Please respond to the following question: States are sometimes referred to as “the laboratories of
democracy,” that is, one state may experiment with a different approach, which other states may
emulate if the experiment succeeds but spurn if the experiment doesn’t succeed. Is the MSAPA project
inconsistent with that idea? Does the MSAPA threaten to impose a uniformity inconsistent with creativity
and experimentation? If so, would we be paying too high a price for procedural harmonization?
The Model State Administrative Procedure Act (MSAPA), is aimed to standardize administrative
procedures across all fifty states. The MSAPA project is inconsistent with the idea that they states are
referred to as "the laboratories of democracy" as it suggests that each of the states have the ability to
experiment and utilize creativity with different approaches. If a given states succeeds it can then be
emulated by the others, however, if it doesn't then the other states are welcome to reject it. However,
the standardization that the MSAPA is trying to accomplish, would not allow for the experimentation and
creativity by each state but rather have a uniform approach that all states would follow.
Although uniformity would allow for consistency and efficiency, it would come at a high price for
procedural harmonization. Doing so would limit the ability for each of the states to learn from one
another when it comes to their successes and failures during experimentation. It would not allow for
adaptation from the sates and allow for new solutions to problems and the improvement of governance
overall. In addition, creating uniformity would prevent states from addressing unique challenges and
allow for adaptation based on local needs and preferences. In my opinion there needs to be a balance
between uniformity that also allows for some flexibility in experimentation and creativity.
