ARE TOBACCO INDUSTRY CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS INFLUENCING STATE LEGISLATIVE BEHAVIOR

Objectives. This study tested the hypothesis that tobacco industry cam paign contributions influence state legislators' behavior. Methods. Mu ltivariate simultaneous equations regression was used to analyze data on tobacco industry campaign contributions to state legislators and le gislators' tobacco control policy scores in 6 states: Campaign contrib utions were obtained from disclosure statements available in the speci fic state agency that gathers such information in each state. Tobacco policy scores were derived from a survey of key informants wet-king on tobacco issues in each state. Results. As tobacco industry contributi ons increase, a legislator's tobacco policy score tends to decrease (i .e., become more pro-tobacco industry). A more pro-tobacco position wa s associated with larger contributions from the industry. These result s were significant even after controls for partisanship, majority part y status, and leadership effects. In California, campaign contribution s were Still significantly related to tobacco policy scores after cont rols for constituent attitudes and legislators' personal characteristi cs, Conclusions. Tobacco industry campaign contributions influence sta te legislators in terms of tobacco control policy-making.