Term Limits Reduce Bipartisan Cosponsorship Even With Longer Tenures?

Facing gridlock and polarization in state politics? New findings reveal that term limits actually restrict bipartisan collaboration across party lines. 📊 This paper analyzes bill cosponsorship patterns from 41 U.S. states (82 chambers) to show how limiting terms shortens cross-party cooperation despite longer legislative tenures elsewhere. 💡 The core argument suggests term limits change incentives for legislators, while ➡️ research also demonstrates this effect depends heavily on regional legislative professionalization levels. 🌍 When professionalism is higher in a state's legislature, the negative impact of term limits becomes much stronger. ⭐ This work highlights how institutional rules shape political behavior.