BUILDING LEGISLATURES OF THE FUTURE.

• Author: Pound, William T.
• Position: Brief Article

Building Legislatures of the Future is the theme of the Annual Meeting of the National Conference of State Legislatures in Chicago in July and the articles in this issue of State Legislatures. They focus on the environment in which legislatures operate as they enter the 21st century, as well as the elements for building a strong legislative institution.

The opportunities and pressure for direct democracy--either through technology or the initiative and referendum process--are increasing. The challenge of enhancing understanding and support for representative democratic institutions is a critical one. And the environment of intergovernmental relations and powers is changing. State legislatures must respond to these opportunities, challenges and changes and evaluate how they interact internally and with the public.

State legislatures have a greater capacity to make public policy and be strong, co-equal branches of government than they did 20 or 30 years ago. They also must govern in a faster paced society. The time demands for those serving in legislatures have increased and will continue, whether a legislature is professionalized and fulltime or more traditional in operation, with limited sessions and staff. Legislative staff have expanded in number and specialization and have enhanced the ability of legislatures to be innovative and deal with the range of issues they now face.

Information technology and the Internet have significantly altered the internal operations of legislatures and the ability of the public to observe and affect legislative action.

Other recent trends, however, may hinder state legislatures and the concepts of representative democracy. Term limits are now a fact of life in 18 states. These legislatures face the challenge of maintaining a strong institution with rapid turnover in numbers and leadership. Restrictions on legislative authority (such as limits on budget and tax authority and the requirement for popular vote on increases, and limitation on sessions) have become more common place. The increasing use of the initiative process not only affects those states that allow it, but all...