FIFTY SHADES OF STATE LEGISLATURES: THE IMPACT OF STATE LEGISLATIVE PROFESSIONALISM AND PARTISANSHIP ON POLICY IMPLEMENTATION
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Date
2020-08-25
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Johns Hopkins University
Abstract
State legislatures are often forgotten or ignored when discussing politics, but their impact on state-level and local lawmaking as well as influencing the implementation of federal legislation over the last 300 or so years, has been tremendous. One of the reasons why state legislatures are overlooked is because of their variance in every single state in terms of size, what they’re called, makeup, structure, functionality, and most importantly professionalism. This paper examines what a state legislature is and how they vary by state, the impact of their professionalism on policy creation and implementation, and the different relationships at play between state legislatures and their corresponding executive branches, and their partners in federal government. Chapter 1 answers the following: How do state legislatures vary specifically in terms of their levels of professionalization? Although there are many elements of legislative professionalism, this chapter defines it as how full-time or part-time a specific legislative body is; meaning how much time does a lawmaker spend on the job. Chapter 2 answers the following question: How does legislative professionalism and political makeup of state executive branches impact how laws and policies are implemented at the state level? Studying the relationship between state legislatures and their corresponding governors, this chapter examines case studies of federal and state laws, specifically the Affordable Care Act and its implementation at the state level. This case study makes clear that less professionalized state legislatures are at a constitutional disadvantage and are unable to provide a “check” on their respective executive branch. Chapter 3 answers the following: Does the full-time career nature of state legislatures and political makeup of state governance, each alone and taken together, have an impact on how federal laws are implemented at the state level? Through healthcare outcomes, results show that states with more active, full-time, and professionalized legislatures have better outcomes and are also more prepared and more equipped to serve their constituencies. The research in this paper warrants a consideration for implementing nationwide standards for state legislative professionalism so that states can react with certainty and real lawmaking authority in the face of crisis.
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State legislature, legislative professionalism