Science and technology advice to state legislatures

We examine technical information and decision making in state legislatures. Reporting on field work from eleven state legislatures, we examine: their need for science and technology policy support; internal and external sources of such support available to them; the characteristics of useful support; their use of computer technology; the role of technical information in a political environment; and their level of satisfaction with existing science and technology policy support. We find an increasing need for technical information and analysis and some satisfactory access to a variety of internal and external sources. A lack of specialized expertise among staff, scarce access to prospective analyses, and unfulfilled expectations for the informational role of state universities limit satisfaction. State legislatures should consider: improving internal staff expertise; increasing computer access, use, and training for staff and legislators; and facilitating access to state universities and inter-sectoral organizations