Pennsylvania's Underachieving, Overpaid State Legislature

Pennsylvania has the largest full-time state legislatures in the country and one of the most expensive, burning through $300 million taxpayer dollars every year. Are Pennsylvania residents getting their money's worth from the 253 state lawmakers and their nearly 3,000 staffers? Not exactly. If the job of the legislature is to get bills signed into law, then taxpayers deserve a refund. A great big refund!

From a report in the Philadelphia Inquirer:

With 253 members, Pennsylvania boasts one of the largest full-time legislatures in the nation - and though its members keep busy churning out legislation, few of those bills actually become law.

Of 3,998 bills introduced in the House and Senate during the 2013-14 session, 369 bills became law, or 9.2 percent.

So far in this legislative session, which began in January of last year, just 149 of the 3,265 bills introduced have been enacted, or 4.6 percent, according to the Pennsylvania Legislative Data Processing Center.

Less than 10 percent of bills become law in Pennsylvania. Is that worth $300 million?

Read the full story at the newspaper's website.