How do you think states make laws? Bell Work How do you think states make laws?

In Lak’ech by Luis Valdez Tu eres me otro yo Si te hago daño a ti, Me hago daño a mi mismo Si te amo y respeto Me amo y respeto yo You are my other me If I do harm to you, I do harm to myself If I love and respect you I love and respect myself

How do you think states make laws? Bell Work How do you think states make laws?

State Legislative Powers and Structure State legislatures derive their powers from the state constitution. Every state but Nebraska has a bicameral state legislature. Arizona Legislature meets in regular and special sessions. Regular session starts in January and usually runs through May Special sessions can be called by the governor Qualifications for being a legislator in Arizona 25 years old A resident of Arizona for at least 3 years No convictions for treason for felony

State Legislative Elections Arizona is divided into 30 legislative districts of approximately equal population Each district elects 2 representatives 1 senator Arizona holds an open primary in August and a general election in November on even years Candidates can run as either privately funded or through “Clean Elections” – 200 $5 contributions

Passing Laws and Influencing the Legislature All bills must be introduced by a member of the legislature. Bills are assigned to committees where they are discussed, rewritten, or modified. Strike Everything or Striker bills An amendment offered from the floor that replaces the entire language of a bill with completely new language Conference committees may be needed to produce identical bills in the two houses. State legislators often look to their constituents for input on important issues.

Public Policy Concerns of State Legislatures State and local governments enact laws that specify public policy in many areas (reserved powers) Voting laws Environmental use and protection. State legislatures are responsible for improving schools and educational programs. Protecting public safety

Citizen’s Initiatives Citizens in Arizona can write their own laws Must file the actual text and a 100 word summary with the Secretary of State’s office Must gather signatures from registered voters (based on the percentage of voters in the last election) Requires a simple majority of voters in the general election to approve State legislature can’t make changes without a ¾ majority vote of both houses

What is the term for a legislature composed of a single house?  A.unicameral  B.senate  C.bicameral  D.general assembly

A specially-called meeting of a state legislature to deal with pressing problems is called a  A.referendum.  B.constitutional convention.  C.special session.  D.primary election.

Which of the following is typically a legal qualification for state legislators?  A.must be born in the state  B.must own property in the state  C.must be employed in the state  D.must be a resident of the state for a period of time

What did the Supreme Court decision in Reynolds v. Sims mean for states?  A.All states must implement a bicameral legislative structure if they revise their constitution.  B.State legislative districts must be roughly equal in population.  C.State legislative districts must match Congressional districts.  D.States cannot alter the legislative districts without approval from the U.S. Congress.

What function do legislative committees perform in passing laws?  A.Bills are introduced to the full house only through a committee.  B.Committees meet with the state supreme court to determine if a bill is constitutional.  C.Committees hold hearings and then give their recommendation about whether a bill should be passed to the full house.  D.A unanimous vote from a committee is required to override a veto.

Which of the following statements about the size of state legislatures is correct?  A.The sizes vary widely and are not dependent upon the size of the state.  B.The number of state legislators is determined by the Fourteenth Amendment.  C.The size of a state legislature is proportional to the geographic size of the state.  D.The size of a state legislature is proportional to the population of the state.

Voter-ID laws require that  A.people show they have voted to serve on a jury.  B.people show a photo identification before voting.  C.driver's licenses indicate the last time a person voted.  D.people be at least 21 years old to vote.

State regulations regarding "fracking" try to balance A State regulations regarding "fracking" try to balance A.the right to bear arms and public safety. B.economic development and costs of maintaining roads. C.rights to vote and voter fraud. D.energy needs and environmental protection.

Which of the following is MOST likely to be a policy concern of state legislatures?  A.regulating interstate commerce  B.voting laws  C.land use and zoning  D.international diplomacy

Which statement describes the trends in corrections?  A.Governors are pardoning thousands of criminals each year to help reduce spending on prisons.  B.The federal government is building prisons to hold state criminals.  C.Increases in penalties for crimes has caused rapidly growing prison populations in many states.  D.The development of larger prisons has significantly reduced the costs of caring for inmates.

With a voucher system,  A.students can use the money a state allocates to pay for their education to pay tuition at a private school.  B.parents sign a petition that a school is educating their child for the school to continue to receive state funding.  C.states certify that schools are meeting performance goals to receive federal funding.  D.parents whose children attend private schools submit verification documents to avoid paying property taxes.

Quiz Results Period Average 2 62.9 3 59.8 4 56.5 5 6 46.1 Overall 57.0

Reflection What do you think is the biggest difference between state legislatures and the Congress?