State governments are typically comprised of an executive branch having multiple departments and led by an elected governor, a legislative branch that often has two chambers of elected representatives, and a judicial branch. States also often have a number of independent regulatory bodies, such as public utility commissions. When the federal government sets a regulatory standard, for example for emissions, state governments are typically tasked with implementing it through more detailed regulation of industry. Often states will implement their own standards, serving as testbeds for innovative policy ideas.
Josh Lawler, Ph.D. is a Professor of Environmental and Forest Sciences and Co-Director, Center for Creative Conservation at the University of Washington. In November 2016, he got a call from the state of Washington’s Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (JLARC), a legislative office that provides nonpartisan analysis, which led to a rare chance to do research that directly informed state policy.
