Legislative surprises: Few bills voted down (most die without votes); Democrats do well; one Republican votes with Democrats

Every year, Brigham Young University political science professor Adam Brown evaluates the Legislature with a swarm of statistics. This year, even he was surprised at some unusual findings that emerged, including:• Despite hoopla about members requesting a record 1,359 bills to be drafted, lawmakers passed 533 — two fewer than last year’s record of 535, and roughly about what they have passed in recent years. That suggests they probably have reached the maximum they can pass in a