Multiple Sponsorship and Bill Success in U. S. State Legislatures

This research tests how increasing the numbers of sponsors affects the success of legislation. A total of 1,943 and resolutions on the elderly, introduced in four U.S. state legislatures in a 23-year period, were analyzed. The results indicate that large numbers of sponsors, eight or more, more than double the success rate for these and resolutions. The support scores for these multiple-sponsor bills is higher than for legislation sponsored by majority-party members or legislative specialists.