Part I Outline Missouri Constitution

HistoryNumber of ConstitutionsMO Branches of Government

 Missouri admitted to Union in 1821  MO ’ s only President- Harry Truman  Capital City- Jefferson City

 Article 1 – Bill of Rights  Article 2 – Distribution of Power  Article 3 – Legislative Branch  Article 4 – Executive Branch  Article 5 – Judicial Branch  Article 6 – Local Government  Article 7 – Public Officers  Article 8 – Suffrage & Elections  Article 9 – Education  Article 10 – Taxation  Article 11 – Corporations, Railroads and Banks  Article 12 – Amending the Constitution  Article 13 – Public Employees

 1 st – 1820 (Statehood)  2 nd – 1865 (End of the Civil War)  3 rd – 1875 (End of Reconstruction)  4 th – 1945 (Reform of Government) *Current Constitution in Red

 Legislative Branch – Make Laws  Executive Branch – Enforce Laws  Judicial Branch – Interpret Laws

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Part II Executive Branch of Missouri

Structure of the Missouri Legislative Branch Separately Elected Executive Offices Governor Governor ’ s Basic Powers

Duties of GovernorLieutenant GovernorLieutenant Governor Duties Order of Succession

 Separately Elected Executive Offices:  Governor  Lieutenant Governor  Attorney General- Chief legal officer of state  Treasurer-Receives & pays out state $$$$  Auditor-Audits state agencies  Sec. of State- Publishes state laws/documents

 Called the General Assembly  Bicameral Legislature  Session starts on the 1 st Wednesday after the first Monday in January  Session ends no later than at midnight, May 30

 Chief Executive of State  Jay Nixon  Terms: -4 years/2 term limit  Qualifications: -30 yrs. old -US citizen 15 yrs. -Live in MO 10 yrs.

 Grants pardons, reprieves, commutations  Pardon – forgiveness for a crime  Reprieve – stay of execution  Commutation – shorten sentence  State Commander-in-Chief  Commands state police and Missouri National Guard  Legislative leader  Chief Executive  Line-item veto- allows Governor to pass a bill, but veto parts of the spending bill

 Sign/veto bills  Appoint some state officials  Keep General Assembly informed

 Peter Kinder  Duties: -President of the Senate -Acting Gov. if incapacitated or absent -Breaks tie in Senate

Governor Lt. Governor President Pro Tempore of Senate Speaker of House Sec. of State

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Part III Legislative Branch of Missouri

Structure of the Missouri Legislative Branch Jobs of General Assembly MO Senate General Assembly Powers & Limitations House of Representatives

 Called the General Assembly  Bicameral Legislature  Session starts on the 1 st Wednesday after the first Monday in January  Session ends no later than at midnight, May 30  MO House/Senate districts based on population  Boundaries/seats are reapportioned after census  Reapportioned – redrawing of state senate and house districts

 Creating laws  Appropriating funds to run state government  Levying taxes

 Members are paid  General Assembly oversees:  Make Laws  Oversee State Lottery  Oversee Riverboat Gambling  Creation of Congressional Districts  Provide for a militia  Members must vote in order for the government to spend money

 Presiding officer: Lt. Governor  34 Members  4-year terms/limit of 2 terms  President Pro Tempore-assigns bills to committee  Requirements: -30 yrs of age -MO voter 3 yrs -District resident for one year

 Our Missouri State Senator  District 12  Republican

 Presiding Member: Speaker of House  163 members  2-year terms/limit of 4 terms  Requirements: -24 years of age -MO voter 2 years -District resident 1 year

 Missouri House of Representatives  District 004  Republican

Missouri House Missouri Senate End of Slide Presentation

Unit Six Part IV Lawmaking in the State of Missouri

Three Types of LawmakingGeneral Assembly Method Initiative Method Referendum Method

 General Assembly Method  Initiative Method  Referendum Method

 General Assembly:  Bill passes both houses – Usually by majority vote  Governor:  Sign bill and it becomes law  Veto bill – Sent back to house it originated; 2/3 vote of Gen. Assembly to override veto  Pocket Veto – 15 Days (45 days if Legislature is not in session), if governor does nothing – automatically law

General Assembly Governor Sign It Becomes Law! Veto It Sent Back to General Assembly Pocket Veto Law after 15 days (45 days if General Assembly is not in session) 2/3 Override

 Types:  Constitutional Initiative (Change the Missouri Constitution)  Statutory Initiative (Change or create a new state law)  Purpose:  The people can make law directly without the legislature

Petition 8% of registered voters in 2/3 of Congressional Districts 5% of registered voters in 2/3 of Congressional Districts Secretary of State Verifies signatures are of registered voters. The number of legal voters is determined by the total # of votes cast for governor in the last election Statewide Election Initiative is placed on statewide ballot for consideration of all citizens. The initiative passes with a majority vote.

