1. State and Local Government State Government ~~~~~ State Legislatures
Chapter Eight
State and Local Government
State Government
~~~~~
State Legislatures

3. State Legislatures each state has an elected lawmaking body
different states have different names for this group
27 states use state legislature
19 states use general assembly
Ohio
2 states use legislative assembly
2 states use general court

4. Organization all but one of the states have a bicameral legislature
larger house is usually called the House of Representatives
smaller house is known as the Senate
Nebraska has a unicameral legislature called the Senate
state legislatures vary greatly in size
Alaska has the smallest legislature
40 representatives and 20 senators
New Hampshire's legislature is the largest
400 representatives and 24 senators
Ohio
99 representatives and 33 senators
legislature members are elected by the people of the state
each member represents the people who live in a particular district of that state
the state legislature divides the state into districts
Reynolds v. Sims
U.S. Supreme Court ruled that all state election districts must be equal in population
upholds the principle of "one person, one vote."

5. Qualifications, Terms, Compensation
qualifications for membership
must be U.S. citizens
must live in the district that they represent
must be a certain age
most state senators must be at least 25 years of age
most state representatives must be at least 21 years old
some state have lowered the required age to 18
term of office
most state senators are elected for four years
most state representatives are elected for two years
in some states both serve either two-year or four-year terms
term limits
many states have set term limits for state legislators
the Court's ruling does not apply to state legislators
salaries and benefits
vary widely from state to state
range from $10,000 to $79,500 a year

6. State Legislatures at Work
most state legislatures meet in regular sessions every year
some state legislatures meet once every two years
each state varies depending on their constitution
organization and offices of most state legislatures are
similar to those of the U.S. Congress
officers are chosen at the beginning of a session
presiding officers and other leaders
lieutenant governor presides over the Senate in most states
other state Senates choose their own presiding officer
members of the house choose their own presiding officer, usually called the Speaker
committees are appointed
handle most of the work of the state legislatures
each committee specializes in certain areas
upper house committee members are chosen by the presiding officer or by all the members
lower house committee members are appointed by the Speaker
seniority plays a key role in determining committee membership and leadership

7. Passing State Laws
lawmaking process in state legislatures is similar to the
procedure followed in Congress
steps for a bill to become a law
A Bill Is Introduced
a member of either house may introduce a bill
handed to the clerk and given a number
presiding officer reads the title of the bill
sends it to the appropriate committee
The Bill Is Sent to Committee
committee listens to various witnesses for and against the bill
questions witnesses to obtain necessary information
members may discuss the bill for many hours
committee may vote to pass the bill, to change it, or to kill it
The Bill Reaches the Floor
if approved the bill is returned to a full meeting of the house
read aloud, line by line
members of the house discuss each part of the bill
amendments may be offered and if passed, they become part of the bill
members then vote on the bill
bills that are passed are signed by the presiding officer
sent to the second house

8. Passing State Laws steps for a bill to become a law
The Bill Is Sent to the Second House
introduced in the second house
sent to a committee
sent to the floor of the second house
debated, amended, put to a vote
if both houses pass a bill in the same form, it is then sent to the governor
if both houses pass the bill in different forms, it is sent to a joint-conference committee to resolve the differences
The Bill Is Sent to a Joint-Conference Committee
made up of members selected from both houses
try to reach a compromise that will be acceptable to both houses
compromise bill is then voted on by the two houses
.each house usually accepts this final version of the bill
The Bill Is Sent to the Governor
if the governor signs the bill, it becomes a law
the governor may veto a bill he or she does not support it
in most states the governor also has the power to
veto only one part, or item, of an appropriation bill
item veto
the legislature can pass a bill over the governor's
veto by a two-thirds vote in each house

9. Citizen Action
some state constitutions allow the people to take a direct part
in making laws
initiative
citizens are able to start new legislation
citizens must first draw up a petition describing the proposal
a required number of voters must then sign the petition
then the proposition appears on the ballot at the next general election
if enough people vote for the bill, it becomes law
indirect initiatives
sent to the state legislatures for approval
in many states certain bills passed by the legislature
must be approved by the voters before becoming laws
referendum
method of referring potential laws directly to the people for approval
some states provide voters with the means to remove elected
officials from office
recall
begins when a required number of voters signs a petition
a special election on the petition is then held
if a majority of voters favors the recall, the official is removed