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State and Local Governments Provide most services Schools Transportation Land use Social services

State and Local Governments Provide most services Schools Transportation Land use Social services Make most decisions Regulate driving, occupations, families Criminal behavior to be tried. The Legislative Branch What do State Legislators Do? Lawmaking Oversight

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State and Local Governments Provide most services Schools Transportation Land use Social services

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  1. State and Local Governments • Provide most services • Schools • Transportation • Land use • Social services • Make most decisions • Regulate driving, occupations, families • Criminal behavior to be tried

  2. The Legislative Branch • What do State Legislators Do? • Lawmaking • Oversight • Approve all appropriations • Who Are the State Legislators? • The nation has 7,382 state legislators who are mostly business persons or lawyers. • What do Legislative Committees Do? • What Influences State Legislators? • Political Parties • Lobbyist and Interest Groups • Other Influences on State Legislators • Ombudsmen • Committees

  3. Government in Typical State Constitutions • State constitutions follow this general outline having many officers. • States have to deal with a much wider range of functions, educational provisions, and criminal codes than the U.S. Constitution. • For that reason, state constitutions would be so much longer than the national constitution.

  4. State Constitutions & Number of Amendments

  5. The Diversity of State Legislatures Type 1: Full-time, High-Pay, Large-Staff “Professional Legislatures” California Illinois Michigan Ohio Florida Massachusetts New Jersey Pennsylvania New York Wisconsin Type 2: In-Between Hybrid Alabama Hawaii Minnesota South Carolina Alaska Iowa Missouri Tennessee Arizona Kansas Nebraska Texas Colorado Kentucky North Carolina Virginia Connecticut Louisiana Oklahoma Washington Delaware Maryland Oregon Type 3: Part-Time, Low-Pay, Small-Staff “Citizen Legislatures” Arkansas Maine New Hampshire South Dakota Georgia Mississippi New Mexico Utah Idaho Montana North Dakota Vermont Indiana Nevada Rhode Island West Virginia Wyoming

  6. How a Bill Becomes Law

  7. A Profile of State Legislatures

  8. Women in State Legislatures Women in Statewide Elected Offices 24% 24% 16% 13% 1988 2008 1988 2008 Source: Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University

  9. Current Percentage of Women in State Legislatures

  10. Party Control of State Legislatures

  11. The Legislative Branch • What Influences State Legislators? • Political Parties • Only Nebraska has a nonpartisan, unicameral legislature • Candidates for state legislatures are nominated by political parties and are elected as party members. The role of parties varies widely from state to state. • Lobbyist and Interest Groups • Interest groups are a significant and growing source of influence on state legislatures through the use of lobbying. • Other Influences on State Legislators

  12. Modernization and Reform • Legislative Term Limits: Problem or Solution? • Higher professionalism’s gains wiped out by term limits • Promotes the ideal of “citizen” legislators • Legislative Leaders • Assembly Speaker • Majority Leader • Minority Leader

  13. Term Limits in the States

  14. The Politics of Drawing Legislative District Lines • Redistricting • Gerrymandering • Malapportionment • One Person, One Vote • No Majority-minority Districts • New Rules for Redrawing the Districts • In California, Citizen Redistricting Committee • Proposition 11 by voters in November 2008 • Proposition 20 in 2010

  15. Direct Legislation: Policy Making by the People? • Initiative • Referendum • Recall • The Debate over Direct Democracy • 58% were approved in 2008 • Stimulates voter turnout, civic engagement, political efficacy • Can target minorities • Allows interest groups much influence

  16. Citizen-Initiated Initiative and Referendum at the State Level

  17. States That Provide for Citizen-Initiated Recall of Elected State Officials

  18. The California Legislature • Eligibility – At least 18 years of age • Residency – California resident for three years, at least one year in the district. • Term Limits – Two, four-year terms for the senate (8 years) and three, two-year terms (6 years) for assembly. • Senate seat rotation – 20 seats each even-numbered years. • Assembly seat rotation – All 80 seats even- numbered years. • Code of Ethics – Binds both houses, may expel a member by two-thirds vote. • Compensation - $99,000 salary and $121 per day living expenses when in session; telephone and gasoline expense allowance for a state-licensed automobile; limited health and retirement benefits.

  19. The Functions of the California Legislature • Make State Laws • Establish Taxes • Confirmations • Redistricting • Can Place Constitutional Amendments on the Ballot • Spend State’s Money (Appropriations) • Oversight

  20. State Expenditure Comparison California & Massachusetts

  21. California Political Parties American Independent www.aipca.org Democratic www.cadem.org Green www.cagreens.org Peace and Freedom www.peaceandfreedom.org Natural Law www.natural-law.org Reform www.reformpartyca.org Republican www.cagop.org Libertarian www.ca.lp.org

  22. California Interest Groups • Business • Agriculture • Labor Unions • Professional Associations • Education • Government • Ideological Organizations • Racial, Ethnic, or Religious Organizations • Public Utilities • Miscellaneous

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