This article examines policymaking in state legislatures by analyzing renewable portfolio standards (RPS). It challenges the conventional focus on policy borrowing among states, instead exploring how and when states invent new policies. The study utilizes a novel dataset tracking hundreds of policy provisions across state adoptions.

Data & Methods:

• Logistic pooled event history analysis

• Unique dataset covering renewable portfolio standard provisions

Key Findings:

• Government ideology strongly predicts the creation of original policy provisions

• Electoral vulnerability is linked to borrowing existing policies rather than inventing new ones

Implications:

The results suggest that ideologues drive innovation in state policymaking, while democratic accountability primarily encourages states to adopt proven solutions from elsewhere.