The Legislative Matching Game: Committee Matching and Effective Legislating in the States. (June 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Swift, Clint S.
• Is Part Of: State politics & policy quarterly. Volume 20:Number 2(2020:Jun.)
• Page Start: 234
• Page End: 264
• Publication Date: 2020-06
• Subjects: parties in legislatures -- parties and interest groups -- legislative politics -- legislative behavior -- legislator preferences -- legislative committees; State governments -- United States -- Periodicals; Political planning -- United States -- States -- Periodicals; Gouvernements d'États fédérés -- États-Unis -- Périodiques; Politique publique -- États-Unis -- États -- Périodiques; 320.97305
• DOI: 10.1177/1532440019888136
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1532-4400

Abstract

Abstract: I argue that the value of a particular set of committee assignments for a legislator is dependent on that legislator's policy interests. By this, I mean that "good" assignments will match committee policy jurisdictions with member policy priorities. I develop this concept of committee-agenda matching and present a measure of this match for legislators in 12 state lower chambers. After some brief measure validation, I present a substantive application, demonstrating that this match poses serious consequences for individual legislator's ability to shepherd their bills through the legislative process.