ABSTRACT
Legislators engage in a variety of activities, of which legislating is only one. As Frantizch notes in talking about Congress: Among other things, congress men are expected to pass legislation, oversee the bureaucracy, mediate between constituents and the bureaucracy, serve as a sounding board for ideas, symbolize open and democratic government, and run for political office. Past research suggest that the average production of legislation in a state legislature decreases as majority size increases due to free riding, so the variable should be negative related to lead sponsorship. Past suggests the effect of legislative professionalism may be positive, due to increased time to legislate and increased time to build networks, but it may also be negative due to greater scrutiny that is possible with more time and resources. Political conditions, such as divided government, party control of the chamber, and majority size, all have significant effects in shaping how legislators allocate time and effort in legislating.
