The legislative branch of state government : people, process, and politics / Thomas H. Little and David B. Ogle.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Little, Thomas H.

Contributor:

Ogle, David B.

Series:

ABC-CLIO's about state government

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Legislative bodies--United States--States.

Legislative bodies.

Legislators.

Legislation.

United States.

Legislation--United States--States.

Legislators--United States--States.

Physical Description:

xix, 491 pages : illustrations ; 27 cm.

Place of Publication:

Santa Barbara, Calif. : ABC-CLIO, [2006]

Summary:

State legislatures are at the heart of the American political system. Scenes of both flamboyant partisanship and innovative compromise, state legislatures and assemblies often take the lead on issues affecting the entire nation, engaging in a dynamic give-and-take with Washington while making laws that shape our lives. The Legislative Branch of State Government: People, Process, and Politics provides a wide-ranging overview of the legislatures or assemblies of all 50 states, revealing the similarities and distinctions among the various legislative bodies.

Ranging from colonial times to the present, The Legislative Branch of State Government provides a concise history of the evolution of each state legislature, exploring the constitutional and political environments in which each has operated. It then explores contemporary legislative functions and processes across the nation, as well as the different ways key political players interact with each other at the legislative level. A concluding chapter goes state by state to provide a detailed discussion of the makeup and methods of each legislature or assembly.

With civics education a major concern among U.S. educators (and more and more a required course for high school graduation and college entry), it is the ideal time for the first-ever comprehensive overview of how state governments work nationwide. About State Government fills that need with a comprehensive, wide-ranging three-volume set, each volume focusing on a specific governmental branch. Each volume includes information general to all states (organizational structure, operations, roles, and responsibilities) as well as the distinctive details that make each state unique.

Contents:

1 Fundamentals of State Legislatures 1

A Note on the Importance of State Governments 2

Why Legislatures Matter 3

The Will of the Constituency 4

The Collective Will of the People 4

The Interests of the People 4

Institutional Balance 5

Consensus out of Conflict 5

The Common Characteristics of State Legislatures 5

Bicameralism 6

Partisanship 6

Hierarchical Leadership 7

Decentralized Committee Structures 7

What State Legislatures Do 7

Lawmaking 8

Budgetmaking 9

Representation 9

Education 10

Oversight 11

The Nature of Legislative Influence 11

Opportunity 12

Capacity 13

Leadership 13

The Historical Development of State Legislatures 13

Colonial Legislatures: Limited Opportunity, Capacity, and Leadership 14

The "Supreme" Legislature (Late 1770s-1840s): Opportunity, but Limited Capacity and Leadership 16

The Declining Legislature (1850s-1900): Minimal Opportunity, Capacity, and Leadership 18

The Potential Legislature (1900-1960s): Potential Opportunity, Increasing Capacity, and Sporadic Leadership 19

The Professional Legislature (1960s-Present): Increasing Opportunity, Capacity, and Leadership 20

