1. Mostly overlooked but has most contact with our daily lives
Illinois Government
Mostly overlooked but has most contact with our daily lives

2. Structure The PREAMBLE-States the purposes of the state government.
Current Illinois Constitution effective since 1970
Structure: 2 Major Sections.
14 Articles in the Illinois Constitution.
Three Branches in the Illinois, just like the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

3. Legislative Branch
Two Branches:
State House of Representatives has 118 MEMBERS.
State Senate has 59 MEMBERS.
Called the GENERAL ASSEMBLY and is a BICAMERAL system.
Required Meetings: ONCE A YEAR
Qualifications: 21 Years Old, U.S. Citizen and LIVE IN THE DISTRICT YOU REPRESENT!!!.

4. Terms
Like the House of Representatives the State House of Representatives has a TWO YEAR term.
State Senator, like the President, is elected every 4 YEARS;HOWEVER, there is a one half stagger, unlike the US Senate which as a 1/3 STAGGER.

5. Executive Branch
Secretary of State: official RECORD KEEPER for the state.
COMPTROLLER- decides which bills will be paid with available money.
Treasurer- keeps safe and INVESTS state MONEY. (writes checks to pay bills the comptroller tells him to pay.)
Members
Governor-EXECUTIVE OFFICER
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR- responsibilities given by law and governor.
ATTORNEY GENERAL- chief legal officer for state.

6. Qualifications
In order to run you must be 25 years old 3 years in the state.
One Term: 4 years but elected in NON- PRESIDENTIAL years.

7. Powers of the Governor
Amendatory VETO: governor can make specific changes in a bill after it has passed in the General Assembly.
LINE ITEM VETO- governor can reduce the amount of money appropriated in a revenue bill.
Number of days to consider vetoes: 60 Days

8. Judiciary Branch Top: State SUPREME COURT: 7 judges.
Like Federal Supreme Court it hears FINAL appeals.
Middle: State Appellate Courts- reviews decisions of CIRCUIT COURTS.
Bottom- CIRCUIT COURTS- general trial courts (5 circuits or judicial districts in state)

9. Qualifications Lawyer License to Practice in ILLINOIS
Live in judicial district that they represent.
Unlike Federal Supreme Court the judges are ELECTED
Supreme Court and Appellate: 10 YEARS.
Circuit Courts: 6 Years.

10. Articles Article One: State of Illinois “BILL OF RIGHTS”
Article Two: Separation of Powers into THREE branches.
Article Seven: HOME RULE PROVISION. All municipalities over 25,000 can automatically levy taxes, license businesses, and borrow money.

11. Article 2: The Powers of the state
Separation of powers
Powers of the government

12. Article 3: Suffrage & Elections
Voting qualifications/Disqualifications:
18 or over
Resident of the state for at least 30 days before the election
General Assembly can establish requirements for voting
If you are convicted of a felony or are serving time in prison you are not allowed to vote until you have finished your sentence

13. Article 4: The Legislature
General Assembly (comparable to Congress)
2 houses Senate & House of Reps.
Elected by electors from 59 legislative districts and 118 Representative districts
One senator is elected from each legislative district
Decennial redistricting (recurring every 10 years)

14. Article 4: The Legislature (continued)
General Assembly meets on the second Wednesday of January
The governor can convene the GA for other reasons
Sessions are open to the public unless 2/3 of the members vote for it to be closed
Majority of members from each house =quorum

15. Article 4: The Legislature (Continued)
The Secretary of State convenes the HOR to elect a Speaker of the House
The governor convenes the Senate to elect a President of the Senate (both happen of the 1st day of the January session of the GA in ODD NUMBERED years)
Bills are passed the same way as they are in the U.S. Constitution

16. Article 4 Bills becoming laws:
Every bill passed by the GA is presented to the governor within 30 calendar days after its passage
If the governor approves, it becomes a law
If the governor should veto a bill, he does so with his objections to the house it originated in
Any bill not returned by the governor within 60 calendar days from the date he received in on automatically becomes a law

17. Article 4
Except in cases of treason, felony or breach of peace, a member is granted immunity from arrest going to, during, and returning from sessions of the GA
Impeachment:
HOR has the sole power to conduct investigations to determine the existence or cause for impeachment and, by a vote of a majority of the members elected, can impeach executive and judicial officers
Impeachments are tried by the senate

18. Article 4
If the governor is tried, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall preside
No person can be convicted without the concurrence of 2/3 of the Senators elected
Judgement shall not extend beyond removal from office and disqualification to hold any public office of this state
An impeached officer, whether convicted or acquitted shall be liable to prosecution, trial, judgement, and punishment according to law

19. Article 5: The Executive
Branch includes:
Governor
Lieutenant Governor
Attorney General
Secretary of State
Comptroller & Treasurer elected by the electors of the state
All serve a 4-year term beginning on the 2nd Monday of January

20. Article 5
Governor can grant pardons, commutations, and reprieves for all offenses he chooses
The manner of applying is regulated by law

21. Article 5: Job Descriptions
Governor- reports to GA each year on the condition of state
LG- duties & powers delegated by the governor
Attorney General- legal officer of the state
Secretary of State- maintain official records of GA
Comptroller- maintain the fiscal accounts and order payments into and out of funds held by the treasurer
Treasurer- safekeeping and investing of monies and securities deposited with him and for their disbursement upon order of the comptroller

22. Article 6: The Judiciary
Judicial power is vested in:
Supreme Court
Appellate Court
Circuit Court
State is divided into 5 judicial districts; the first is Cook County

23. Article 6 Supreme Court consists of 7 judges
3 selected from Cook County and 1 from each of the other judicial courts
4 constitute a quorum
They select a Chief Justice who served for 3 years

24. Amendment Procedures
Step 1 PROPOSAL: 3/5 of each branch of the GENERAL ASSEMBLY ask if there should be a State constitutional convention.
Step 2 RATIFICATION:
by the people, in a state-wide ballet called a REFERENDUM.

25. OR
Step 1 Proposal:
3/5 of each branch of the General Assembly propose an amendment.
Step 2 Ratification:
Approval in a referendum.

26. Compare and Contrast the Federal Government to the Illinois Government on the Venn Diagram.

27. Take your chart out and review with me…

28. Comparing Illinois to the Federal Government
Illinois ___ members in the Senate. ____ members in the House. Has a ________ term limit for judges. The Governor can remain a governor for __________ terms.
Federal ____ members in the Senate. ____ members in the House. Has a _________ term limit for judges. The President can run for _______ terms.

29. Similarities of the State and Federal Government
Both have a “_______ of ________” to protect the citizens rights.
Both have a _________, _________, and ________ branch.
Both have a higher court called the _________ _________.