LEGISLATURES and the legislative process have been studied from many perspectives. Agencies performing services for legislatures have not escaped academic discussion and have had their development and forms recorded and cataloged. Nor have the 67 agencies in 45 states, a territory, and a commonwealth listed by the 1960-61 Book of the States as preparing research reports for state legislatures escaped attention. The archetype of research organization found within these 67 agencies is the staff arm of a state legislative council-type organization a major part of whose product is reports on topics of rather general legislative interest. A distinguishing mark of this kind of staff is the relative formality of the process of assigning it a research project of consequence. The council or at least one house of the legislature is likely to have to direct that a major study be initiated. This formality and the relatively public nature of the reports are the features that most clearly separate this type of research activity from legislative reference library work or "spot" research performed for individual legislators. Frequently, of course, the same staff will perform both spot and long-term research. Analysis of legislative service organizations generally has not dealt closely with the administrative process underlying the research programs. The two best studies on the subject generally restrict attention that is given to the research process to the necessity for researchers to be aware of political realities.'