Chapter 9 NotesLegislating Policy and Representing the PeopleLegislative Branch-Make statutory laws-Amend state constitutions-Constituent service-Bring government funding to districtRepresentation-Geographico Heterogeneous districtso Homogenous districts-Non-geographico Entrepreneurialo Random selectionLegislative Apportionment-Equal populationo Reynolds v. Sims “legislators represent people, not trees or acres”o Equal number of people in the district-BASE = POPULATION-RANGE = 1%Redistricting-State legislatures create districts for themselves and US House-Race and ethnicityo Voting Rights Act 1965o Fracturingo Packing or concentrating-Partisan gerrymanderingOne person, one voteLegislative Districting-1000 Registered Voterso Republicans = 40%o Democrats = 60%Districting Choices-Winners: 3 Democrat, 2 Republican-Winners: 5 Democrat, 0 RepublicanAcceptable and Unacceptable Racially-Gerrymandered District Shapes and Compactness-Unacceptable: Texas 30tho Congressional District, 1990s-Acceptable: Illinois 4tho Congressional District, 1990sDistricting Requirements-Contiguity-Population Equality-Voting Rights Acto Impacto Shape1,OOO PEOPLE1,OOO PEOPLE1,OOO PEOPLE600 CHILDREN 200 ADULTS, NOT REGISTERED 200 ADULTS, REGISTERED? VOTERS500 CHILDREN 200 ADULTS, NOT CITIZENS 200 ADULTS, CITIZENS, NOT REGISTERED 100 ADULTS, CITIZENS REGISTERED? VOTERS900 CONVICTED FELONS 40 ADULTS, NOT REGISTERED 60 ADULTS, REGISTERED? VOTERSDCLess than 15 Percent15 to 20 Percent20 to 25 Percent25 to 30 PercentMore than 30 PercentDCAKALARAZCACOCTDEFLGAHIIAIDILINKSKYLAMAMDMEM IMNMOMSMTNCNDNENHNJNMNVNYOHOKORPARISCSDTNTXUTVAVTWAW IWVWY-Partisan Gerrymandering Percentage Turnover of St. Legislatures Elections ‘06-‘07Competition?-Unopposed-Appointment-Incumbent defeat-Voluntary retirementFigure 9.2 How a Bill Becomes a Law Affecting Us Major vs. Minor Bills-Major Bills 56%-Minor Bills 44%Processing of Major Bills-Introduced earlier-More companion -More even across committees-More amendments-More likely to die-Later final actionAgenda of Active Bills – TX Legislature-3000-1500Secrets of the TX Legislative Process-Not all bills are intended to pass-Bills are not independent of each other-Bills do not receive equal considerationTexas Legislative Workload- As technology increases, we create more laws to make society run smoothly- 75% of bills are killedA Model of Legislative Professionalization - Our Congress (house members, senate)is a professional body; paid a living wage- Primary job is to make laws- State bodies are different (most areamateur) not paid living wageo Meet once ever 2 yearsFigure 9.4A -Population v. Bill Introduction (2007-2008)-Strong positive (.57)-Outliers = CA, NYFirst ReadingThird ReadingBill DraftedBill IntroducedCommittee Reports BillAssignment to Committee Committee Pigeon-holes,Holds Hearings, and Marks-up BillBill on CalendarDebatedIf AmendedVote on BillSent to Governor for SignatureConference Committee to Make IdenticalIf passedSigned Into Law by Governor Bureaucracy Administersto Legislature's Satisfaction Judicial Reviewof ConstitutionalityWe are Affected by the LawSecond ReadingLarger PopulationLarger Population More MetropolitanMore MetropolitanMore Bills IntroducedMore Bills IntroducedLonger SessionsLonger SessionsGreater CompensationGreater CompensationMore Full Time LegislatorsMore Full Time Legislatorsr = .57 r = .41r = .66r = .70r = .86Population 200740,000,00030,000,00020,000,00010,000,0000Bill Introductions 2007-200820,00015,00010,0005,0000WYWVWIWAVTVAUTTXTNSCRIPAOROKOHNYNVNMNJNHNENDNCMSMOMNMIMEMDMALAKYINILIDIAHIGAFLCTCOCAAZARAL r = .57Percent Metropolitan 2006100%80%60%40%20%Bill Introductions 2007-200820,00015,00010,0005,0000WYWVWIWAVTVAUTTXTNSDSCRIPAOROKOHNYNVNMNJNHNENDNCMTMSMOMNMIMEMDMALAKYKSINILIDIAHIGAFLDECTCOCAAZARALAK r = .41Figure 9.4B -Percent Metropolitan v. Bill Introductions-Positive (.41)-Outlier = NY-More urban = more bill introductionsFigure 9.4C-Bill Introductions v. Length of Session-Strong positive (.66)-Outlier = NY (professional, 17,000 bills in 2 yrs)-TX = lowFigure 9.4D-Legislative Compensation v. % Full-Time Legislators-Strong Positive (.86)-Outliers = PA, CA-TX = very lowModels of Responsiveness-Representational-CongruenceState Legislators-7800 legislators in all 50 stateso 181 in Texas (150 house, 31 senate)o Nebraska = unicameral-Education: 75% have some college-Employment:o Legislators more prestigeo Professionals, managers, proprietorso Not estimated wealth but upwardly mobile middle classo Flexible work scheduleo Public contact attorneyso Agricultureo Education overrepresentedo Labor and government underrepresented-Sex: male = 80-90%-Mobility: over 75% born in district-Psychological: more self-confident, self-sufficient, extroverted, dominant, tolerant, less authoritarian, more favorably disposed toward minoritiesTable 9.4 Top and Bottom States for % Differences between Legislators and Population - No underrepresentation for African Americans- New Mexico has proportional Hispanic representation- Texas has underrepresentation for Hispanic (2nd largest gap)o Colorado/Nebraska have biggest gap- Attorneyso California = no over representationo Texas = overrepresented by 33%Chapter 10Executing the Laws and Representing the PeopleBill Introductions 2007-200820,00015,00010,0005,0000Length of Session 2007-20088006004002000WYWVWIWAVTVAUTTXTNSDSCRIPAOROKOHNYNVNMNJNHNENCMTMSMOMNMIMEMDMALAKYKSINILIDIAHIFLDECTCOCAAZARAL r = .66Legislative Compensation 2007-2008$200,000$150,000$100,000$50,000$0Percent Full-Time Legislators 2007-200880%60%40%20%0%WYWVWIWAVTVAUTTXTNSDSCRIPAOROKOHNYNVNMNJNHNENDMTMSMOMNMIMEMDMALAKYKSINILIDIAHIGAFLDECTCOCAAZARALAK r = .86- Executive branch (implement laws) is supposed to be lower than legislative law (make laws)Recruitment of Governors- Prior experience (in public service/being legislators before becoming governors)o Exception: George Bush, didn’t have civil/public service before TX governor- Statewide officeo Control of public accounts - exampleo House member of district is not statewide office- State legislatureGubernatorial Elections- Partisan elections (declare Republican or Democrat)- Contested- Incumbent advantageo Chances are higher of winning- Many states have term limits (2 terms) in officeo Gives you two active challengers without an incumbentPopulation and Gubernatorial Campaign CostsPopulation40,000,00030,000,00020,000,00010,000,0000Campaign Expenditures All
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