Legislative Fellowship Program

Arizona’s Legislature begins its session on the second Monday of January and, as outlined in the state constitution, aims to conclude within 100 days. The Arizona House consists of 60 Representatives, while the Senate has 30 Senators. Due to the relatively short legislative session of less than six months, both chambers operate with lean staffing. The majority and minority caucuses each employ their own teams, with staff members supporting the entire caucus within specific issue areas. For example, the House Republicans rely on a single staffer to manage education issues for all 31 Representatives.

Recognizing the need for additional support, a legislator approached the University of Arizona to request assistance in recruiting graduate students as research fellows. In response, the UA Center for Philosophy of Freedom quickly developed a pilot fellowship program. Drawing inspiration from the long-standing Arizona Legislative Internship Program, established in the 1970s, the newly created graduate-level Legislative Fellowship Pilot Program launched with two fellows during the 2023 congressional session. This initiative provided much-needed expertise to support the legislative process while offering graduate students invaluable hands-on experience in public policy research and analysis.