Abstract

Policy proposals to restrict abortion are far more common in states than proposals aimed at protecting or expanding reproductive rights.  We examine possible explanations for pro-life success, and contend that a contributing factor may be the role played by state affiliates of national interest group organizations.  We survey the state affiliates of two prominent interest groups in an effort to better understand their lobbying tactics and the structural relationship between the national office and the state affiliates.  We find that the two national organizations differ starkly in how they relate to their state affiliates.  We suggest this difference in the structure of the relationship shapes the formulation and delivery of policy messages to state legislators, thus potentially affecting abortion policy proposals and adoptions in the American states.   

Abstract

The Supreme Court’s lack of power to enforce its policies combined with its lack of legitimacy in the area of morality policies influences how the Court communicates with states through its written opinions.  In this paper I ask, how do states respond when the Supreme Court declares a morality policy unconstitutional? And, what factors affect state response to judicial review?  I examine four abortion policies from the post-Roe period to 2000, utilizing content analysis of state laws and Court decisions to answer the first question.  I then construct an event history model and perform a multinomial logit analysis to answer the second question.  I conclude that the language utilized by the Supreme Court in its opinions has a significant effect on how state legislatures respond to judicial review.

Abstract

Most abortion policies such as 24-hour wait laws, parental consent laws, and informed consent policies target women who seek abortions. States frequently adopt abortion policies, however, that target abortion providers as well as the fetus (e.g., granting the fetus legal person status). In this paper, I examine how state focus on the three target populations of abortion policies affect state abortion rates.

“Symbolic Policy or Substantive Impact?  The Impact of State Adoption of Unconstitutional Abortion Policies.”
In progress.

Abstract

Between 1976 and 2000, state legislatures adopted almost twenty blatantly unconstitutional parental consent, 24-hour wait, post-viability care, and spousal consent policies. In addition, more than thirty adoptions or amendments were made to these policies in the states that attempted to meet requirements of constitutionality. In this paper, I focus on the unconstitutional abortion policy adoptions and ask, Are such adoptions merely symbolic, or do they have substantive impact in the states? I examine how such adoptions affect abortion rates.

“The Challenges of Coordinated Service Provision in Rural Areas," with Kendra Stewart.
Forthcoming in The Practice of Strategic Collaboration: Moving from Silos to Action, ed. Dorothy Norris-Tirrell & Joy Clay. Taylor and Francis Publishers.

In this book chapter, we note that non-profit organizations working in rural communities face unique challenges building and sustaining social service networks.  We suggest that more attention should be paid to the challenges created by characteristics of rural geographic areas and recipients.  Our observations and suggestions for non-profits seeking to establish networks in rural areas are derived from a program evaluation conducted for the Foothills-Gateway Consortium, a health and social service network created from a Healthy Communities Access Program (HCAP) grant.