Authorities responsible for promoting the cause of public higher education in state legislatures lack appropriate planning guidelines for state legislative relations. A state legislative plan was developed and initiated by a land-grant university with the aim of improving the commitment of state resources to the institution. Appropriations requested and realized were considered the primary measure of plan efficacy. Actual implementation of the planning process has suggested that effective and efficient planning for state legislative relations should include: (1) the incorporation of a continuous environmental scanning process to determine changes in issues, participants and attitudes, both external and internal to the institution; (2) assessment, evaluation and feedback components to assure institutional goal attainment; and (3) development of a continuous year-round process to assure the political viability of institutional decision-making. Charts showing the institutional plan and the planning model for state legislative relations are appended. Includes nine references. (LT)