Legislative Logjams: a Comparative State Analysis

Abstract

Beyond these basic generalizations, we know precious little about how state legislatures handle their workloads. How is the workload divided among committees? At what stage of committee consideration do bills die? Why do some bills pass and others fail? When during the session are the various kinds of legislative business transacted? What linkages exist between legislative practice and legislative performance? No practice of state legislatures' workload management has been more thoroughly condemned than the end-of-session logjam of business. In the closing weeks of the session, state legislators are buried in an avalanche of work. In many states it becomes impossible to find bills, let along secure action on them (Wahlke 1966: 147). Legislative chambers become scenes of madness and mayhem (Berkley and Fox 1978: 84). In the midst of such confusion, legislators vote wildly and blindly on countless measures they don't know a thing about (Chamberlain 1969: 206; Lorch 1983: 164). The leadership is able to push bills or amendments through hastily without giving the members a chance to deliberate on them (Harrigan 1980: 110). The most important legislation receives the least careful consideration (Burns 1971: 56). The result is legislation of inferior quality (Luce 1974: 155). There seems to be widespread agreement among legislators, legislative scholars, and legislative reformers that the end-of-session logjam is endemic and pernicious. For some, the end-of-session logjam seems inevitable. For others, the logjam is a function of legislative workloads or procedures. For yet others, the logjam is a strategy of legislative leaders to enhance their own power. Many observers have identified presumed causes of logjam; some have suggested ways to reduce the size of logjams. The literature on state legislative logjams is more speculative than empirical. There are many statements which describe logjams in state legislatures. However, such generalizations have not been confirmed by data analysis. Numerous hypotheses concerning factors which affect the comparative size of logjams in state legislatures have been advanced. Yet,