The effectiveness of state legislative committees hinges critically on retaining expert knowledge, even as frequent membership changes and jurisdictional shifts challenge this stability. Drawing from 14 state legislatures' data, we find that low retention rates and reorganization significantly reduce bill processing efficiency—an impact not seen in national systems due to higher turnover rates there.

Data & Methods

Our analysis utilizes legislative session records spanning multiple years across diverse states—examining patterns of committee membership continuity alongside changes in assigned policy areas. By mapping expertise accumulation against institutional shifts, we isolate specific effects from broader systemic ones.

Key Findings

• Committee turnover directly correlates with decreased bill processing rates

• Jurisdictional reorganization creates a noticeable productivity dip despite expert retention

• The impact is moderated by legislative term lengths and partisan balance

• These patterns suggest that expertise erosion occurs not just through membership loss but also through disrupted specialization

Why It Matters

This research demonstrates how state committees may fail to serve as effective filters for policy-relevant legislation. The findings highlight the importance of stable committee systems, especially regarding specialized knowledge transfer—a factor policymakers and scholars should consider when designing term structures or reorganization processes.