State Government “Little Hatch Acts” in an Era of Civil Service Reform

Abstract

The defining characteristic of modern public service—insulation of civil servants from political manipulation and protection of the public from partisan administration of the law—is undergoing change as a result of contemporary civil service reform. It is in this context that “little” state Hatch Acts, laws modeled after the 1939 federal statute, are examined. This exploratory analysis reports survey and interview data from officials charged with implementing their state's law to gauge its effectiveness in today's reform era. After a review of the literature and a description of the methodology, the findings are presented, followed by a discussion of their implications for the future.