 Types:  Constitutional Referedum (Change the Missouri Constitution)  Statutory Referendum (Change or create a new state law)  Purpose:  The people can approve actions by the General Assembly, bypassing the Governor

General Assembly General Assembly passes bill for consideration in a referendum Statewide Election Referendum is placed on statewide ballot for consideration of all citizens. The referendum passes with a majority vote. Bypass the Governor

General Assembly General Assembly passes bill for consideration in a referendum Statewide Election Referendum is placed on statewide ballot for veto consideration of all citizens. The veto referendum passes with a majority vote. Petition 5% of registered voters in 2/3 of Congressional Districts within 90 days of the final adjournment of the session of the General Assembly in which the bill was passed. Secretary of State Verifies signatures are of registered voters. The number of legal voters is determined by the total # of votes cast for governor in the last election * Referendum Method #2 is a very rare event

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Part V Judicial Branch of Missouri

Supreme Court Structure Appeal Court Structure Circuit Court Structure

MO Municipal CourtsHow Judges Are SelectedTypes of Juries

                                                                                   

NNumber of Members – 7 TTerm of Office – 12 years TTerm Limit – none – except mandatory retirement at 70 years old HHead – Chief Justice (rotated every 2 years) QQualifications: 330 years old UUS Citizen for 15 years BBe a registered Voter for 9 years MMust pass the Missouri Bar

NNumber of Members – at least 3 TTerm of Office – 12 years TTerm Limit – none – except mandatory retirement at 70 years old QQualifications: 330 years old UUS Citizen for 15 years BBe a registered Voter for 9 years MMust Live in their Appeals District MMust pass the Missouri Bar

TTerm of Office – 6 years (4yrs for Associate Judges) TTerm Limit – none – except mandatory retirement at 70 years old QQualifications: 330 years old UUS Citizen for 10 years BBe a registered Voter for 3 years MMust live in their circuit for 1 year MMust pass the Missouri Bar AAssociate Judges on this level

 Original jurisdiction for traffic and code violations  Small Claims-min. of $1,000 / max. of $3,000 w/o lawyer +

MMissouri Plan SSystem of electing state judges DDetails: EEstablished in 1940 RRequires judges in Kansas City, St. Louis City, and other counties with non-partisan judges to be elected 33 nominations are sent to the governor by a judicial nominating committee GGovernor has 60 days to choose one NNominee is then placed on the ballot for a retention election for yes or no vote 114 states currently use a version of the Missouri Plan

 Grand Juries -Examine evidence to see if sufficient grounds for prosecution  Petit Juries (Trial Juries) -Criminal cases-decide guilty or not guilty -Needs to be unanimous (100%) -Civil cases-only 2/3 needed

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Unit Six Part VI Elections and Amendments

General electionsPrimary electionsVoting Requirements InitiativeReferendumVoters Hancock AmendmentQualifications to be on Jury

 General elections held in Nov. every 2 years -Fill offices  Primary elections allow parties to select candidates to run in general elections  Voting Requirements: -18 yr. old (can register at 17 ½) -Live in state/district -Register to vote 21 days in advance (Motor Voter Law ’ 95-allows citizens to register at DMV)

 Initiative-law that begins as collection of signatures, moves to popular vote  Referendum-law that originates in legislature but then must be put to popular vote  Voters - approve all amendments to MO Constitution with 2/3 vote  Hancock Amendment-last amendment added & put limits on taxing/spending  Qualifications to be on Jury – resident, citizen, 21, speak English

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Part VII Local Government within Missouri

General Purpose GovernmentsSpecific PurposeMunicipalities CountyTownshipsCounty seat Who runs the county

County employees

 General Purpose Governments  Local Governments with broad powers  Specific Purpose  Local governments with limited powers; generally only perform one function

 Municipalities (General Purpose)  Is an incorporated City, Town or Village  County (General Purpose)  Missouri is divided into 114 counties  Missouri has one independent city of St. Louis (Which is separate from St. Louis County)  States largest territorial and political subdivision  Townships (Special Purpose or General Purpose)  A division of a county  Today, they have only a few specific purposes, like water, fire or road maintenance

Missouri has: 114 counties and the Independent city of St. Louis

 Location of the county courthouse

 A board of 3 to 5 elected commissioners  County executive  Elected chief administrative official  4 year terms  Duties  Act as a legislature  Adopts ordinances and the annual budget  Levy’s taxes  Enforces laws

 Assessor  Examines all taxable property  Sheriff  Enforces court orders  Auditor  Makes sure that the county’s money is spent legally  District Attorney  Investigates crimes, charges lawbreakers and prosecutes them

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