How we assess effectiveness

The Deseret Morning News has published legislative effectiveness analyses for more than a decade.

The newspaper counts all bills and resolutions, with a few exceptions. It does not include so-called "boxcar" bills that are introduced but have no text in general categories — such as "Tax changes." It does count bills that have specific titles, even if no text is ever placed in the bill — such as "Waste modifications."

The newspaper also counts important resolutions, such as a Utah constitutional amendment but does not count a resolution that has no effect, for instance, asking Congress to fix Social Security sometime soon.

Finally, as with effectiveness measures for Congress or any other lawmaking body, some legislators may have a real impact on the Utah Legislature yet introduce and pass few bills. For example, for the past decade or so, the Senate president and House speaker have sponsored few, if any, bills. They get other colleagues to carry their measures, which most often pass.

At other times, a legislator, such as House Majority Leader Dave Clark, R-Santa Clara, may spend days working out a complicated tax reform compromise, only to see the final bill sponsored by someone else.

Still, one of the main jobs of a lawmaker is to pass good laws and to repeal bad laws — and both of those tasks come through introducing and passing bills. The Morning News' legislative effectiveness analysis is but one yardstick by which to measure lawmakers' work.