State Senator John Kavanagh writes new book, ‘State Legislatures: An Owner’s Manual’

District 3 State Senator John Kavanagh has written a book called “State Legislatures: An Owner’s Manual.” It is an introductory book about state legislatures. A 19-year veteran of the Arizona State Legislature, Kavanagh teaches a course on the subject at Arizona State University.

“…there was none for state legislatures and I needed that to present that information in the course,” Kavanagh explained, “…so I gathered the info for the course, and decided to spend a little more time refine it, and turn it into a textbook.”

This book offers a real-world view of how laws are actually made. The course targets legislators, legislative staff, students, lobbyists, citizen advocates, and anyone interested in legislative processes and lawmaking. Individual chapters in the book address legislative history, significant reforms, legislative organization, procedures, and the legislators, staff, and other players at the Capitol.

The book then discusses bill drafting, judicial interpretation of laws, the genesis of legislation, and the complex process of passing laws. Other chapters examine threats to the legislative institution posed by the administrative state, the executive branch, and the courts, along with how legislators can guard against such threats.

The book concludes with chapters on ethics, logic, and argumentation, as well as the author’s advice to legislators and guidance on effective legislator-constituent communications. “State Legislatures: An Owner’s Manual” serves as both an academic textbook and a practical guide for those seeking to learn about and engage with state legislatures and legislators. It also functions as an owner’s manual for legislators seeking to deepen their understanding of the institution and improve their lawmaking skills.

“It relates a lot to my Arizona experiences, but it could apply to any state legislatures,” Kavanagh said, “…cause they’re all very very similar in nature.”