Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2003

Abstract

I'd like to thank the Journal of Legislation and Public Policy for inviting me back to N.Y.U. I am particularly grateful to have the opportunity to sit between and learn from Bill Eskridge and Beth Garrett, who have once again demonstrated in their comments today why they are leaders in this field. I understand now what it must have been like to be a student in a class with Eskridge as the professor and Garrett as a fellow student – can you imagine what an experience that must have been?

I am going to focus my remarks on state and local legislatures, and on the legislative process at the subnational level. I think this is useful because the discussion of legislation often turns into a consideration of statutory interpretation, which typically is about courts. Of course, focusing on courts in a discussion of legislation is entirely appropriate, given the role the courts play in interpreting the products of legislation. But most legislation is never the subject of judicial consideration. The study of legislation needs to consider legislatures themselves and the processes of enacting legislation.

Disciplines

Constitutional Law | Law | Legislation

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