The purpose of this descriptive, single case study was to provide
knowledge and insight about state education policy-making, specifically,
the process by which education-related bills pass through a legislature.
This study was also designed to identify factors of influence shaping
legislative decision-making as perceived by lawmakers and observers of
the legislative process. Sources of evidence included interviews, direct
observation, archival records, public records documentation, and tape
recordings of committee meetings and Senate floor sessions. Results show
that a bill’s fate is subject to many planned and unplanned sequential
steps, and to a collection of diverse personalities that drive the legislative
process. Trust forms the foundation upon which other factors depend
including bill sponsors, party leadership, lobbyists, fellow legislators, and
constituents. Key Words: Legislative Process, Decision-Making, and
Education-Related Bills