1. Chapter 16: State and Local Government Section 2: State Government (pgs.530-539)

2. Organization of State Governments Most states have three branches, just like the federal government. All but Nebraska have bicameral legislatures. Nebraska changed it during the Great Depression to save money. All states elect a governor to serve as chief executive of the state government. 43 states have lieutenant governors who’s duties are like those of vice president. But they are elected separately from the governor. Like the federal judiciary the states have trail courts and appellate courts. State courts hear cases’ dealing with state laws not federal laws. State courts handle 99% of cases b/c there are many more state laws.

3. State Legislative Branches All 50 states have legislative branches that make the state’s laws. Some are called the General Assembly, the Legislative Assembly, or the General court. You can think of your state legislature as a smaller, state-specific vision of the U.S. Congress. Texas Capital where the Legislature meets

4. Types of Legislatures 17 states have citizen legislatures, they are often called part-time legislators. In these states the Legislatures only meet for a few months every other year and the legislators have to have another job. 11 states have formed professional legislatures. Sessions last much of the year and their salaries typically reflect the full-time nature of the job. 22 state legislatures exhibit characteristics of both types.

5. How State Legislatures Work House legislatures are similar to U.S. Congress. State legislatures posses all of the reserved powers that are not given to the other branches by the state constitution. Writing law is the primary power of the state legislatures. Many times controversial laws are first passed in state legislatures before they reach Congress. In this way they influence national policy. The state legislatures also check the other branches…i.e. approve appointments and impeach officeholders.

6. Organization of State Legislatures Like the U.S. Congress state legislatures are led by leadership posts that resemble those in Congress. Just as they do at the national level, committees perform the main legislative work of the states. In some states committees are more powerful and can hold up a bill, but in some states bills are able to get to the floor easily. Iowa State House

7. The Process of State Legislatures The process is similar to the national level. A member of the legislature introduces a bill. Then the bill goes to a committee, the committee has to approve the bill for the bill to go to the floor. Sometimes different versions of a bill pass in the upper house and in this case a joint committee is formed to iron out the differences.

8. State Executive Branches--Governor Qualifications to be governor: you must be a U.S. citizen, a state resident, and typically 30 years old or older. Roles of the governor are: they enforce state laws, they set policy agenda, and they promote the state. The governor usually have four years in a term and most states limit the governor to two terms. Gov. Rick Perry 2000-2015

9. The Governor The powers of state governors include: appointment, budget proposal, national guard mobilization, veto/line-item veto, and executive clemency. Clemency include the powers to grant pardons and commutations for state crimes. The salary for governors can be any where between $70,000 a year in Maine to $206, 500 in California. Gov. Greg Abbott 2015-

10. Other Executive Offices Most states have a lieutenant governor. He is next in line to assume the governorship and leads the state senate. Most states have a secretary of state, who is responsible record keeping and maintaining a list of registered voters. The state treasurer manages the state’s money by collecting taxes and paying bills on behalf of the state. Most states also have an attorney general who are influential in shaping state laws. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick

11. State Judicial Branches Most laws that affect people’s everyday lives are passed not by the federal government, they are passed by the states. Therefore most court cases are heard in state courts or in local courts. In 2004, more than 36 million cases of all types were filed in state courts.

12. The State Court System State courts handle cases dealing with state laws. They hear both civil cases and criminal cases. Civil cases include divorce, adoption, property ownership, contracts, wills and many other topics. Criminal cases involve laws related to public order.

13. Trial Courts & Appellate courts Most criminal cases begin at the trial court level. The district attorney prosecutes the case and calls for a grand jury. The grand jury decides if there is enough evidence to put the person on trail. If there is then the person goes on trail with a petit jury or trial jury. If the person if found guilty they may appeal to the appellate court. The appellate court will see if there ware any mistakes in the lower court’s decision. Most of the time the lower court’s decision stands. If there is a possible violation of federal law the case can be appealed to the federal courts.

14. Selection of Judges There are two ways that people can become state judges; they can be appointed be the governor or they can be elected. If the governor appoints them and the legislature approves. Many states use the Missouri Plan, which combines methods of election and appointment. The state bar helps a nonpartisan commission create a list of potential judges. The governor then appoints one of these judges and after a year in office the public votes on whether to keep this person as a judge.

15. State Services and Finances States provide many services and to do so they must raise billions of dollars in revenue & create detailed budgets. Some of the services that states have to provide are: build schools, provide textbooks, pay teachers, decide on curriculum, administer Medicaid, maintain highways, make guidelines for licensing drivers, maintain a state police force, environmental conservation, and manage state-owned lands.

16. State Revenues Most states collect income taxes, however Texas is one of the few that does not. Every state collects sales tax. Other sources of revenue include fees, federal grants, borrowing, and state lotteries. Fees can include highway tolls tuition at state colleges. States can also sell bonds.

17. State Budgets The governor develops a budget proposal detailing how the state should spend its money. Legislators debate the budget proposal and make revisions. The final budget bill is then sent back to the governor for approval. Many states require a balanced budget, therefore some state set aside money for difficult years.