This article was originally published on June 30, 2016. It was last updated February 6, 2026.
If you feel like legislation moves faster and strikes more frequently at the state level than the federal level, you aren’t imagining it.
While media attention often fixates on the gridlock in Washington, state legislatures are quietly (and rapidly) shaping the policy landscape. For public affairs professionals, this volume presents a massive challenge: how do you track tens of thousands of moving pieces without missing the one bill that impacts your organization?
The answer lies in the data. We analyzed legislative activity over the last 10 years to compare the productivity of state legislatures versus the U.S. Congress. The results highlight why a comprehensive state-level tracking strategy is essential.
States Introduce More Legislation Than The U.S. Congress
When we compare the sheer volume of bills introduced, the difference is staggering.
On average over the last decade, state legislatures introduced 12.7 times more bills than Congress.
While Congress might debate a few thousand bills in a session, statehouses across the country are flooding the zone with legislation. For a government affairs team, this means the playing field is roughly 13 times larger than if you were only watching the Hill.
This volume varies by state, but the trend is clear: the “laboratories of democracy” are running experiments at a scale the federal government simply cannot match.
Which States Introduce the Most Bills?
Some state legislatures operate with a firehose of legislation. Based on recent legislative sessions, these states consistently top the list for the highest volume of bills introduced:
- New York: 12803.6 average bills per year
- Illinois: 6570.6 average bills per year
- Texas: 6054.3 average bills per year
- New Jersey: 5630 average bills per year
- Minnesota: 5068.5 average bills per year
- Tennessee: 4991.5 average bills per year
- Massachusetts: 4769.2 average bills per year
- Hawaii: 3504.7 average bills per year
- Mississippi: 3422.5 average bills per year
- Virginia: 3368.2 average bills per year
Note: Texas holds legislative sessions only in odd-numbered years, meaning state legislators introduce 12108.6 bills per session.
State Bills Are More Likely to Become Law
It’s not just about the number of bills introduced; it’s about what actually crosses the finish line.
The U.S. Congress is notorious for its low enactment rate. In fact, our analysis of the last decade shows that Congress enacts only about 5.5% of the bills it introduces.
In contrast, state legislatures are far more efficient at turning proposals into law. States enact an average of 25.84% of their bills — nearly five times the success rate of their federal counterparts.
This higher enactment rate means that a bill introduced in a statehouse is a significantly more credible threat (or opportunity) than one introduced in D.C. You cannot afford to treat state bills as “long shots” in the same way you might view a bill in Congress.
Which States Enact the Highest Percentage of Bills?
Productivity isn’t just volume; it’s also about efficiency. These states recently led the pack in the percentage of introduced legislation that was successfully enacted:
- Colorado: 67.81%
- Georgia: 66.06%
- Delaware: 64.62%
- Utah: 63.16%
- Arkansas: 62.52%
- District of Columbia: 60.09%
- North Dakota: 59.18%
- Louisiana: 57.78%
- Idaho: 56.62%
- Nevada: 50.37%
How to Manage the Volume
The data paints a clear picture: there is too much happening in the states for any human team to track manually. With over 12 times the volume of Congress and a much higher likelihood of enactment, state legislation requires a smarter approach.
You need tools that help you work smarter and move faster.
Quorum State provides the most comprehensive database of state legislation, helping you map the issues that matter, track real-time updates, and report on your impact.
But even with great data, the volume can be overwhelming. That’s where Quincy, Quorum’s AI assistant, comes in. With AI bill tracking you can quickly triage hundreds or thousands of bills. Then, Quincy can summarize those bills in seconds, identifying the specific implications for your organization so you can focus on strategy rather than reading legal text.
Don’t let the volume bury you. Book a demo to see how Quorum can help you stay ahead of the curve.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why do state legislatures introduce so many more bills than Congress?
State legislatures often have broader jurisdiction over day-to-day issues like education, transportation, and public safety. Additionally, the procedural barriers to introducing bills are often lower in statehouses compared to the U.S. Congress.
Which state legislature is the most active?
New York consistently introduces the highest volume of bills, often exceeding 12,000 bills per year.
Does a higher volume of bills mean a state is more productive?
Not necessarily. “Productivity” can be measured by volume (bills introduced) or efficiency (percentage of bills enacted). For example, while New York introduces the most bills, states like Colorado often enact a higher percentage of their proposed legislation.
How does the enactment rate of Congress compare to states?
Congress is significantly less likely to pass laws. Over the last decade, Congress enacted roughly 5.5% of bills, whereas states enacted an average of 25.84%.
How can I track legislation across all 50 states?
Manual tracking is nearly impossible given the volume. Public affairs professionals use software like Quorum to aggregate bill data, set up alerts, and use AI to summarize complex legislation automatically.
