Washington State Sausage Making: Attempting to Measure the Efficiency of the Legislature

Abstract

This paper explores the validity and justification for using how a bill dies in the Washington State legislative process to better critique and measure government efficiency. The information was gathered through interviews with former and current members of the State Legislature and from first-hand experience while working as an intern during the 2022 legislative session. Part one of the paper utilizes multiple sources to present a detailed description of the various ways in which a bill can fail to make it through the legislative process during the regular session. Part two then expands on how these obstacles in a bill's path can affect the political arena and highlight areas of political friction. The paper concludes by summarizing the importance of understanding both the legislative process and how that process affects the political landscape in order to offer constructive criticism and measure government efficiency. Honorable Mention, 2022 long-form paper prize