THE IMPACT OF RACE UPON LEGISLATORS’ POLICY PREFERENCES AND BILL SPONSORSHIP PATTERNS: THE CASE OF OHIO DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Linda M. Trautman, M.A. ***** The Ohio State University 2007 Dissertation Committee: Approved by Professor William E. Nelson, Jr., Adviser Professor Tom Nelson ________________________ Adviser Professor Herbert Weisberg Political Science Graduate Program Copyright Linda M. Trautman 2007 ABSTRACT The principal purpose of this research is to explain and to analyze the policy preferences of Black and White state legislators in the Ohio General Assembly. In particular, the study seeks to understand whether or not Black state legislators advocate a distinctive policy agenda through an analysis of their policy preferences and bill sponsorship patterns. Essentially, one of the central objectives of the study is to determine the extent to which legislators’ perceptions of their policy preferences actually correspond with their legislative behavior (i.e., bill sponsorship patterns). In addition to understanding the impact of race upon legislative preferences, I also analyze additional factors (e.g., institutional features, district characteristics, etc.) which potentially influence legislators’ policy preferences and legislative behavior. The data for this inquiry derive from personal interviews with members of the Ohio legislature conducted in the early to late 1990’s and legislative bills introduced in the 1998-1999 session. The analyses of these data suggest that Black state legislators exhibit distinctive agenda setting behavior measured in terms of their policy priorities and bill sponsorship patterns in comparison to White state legislators. Black legislators are significantly more likely to prioritize race-based policy issues relative to White state legislators. In addition, the findings indicate that Black legislators support policy ii priorities which are generally consistent with traditional legislative decisionmaking. Hence, Black legislators balance “dual representational roles” as both race representatives and responsible legislators. The results also suggest that the policy priorities of legislators parallel their bill sponsorship activity. Black legislators are proportionately more likely to sponsor Black interest (i.e., racial justice) legislation than White state legislators. The evidence also indicates that the majority of bill proposals (i.e., both Black interest and nonracial) sponsored by Black legislators has an overwhelmingly symbolic rather than substantive impact upon their constituents. iii Dedicated to my mother, Eva Trautman Gates and in honor of my maternal grandmother, the late Effie Lee King iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS A project of this magnitude could not have come to fruition without the support and assistance of others. I first thank God for his supreme greatness and power for guiding me through the relentless struggles and challenges of graduate school. I extend my appreciation to the former dean of the graduate school, Dean Roy Koenigsknecht and former associate deans Paul D. Isaac and William Collins for giving me the opportunity to work as a graduate assistantship from 1992-1994 to complete my doctoral coursework. I am also deeply indebted to my dissertation adviser and committee members. I am grateful to Dr. William E. Nelson, Jr. for contributing immensely to my intellectual and professional development throughout my entire graduate school experience. When all the odds seemed stacked against me, he never lost confidence in my ability to complete the dissertation. He cleverly judiciously mixed academic rigor with uncommon humor to push me to the finish line of the “marathon” as he delicately referred to the dissertation completion process. He has been a steadfast friend and mentor and I am eternally grateful. To Dr. Samuel C. Patterson, I appreciate his words of encouragement and reassurance during earlier phases of the dissertation. I also give him credit for nurturing my interest in this research through his seminar on legislative politics. I also extend my appreciation to other members of my dissertation committee, v Dr. Thomas E. Nelson and Dr. Herbert F. Weisberg for their professional advice and feedback at very critical stages of the dissertation. I thank them for their high levels of professionalism and unwavering support of my intellectual efforts. The data collection for this project would not have been successful without the necessary funding and the support of many individuals. I thank the Association of Faculty and Professional Women and its former president, Dr. Barbara Newman for honoring me with a small dissertation grant to complete the initial phase of the data collection. The grant was awarded at a pivotal moment during the doctoral process which symbolized for me hope and reaffirmed my ability to complete the doctoral degree. The inspiration I gained from receiving the award gave me the impetus to continue my educational pursuit. I also gratefully acknowledge the Research Development Committee and its chair, Professor Christine Wolfe, at Ohio University Lancaster for providing me with a research grant to complete the final phase of the data collection. The funding was absolutely crucial in order to culminate this research project. I also appreciate the cooperation of members of the Ohio Legislative Black (OLBC) Caucus who participated in this study. I thank them for taking time out of their busy schedules to answer interview questions and to share their perspectives about state legislative politics in Ohio. Kevin Boyce, formerly executive director of OLBC, deserves special recognition for his professionalism and efficiency in orchestrating the interviews with the legislators. vi Throughout my academic training and experiences, I have been abundantly fortunate to have exemplary scholars take an interest in my professional development and growth. During my tenure at Wellesley College, I benefited enormously from the support and guidance provided by Dr. Wilbur C. Rich. He naturally took on the role of mentoring me and, in the process, contributed significantly to my development as a scholar-teacher. Dr. Filomina Steady and Dr. Pashington Obeng at Wellesley College also took a special interest in my academic success. They provided positive reinforcement and continuously inspired me to never give up my desire to attain the doctorate. Their collaborative efforts helped to prepare me to “make a positive difference” within the academy. Most recently, at Ohio University-Lancaster, I have found a community of gifted scholars, colleagues, and friends who have been extraordinarily committed to my professional growth and success. I especially appreciate the Dean of Ohio University- Lancaster, Dr. MaryAnn Janosik, for her moral support and encouragement during the most difficult period of the dissertation writing process. I thank her for ensuring that I had the necessary resources to support my research and for her faith in my abilities to complete the doctorate. I also acknowledge Dr. Ed Fitzgibbon for his inspiration, supportive conversations, and sincere interest in my academic future. I also have gained tremendous support from several other colleagues and friends. They include: Dr. Andrea Baker, Dr. Quiping Cao, Dr. Karen Evans, Dr. Joe Faber, Dr. Ken Heineman, Professor Brian Hoyt, Dr. Jane Johnsen, Dr. Helen Killoran, Dr. Kaye vii Martin, Dr. Steve Noltie, Dr. Candice Thomas-Maddox, and Professor Christine Wolfe. I also thank Dr. Patrick Drumm and Dr. Patrick Munhall for their willingness to provide statistical advice. In addition, I am grateful to Carolyn Bateson for editorial assistance with the table of contents and Gwen Whitehead and Jennie LaRue for inspirational conversations at various times. Finally, I owe my greatest appreciation to my family and friends. Since the very early years of my life, my entire family has tirelessly supported my educational goals. First, I thank my mother for her constant love, loyalty and support. I am forever grateful for the many sacrifices she made to ensure that I had an excellent educational background and life experience. To my brothers, Don Jr., Marvin, and Stevie, I thank them for their acts of kindness, prayers, and encouragement over the years. I also acknowledge other family members who merit special recognition for their extra source of support over the course of my graduate school experience. They include: Ruthie Smith, Cynthia Thomas, and Avis Walker (aunts), and Henry Hasan, Dwight (Zeb) King, and Elbert Harris (uncles). Several friends have also been extraordinarily helpful to me as I worked to complete the doctorate. I thank Tyrome Alexander for persistently reminding and motivating me of the great need to complete the task. I am grateful for his advice and counsel and for his willingness to always listen to my frustrations. During the process, Troy Glover also demonstrated the true meaning of friendship as evidence by his steadfast encouragement and concern. I appreciate him for his moral support and for viii many engaging discussions about various sections of the manuscript. I also thank Tim Collins for urging me, on a regular basis, to complete the research project. Les and Andrea Roberts have also been remarkable friends throughout this process. During my transitions to and from Boston, they provided a very warm environment conducive to my academic productivity and they constantly