1. State Legislatures

2. Organization All states have a House of Representatives and a Senate
Only Nebraska has a unicameral (one house) legislature
State legislatures vary in size
1964 case of Reynolds v. Sims established all state election districts must be equal in population
Gives everybody’s vote an equal value

3. Qualifications, Terms, Compensations
Senators and Representatives must:
Be U.S. citizens
Live in the district they represent
At least 25, some states 21
Most senators serve four year terms, most representatives two
Term limits ruled unconstitutional- infringe on our right to elect lawmaking officials
Salaries and benefits vary widely among states
Rhode Island = $10,000 a year; New York = $79,500 a year

4. State Legislatures at Work
Most states meet in regular sessions every year
Dates, length, and consistency of these sessions varies among states
Beginning:
Presiding officers, other leaders chosen
Committees appointed
Lt. Governor presides over the Senate; Speaker presides over the House

5. State Legislatures at Work
Just like in the U.S. Congress, most of the work done by state legislatures occurs in committees
The lawmaking process in state legislatures is similar to that in Congress

6. Passing State Laws Bill is Introduced Bill Is Sent to the Committee
Member of either house introduces
Presiding officer reads bill and sends it to appropriate committee
Bill Is Sent to the Committee
Committee researches effects of and discusses the bill
Votes to pass, change, or kill the bill
Bill Reaches the Floor
Bill is returned to the house it originated, read aloud, and members discuss
Debates or amendment proposals
Members vote on the bill; if passed they are signed by presiding officer and sent to the other house

7. Passing State Laws 4. Bill is Sent to the Second House
Sent to appropriate committee in second house
If it survives the committee, sent to the floor to be debated or amended again
If it fails to pass in second house, it is dead
If it passes in a different form, it is sent to a joint-conference committee
5. Bill is Sent to a Joint-Conference Committee
Committee members try to reach a compromise acceptable to both house
Compromise bill is voted on by members of both houses

8. Passing State Laws 6. Bill is Sent to the Governor
If governor signs, it becomes a law
Governor may veto if he or she does not support a law (NC governor couldn’t do this until 1997)
Most states give the governor the power to veto only ONE part of the bill (item veto)
If the governor vetoes a bill, the state legislature can override it with a 2/3 vote

9. Citizen Action
Initiative- Citizens can initiate, or start, new legislation
Draw up a petition describing a proposal, and get a required number of voters to sign the petition
The proposition, or proposed law, can appear on election ballot and be voted into law
Some laws passed by legislatures have to be voted on first by the people
Referendum- referring potential laws directly to the people for consideration
Recall- States give voters the power to recall, or vote out, an elected official from office

10. ? How are all states organized (except for Nebraska)?
Who presides over state senates? Over state houses?
List the steps of how a bill becomes a law in state legislatures in order (you do not have to give details).
How can citizens get laws passed?
What is the definition of referendums?