1. NC State Legislative Branch

2. Organization “General Assembly” Bicameral legislature
Senate (50 members)
House of Representatives (120 members)
ASK: What article that we talked about yesterday defines and gives power to the legislative branch?
ASK: What does “bicameral” mean?
The General Assembly is made up of both of these houses together.
Who represents Chapel Hill?
Verla Insko, Democratic, Orange County (House)
Valerie Foushee, Democratic, Chatham & Orange Counties (Senate)
Elections for all seats in both houses are held in each even-numbered year.
Photo: Senate chamber

3. Qualifications Senate House 25 years old 21 years old Qualified voter
NC resident as citizen for 2 years
District resident for 1 year immediately before election
21 years old
Qualified voter
NC resident as citizen
District resident for 1 year immediately before election
ASK: What does it mean to be a qualified voter?
THINK-PAIR-SHARE: Do you think these requirements are strict enough? Why/why not?
(Ss will have 30 seconds to think, then each student will have 30 seconds to share his/her opinion. S with shorter hair goes first)

4. Term Length & Limits Everyone (HoR + Senate) serves 2 yr terms
No term limits – run multiple times
LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS
Long session in odd-numbered years (Jan - ~Oct)
Short sessions in even-numbered yrs (Jan - ~May)

5. Leadership Positions Senate
President of the Senate: Lieutenant Governor of NC
President Pro Tempore (elected from membership)
Legislative Committees (appt by President Pro Temp)
Majority party makes most decisions
House of Representatives
Speaker of the House (elected from membership)
Legislative Committees (appt by Speaker)
ASK: What do you think the Speaker of the House does? (Think about function in US Congress)
Legislative Committees: do most of the work. (Like passing a bill!) Legislators will be members of more than 1 committee. About 20 committees in HoR; 17 in Senate
Principal Clerk: administrative duties; record all actions taken on bills
Lt. Governor has very limited powers, only votes to break a tie
ASK: What do you think the President Pro Tempore of the Senate does? (Think about US Congress!)
Speaker of the House: Thom Tillis (R), since January 26, 2011
President Pro Tem of Senate: Phil Berger (R), since January 26, 2011
The Speaker appoints a Reading Clerk and a Sergeant-at-Arms for the House. The members elect other officers in each respective house from their political parties. These officers include a majority leader, minority leader, majority whip, and minority whip.

6. Who Are They?
“Professional” --- this is their full time job or “Citizen” – they have some OTHER full-time job
Citizen legislators
Increasing number of retirees
View districts:

7. What are the powers of the General Assembly?
Make laws (at state level, called statutes)
Legislative oversight – make sure ppl are doing their jobs
Draw district lines for representation after every 10-yr census
Impeach judges/ exec. officials
Approve appointments
Elect members of UNC Board of Governors & NC community college system
The NC General Assembly passes bills in the same way that the US Congress passes bills.
ASK: Who would like to remind us what the bill-to-law process is?
ASK: What are some of the powers of the General Assembly? Similar to US Congress powers
Make laws (called STATUTES)
Examine government operations (legislative oversight)
Draw district lines for representation after every 10-year census
Impeach judges & executive officials (Senate conducts trial)
Approve appointments
Elect members of UNC Board of Governors & NC community college system