This dissertation quantifies the influence of policy assistance and stakeholder interest groups on the spread of state policies. Building on the work of Mintrom and Vergari (1998), Balla (2001), and Volden (2003) this dissertation examines the research question: if and how do the functions of interest groups influence the spread of policy in the states? I contend that policy assistance and stakeholder interest groups influence the spread of state policies through their activities that span interstate and intrastate policy networks. Given the incentives, functions, and resources of policy assistance and stakeholder interest groups, these groups figure prominently in policy networks that encourage the exchange of substantive and procedural information needed for policies to spread from state to state.
Through an examination of state prescription assistance programs and Medicaid preferred drug lists, the findings in this dissertation show strong support for my central argument. I analyze three distinct aspects of the spread of these state policies: initial innovation, diffusion and state-to-state emulation. I provide descriptive accounts of the initial state innovation of each of these policies. I also specify a series of quantitative models that examine policy diffusion and state-to-state emulation. Additionally, I conduct four case studies on states that were among the first to adopt preferred drug lists.
I find consistent results across the two different policies to support my central argument. They confirm the first element of my research question regarding if these groups affect state policy choices. This is shown for both policies across a range of model specifications. More importantly, the results provide insight into the second element of my research question on how and why these groups contribute to the spread of state policies. The findings show that interest groups provide several specific mechanisms that contribute to the spread of policies. These include: committee participation, in-state resources, connectedness between state and national groups, and information exchanges. Each of these is tied to bringing key political actors and relevant policy information together.