The Legislature Today: Opportunity, Capacity, and Leadership under Siege 24

The Modern Legislature and Its Opportunities to Lead 24

Powerful Governors 25

Increasing Use and Effect of Initiatives 25

Increasing Mandates and Financial Obligations 26

The Modern Legislature and Legislative Capacity 27

Legislative Term Limits 27

More Partisan and Less Nonpartisan Professional Staff 28

Restricted Legislative Sessions 28

Leadership in the Modern State Legislature 29

Increasing Leadership Turnover 29

Increasing Partisan Competition 30

Growth of Candidate-Centered Campaigns and Independent Members 30

A Dynamic Institution 31

2 Powers and Responsibilities of State Legislatures 33

Expressed Powers of State Legislatures 33

The Power of Institutional Regulation 33

The Power to Propose Legislation 34

The Power of Removal 34

The Power of Taxation 34

The Power of Creation 35

What a State Legislature Does and How It Does It 36

Representation 36

How Do Legislators Learn the Views of Those They Represent? 40

Other Components of Representation 41

Lawmaking 43

How a Bill Becomes a Law 44

Categorizing Bills 45

Budgeting and Appropriations 48

How the Budget Process Works 48

Variations in Budgeting and Appropriations Processes 51

Legislative Oversight 52

Educating the Public 54

Traditional Communication Tools 56

Modern Methods of Communication 57

Resources of State Legislatures 59

Membership Diversity 60

Committee Structure 60

Centralized Leadership 61

Information Resources 61

The Limitations of Legislative Influence 62

Membership and Leadership Instability 63

The Free-Agent Legislator 64

A Complex and Slow Legislative Process 64

The Loss of Community and Comity 65

Evaluating State Legislatures 66

Institutional Resources 66

The Legislative Process 67

The People 67

Legislative Performance 68

3 Structure and Process 71

Legislative Structure 72

Leadership of the Legislature 72

Leadership Hierarchy 73

Presiding Officers: Presidents, Presidents Pro Tempore, and Speakers 73

Floor Leaders: Majority Leaders and Minority Leaders 74

Second Echelon Leadership: Deputy and Assistant Leaders and Whips 76

Committee Chairpersons 77

Leadership Selection 77

Leaders Elected by the Public 78

Leaders Elected by the Chamber or Their Caucus 78

Leaders Appointed by Other Leaders 80

Leadership Style and Management 81

The Qualities of an Effective Legislative Leader 84

Legislative Committees 87

The Variety of Legislative Committees 88

Committee Structure and Organization 94

Committee Size and Membership 94

Committee Procedures 95

Committee Hearings 96

Committees as a Tool for Oversight of the Executive Branch 96

Legislative Staff 98

A Functional Breakdown of Legislative Staff Services 99

The Legislative Process 104

The Bill-Consideration Process 104

Formal Rules and Procedures 111

Rules Governing the Consideration of Legislation 111

Legislative Ethics and Conflicts of Interest 113

Informal Rules of the Legislative Process 114

Factors that Influence Legislative Decision-Making 118

An Effective State Legislature Makes an Effective State 123

4 The People Who Serve 127

An Overview of State Legislative Elections 128

The Context of State Legislative Elections 128

The Political Environment 129

The Legal Environment 135

The Structural Environment 140

The Electoral Environment 143

The Election Process 149

Stage 1 Candidate Recruitment 150

Stage 2 Candidate Nomination 153

Stage 3 The General Election 158

The Legislative Life 179

How Much Compensation and Logistical Support Do State Legislators Receive? 179

What Do Legislators Do? 181

The Unique World of State Legislative Elections 183

5 The Politics of the Legislature 189

The Four Basic Principles of U.S. Government 190

The Other Branches of the Government 191

The Governor and the Executive Branch 191

Judges and the Judicial Branch 199

Nongovernmental Groups 204

Interest Groups 204

Political Party Organizations 212

The News Media 217

Agents of the Federal System of Government 222

Other States 223

The National Government 228

State Legislatures Caught in the Middle 235

6 The Legislature: State by State 239

Alabama 239

Alaska 243

Arizona 247

Arkansas 251

California 255

Colorado 259

Connecticut 262

Delaware 267

Florida 270

Georgia 274

Hawaii 278

Idaho 282

Illinois 285

Indiana 290

Iowa 293

Kansas 297

Kentucky 300

Louisiana 304

Maine 308

Maryland 312

Massachusetts 316

Michigan 320

Minnesota 323

Mississippi 327

Missouri 331

Montana 334

Nebraska 338

Nevada 342

New Hampshire 346

New Jersey 350

New Mexico 353

New York 357

North Carolina 361

North Dakota 365

Ohio 369

Oklahoma 373

Oregon 376

Pennsylvania 380

Rhode Island 384

South Carolina 388

South Dakota 392

Tennessee 395

Texas 399

Utah 403

Vermont 407

Virginia 411

Washington 415

West Virginia 419

Wisconsin 422

Wyoming 426.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 451-457) and index.

ISBN:

1851097619

185109766X

OCLC:

63137217

Publisher Number:

9781851097616

Online:

Publisher description