Institutional Characteristics and State Policy Priorities: The Impact of Legislatures and Governors. (December 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lewis, Daniel C.; Schneider, Saundra K.; Jacoby, William G.
• Is Part Of: State politics & policy quarterly. Volume 15:Number 4(2015:Dec.)
• Page Start: 447
• Page End: 475
• Publication Date: 2015-12
• Subjects: governors -- legislatures -- policy priorities -- interest groups -- public opinion; 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: 10.1177/1532440015586315
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1532-4400

Abstract

Abstract : This article examines how the institutional characteristics of state legislatures and governors affect state policy priorities. We argue that differences in the nature of their respective constituencies lead legislators to press for particularized benefits while governors favor collective goods. Empirical analysis of state-level data from 1982 through 2011 confirms that this is the case. The organizational arrangements of the two branches of government have an impact that is usually greater than that of state public opinion but generally less than that of state interest groups. The results from this analysis are important because they show that institutional structure has systematic effects that are independent of ideology, partisanship, and the other factors that are known to shape state policy making.