority leader
• Powers of presiding officer

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Legislative Structure

• Leaders
• In each chamber
• Presiding officer - President/Speaker
• President/Speaker pro tem
• Majority and Minority leader
• Powers of presiding officer
• Appoint committee members/chairs
• Controls activity on the floor
• Office space/committee budgets
• May appoint majority posts

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Legislative Structure

• Committees
• Subcommittees

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Legislative Structure

• Committees
• Subcommittees
• Types
• Standing
• Joint committees
• Conference committees

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Typical Standing Committees
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Typical Passage Rate for All Bills Introduced
20-25
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Legislative Reform

• Citizens Conference on State Legislatures (CCSL)
  1960s

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Legislative Reform

• Citizens Conference on State Legislatures (CCSL)
• Functional
• Unrestricted time to conduct business
• Adequate staff and facilities

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Legislative Reform

• Citizens Conference on State Legislatures (CCSL)
• Accountable
• Actions open and comprehensible to the public

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Legislative Reform

• Citizens Conference on State Legislatures (CCSL)
• Informed
• Effective committee structure
• Legislative activity between sessions
• Budgetary review of executive branch activities

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Legislative Reform

• Citizens Conference on State Legislatures (CCSL)
• Independent
• Independent of the executive branch
• Oversight of state agencies
• Regulates lobbyists / ethics laws
• Adequate compensation

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Legislative Reform

• Citizens Conference on State Legislatures (CCSL)
• Representative
• Diverse membership that reflects constituencies

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Legislative Reform

• Citizens Conference on State Legislatures (CCSL)
• FAIIR led to several reforms

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Legislative Reform

• Citizens Conference on State Legislatures (CCSL)
• FAIIR led to several reforms
• Frequency and Length of sessions
• Yearly sessions
• Special sessions
• Length

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Legislative Reform

• Citizens Conference on State Legislatures (CCSL)
• FAIIR led to several reforms
• Frequency and Length of sessions
• Yearly sessions
• Special sessions
• Length
• Staff professional, year-round

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Legislative Reform

• Citizens Conference on State Legislatures (CCSL)
• FAIIR led to several reforms
• Frequency and Length of sessions
• Yearly sessions
• Special sessions
• Length
• Staff professional, year-round
• Compensation

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Legislative Reform

• Citizens Conference on State Legislatures (CCSL)
• FAIIR led to several reforms
• Frequency and Length of sessions
• Yearly sessions
• Special sessions
• Length
• Staff professional, year-round
• Compensation

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Professional vs. Citizen (Amateur)
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Professional vs. Citizen (Amateur)
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Professional vs. Citizen (Amateur)
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Professional vs. Citizen (Amateur)
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Professional vs. Citizen (Amateur)
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Professional vs. Citizen (Amateur)
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Professional vs. Citizen (Amateur)
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Professional vs. Citizen (Amateur)
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The Effects of Legislative Reform

• Is legislative reform good for democracy?

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The Effects of Legislative Reform

• Is legislative reform good for democracy?
• Has legislative reform had unintended political
  consequences?

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Why?
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Incumbency Advantage
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Term Limits is State Legislatures
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Term Limits is State Legislatures

• Effects of term limits?

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Term Limits is State Legislatures

• Effects of term limits?
• Incumbency advantage decreased
• Increase in first-term legislators

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Term Limits is State Legislatures

• Effects of term limits?
• Incumbency advantage decreased
• Increase in first-term legislators
• Election of women and minorities? Not yet.

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Term Limits is State Legislatures

• Effects of term limits?
• Incumbency advantage decreased
• Increase in first-term legislators
• Election of women and minorities? Not yet.
• Shifting power to other actors
• Governor
• Interest groups (why?)