Module 3: Legislative Performance

The Budget Environment: The Media, Interest Groups, and the Public

BB Ch.6

Big Money Talks

Interest Groups Hedge Their Bets

Operating in the Red: Deficits, Debt, and the Elusive Balanced Budget

BB Ch.7

A Money Milestone

5-Year Infrastructure Plan

Draft Legislative Analysis Due

Draft Contents:

1. Introduction, purpose of project, goals and objectives, description of team (2 points)
2. Description of all relevant legislation introduced in the session (2 points)
3. Bill Analysis: What patterns emerge in bills that get time/survive votes? How does the content of successful legislation change over time, and how does this content relate to innovations considered in the policy challenge? (3 points)
4. Speaker Analysis: What is the association between speakers and time relative to your stakeholder/target population analysis?  How should players be categorized?  Work horses?  Hacks?  What evidence is there of disproportionate influence in the legislative process, in either financial support or information? (3 points)
5. Legislative Performance: What are the benefits and costs of committee testimony?  How could it be improved?  What suggestions can you provide to policy makers to enhance innovation in policy design and implementation? (3 points)
6. Assessment of DD: How does the platform perform as a tool for advocacy?  Public education?  Citizen engagement?  What “best practices” can you provide to future users? (2 points)

Top-Down Budgeting: Understanding Local Budgeting in the State System

BB Ch.8

Rethinking the State-Local Relationship

The Fix—Improving the Budget System

BB Ch.9
California’s Political Reform

Latner and Roach, Measuring the Consequences of Electoral Reform

 Legislative Analysis Due

Final Contents:

1. Introduction, purpose of project, goals and objectives, description of team (2 points)
2. Description of all relevant legislation introduced in the session (2 points)
3. Bill Analysis: What patterns emerge in bills that get time/survive votes? How does the content of successful legislation change over time, and how does this content relate to innovations considered in the policy challenge? (4 points)
4. Speaker Analysis: What is the association between speakers and time relative to your stakeholder/target population analysis?  How should players be categorized?  Work horses?  Hacks?  What evidence is there of disproportionate influence in the legislative process, in either financial support or information? (4 points)
5. Legislative Performance: What are the benefits and costs of committee testimony?  How could it be improved?  What suggestions can you provide to policy makers to enhance innovation in policy design and implementation? (4 points)
6. Assessment of DD: How does the platform perform as a tool for advocacy?  Public education?  Citizen engagement?  What “best practices” can you provide to future users? (4 points)