Paige Higginson-Rollins – Center for Effective Lawmaking

Announcing the Release of the 123rd Indiana General Assembly and the 102nd Michigan Legislature State Legislative Effectiveness Scores (SLES)

Announcing the Release of the 123rd Indiana General Assembly and the 102nd Michigan Legislature State Legislative Effectiveness Scores (SLES) The Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL) is proud to announce the release of our State Legislative Effectiveness Scores (SLES) for the 123rd Indiana General Assembly and the 102nd Michigan Legislature legislative sessions (2023–2024). This initiative is part of our broader effort to measure the lawmaking effectiveness of individual legislators in all 99 state legislative chambers in the United States.These scores capture lawmaking effectiveness by tracking the number of bills legislators sponsor,…

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March 19, 2026

State Highlights / State Legislative Effectiveness Scores / State Legislatures

Announcing the Release of the 74th Colorado General Assembly, the 2023-2024 Hawai‘i State Legislature, and the 152nd Delaware General Assembly State Legislative Effectiveness Scores (SLES)

Announcing the Release of the 74th Colorado General Assembly, the 2023-2024 Hawai‘i State Legislature, and the 152nd Delaware General Assembly State Legislative Effectiveness Scores (SLES) Update: 3/17/2026 – We have recently become aware of an inconsistency in the data source from which we were collecting our data for the calculation of our State Legislative Effectiveness Scores, which affects how we calculated our scores for the most recent legislative sessions in the state of Colorado. This inconsistency would potentially contribute to a miscalculation of some legislators’ scores. To engage with this…

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March 12, 2026

Blog / Conference / Events / Legislative Research

From Statehouses to Scholarship: The Effective Lawmaking in American State Legislatures Second Annual Conference

From Statehouses to Scholarship: The Effective Lawmaking in American State Legislatures Second Annual Conference Nashville, TN – On Friday, February 27th, the Center for Effective Lawmaking hosted its second annual Effective Lawmaking in American State Legislatures conference at Vanderbilt University. As part of the Center for Effective Lawmaking’s mission to generate and advance research in legislative effectiveness in American state legislatures, thirty-one practitioners and researchers from institutions around the country were invited to Vanderbilt University to discuss timely topics in state legislative effectiveness. Topics included:The development and impact of party…

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March 10, 2026

Blog / Events

Habits of Effective Lawmaking: The CEL at the Gallagher Dialogues Now on PBS Reno

Habits of Effective Lawmaking: The CEL at the Gallagher Dialogues Now on PBS Reno Last year, Craig Volden and Alan Wiseman, Co-Directors of the Center for Effective Lawmaking, were invited to speak at the Kenny Guinn Center for Policy Priorities’ third annual Gallagher Dialogues in Reno, Nevada. Last year’s gathering, which drew several hundred attendees, coincided with the opening days of the 2025 Nevada legislative session. Several members of Nevada’s executive branch of government were in attendance, including Governor Jo Lombardo, and nearly half of the current sitting members of…

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March 9, 2026

State Highlights / State Legislative Effectiveness Scores / State Legislatures

Announcing the Release of the 2023-2024 Wisconsin State Legislatures State Legislative Effectiveness Scores (SLES)

Announcing the Release of the 2023-2024 Wisconsin State Legislatures State Legislative Effectiveness Scores (SLES) The Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL) is proud to announce the release of our State Legislative Effectiveness Scores (SLES) for the 2023-2024 Wisconsin legislative session. This initiative is part of our broader effort to measure the lawmaking effectiveness of individual legislators in all 99 state legislative chambers in the United States.These scores capture lawmaking effectiveness by tracking the number of bills legislators sponsor, how far those bills advance through the legislative process, and the substantive significance…

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February 19, 2026

Announcing the Release of the 2020-2023 Louisiana State Legislatures State Legislative Effectiveness Scores (SLES)

The Louisiana State Capital in Baton Rouge..Art Deco Architecture by Weiss, Dreyfous and Seiferth and completed in 1932.

State Highlights / State Legislative Effectiveness Scores / State Legislatures

Announcing the Release of the 2020-2023 Louisiana State Legislatures State Legislative Effectiveness Scores (SLES)

Announcing the Release of the 2020-2023 Louisiana State Legislatures State Legislative Effectiveness Scores (SLES) The Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL) is proud to announce the release of our State Legislative Effectiveness Scores (SLES) for the 2020-2023 Louisiana legislative session. This initiative is part of our broader effort to measure the lawmaking effectiveness of individual legislators in all 99 state legislative chambers in the United States.These scores capture lawmaking effectiveness by tracking the number of bills legislators sponsor, how far those bills advance through the legislative process, and the substantive significance…

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February 12, 2026

State Highlights / State Legislative Effectiveness Scores / State Legislatures

Announcing the Release of the 2020-2023 Mississippi State Legislature State Legislative Effectiveness Scores (SLES)

Announcing the Release of the 2020-2023 Mississippi State Legislature State Legislative Effectiveness Scores (SLES) The Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL) is proud to announce the release of our State Legislative Effectiveness Scores (SLES) for the 2020-2023 Mississippi legislative session. This initiative is part of our broader effort to measure the lawmaking effectiveness of individual legislators in all 99 state legislative chambers in the United States. These scores capture lawmaking effectiveness by tracking the number of bills legislators sponsor, how far those bills advance through the legislative process, and the substantive…

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February 5, 2026

Conversations with Lawmakers / State Legislatures

Discussing Effective Lawmaking with North Dakota Senator Judy Lee

Discussing Effective Lawmaking with North Dakota Senator Judy Lee Judy Lee has represented North Dakota’s 13th Senate District since 1994, making her one of the longest-serving members of the chamber. She is a senior Republican lawmaker with extensive institutional knowledge and experience navigating long-term policy change. She is currently the chair of the Human Services Committee and was the President Pro Tempore in 2007. She has also served on, or been associated with, committees related to healthcare, human services, long-term care, and regulatory policy.Senator Lee is widely recognized for her…

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January 29, 2026

State Highlights / State Legislative Effectiveness Scores / State Legislatures

Announcing the Release of the 2019-2022 Maryland and Alabama State Legislatures State Legislative Effectiveness Scores (SLES)

Announcing the Release of the 2019-2022 Maryland and Alabama State Legislatures State Legislative Effectiveness Scores (SLES) The Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL) is proud to announce the release of our State Legislative Effectiveness Scores (SLES) for the 2019-2022 Maryland and Alabama legislative sessions. This initiative is part of our broader effort to measure the lawmaking effectiveness of individual legislators in all 99 state legislative chambers in the United States. These scores capture lawmaking effectiveness by tracking the number of bills legislators sponsor, how far those bills advance through the legislative…

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January 22, 2026

Conversations with Lawmakers / State Legislatures

Discussing Effective Lawmaking with Montana Representative Steve Fitzpatrick

Discussing Effective Lawmaking with Montana Representative Steve Fitzpatrick Representative Steve Fitzpatrick, a Republican member of the Montana State House of Representatives, has been serving in the Montana state legislature since 2011. He first served three terms in the Montana House of Representatives, representing District 20 from 2011–2017, followed by two terms in the Montana Senate, representing District 10, from 2017-2025. In 2025, he returned to the House as the Representative for District 24. His colleagues have consistently elevated him into leadership roles, including his service as House Majority Whip from…

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December 18, 2025