Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is another term used for 'legislature' in some states?
What is another term used for 'legislature' in some states?
- House of Representatives
- State Congress
- General Assembly (correct)
- Senate
Which state has the smallest legislature by membership?
Which state has the smallest legislature by membership?
- New Hampshire
- Nebraska (correct)
- Texas
- California
What is a legislature with two houses called?
What is a legislature with two houses called?
- Multicameral
- Unicameral
- Bicameral (correct)
- Tricameral
What is the name for a one-house legislature?
What is the name for a one-house legislature?
Which state has a unicameral legislature?
Which state has a unicameral legislature?
How long do senators typically serve in state legislatures?
How long do senators typically serve in state legislatures?
How long do representatives typically serve in state legislatures?
How long do representatives typically serve in state legislatures?
In most states, what is the minimum age for a representative?
In most states, what is the minimum age for a representative?
What is the typical age range for a senator in most states?
What is the typical age range for a senator in most states?
What gives Congress the power to make laws?
What gives Congress the power to make laws?
Who directs the business in the House of Representatives?
Who directs the business in the House of Representatives?
Who directs business in the Senate?
Who directs business in the Senate?
After a bill is introduced, where does it go next?
After a bill is introduced, where does it go next?
What happens to bills in committee?
What happens to bills in committee?
What is created if two houses pass different versions of the same bill?
What is created if two houses pass different versions of the same bill?
Who must sign a bill before it becomes a law?
Who must sign a bill before it becomes a law?
Who draws the boundary lines for election districts in most states?
Who draws the boundary lines for election districts in most states?
What did U.S. Supreme Court rulings in the 1960s establish regarding state legislatures?
What did U.S. Supreme Court rulings in the 1960s establish regarding state legislatures?
How often does the U.S. Census Bureau take a national census?
How often does the U.S. Census Bureau take a national census?
What are Americans expecting from their state governments?
What are Americans expecting from their state governments?
Besides providing better services, what else do Americans expect from their state governments?
Besides providing better services, what else do Americans expect from their state governments?
What is a challenge that state governments face regarding paying for services?
What is a challenge that state governments face regarding paying for services?
What difficult choice might state governments face?
What difficult choice might state governments face?
What did the Supreme Court's rulings in the 1960's increase in state legislatures?
What did the Supreme Court's rulings in the 1960's increase in state legislatures?
Flashcards
General Assembly
General Assembly
Another name for the legislature in some states.
State Legislature
State Legislature
A lawmaking body at the state level.
Bicameral Legislature
Bicameral Legislature
A legislature with two chambers or houses.
Four-year terms
Four-year terms
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Two-year terms
Two-year terms
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18 years old
18 years old
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18 to 30
18 to 30
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Legislative Power
Legislative Power
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Speaker of the House
Speaker of the House
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President of the Senate
President of the Senate
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Appropriate Committee
Appropriate Committee
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Study, hold hearings, and revise
Study, hold hearings, and revise
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Conference Committee
Conference Committee
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10 years
10 years
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Apportionment
Apportionment
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Malapportionment
Malapportionment
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Equal Population
Equal Population
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Cut programs or raise taxes?
Cut programs or raise taxes?
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Study Notes
- In some states, the legislature is called the general assembly, but most states call it the legislature.
- State lawmaking bodies vary in name and size.
- New Hampshire, one of the nation's smallest states in area and population, has the largest legislature with more than 400 members.
- Nebraska has the smallest legislature, with only 49 members.
- Every state except Nebraska has a bicameral legislature.
- A bicameral legislature has an upper house called the senate, and a lower house, usually called the house of representatives.
- Senators typically serve four-year terms.
- Representatives typically serve two-year terms.
- Generally, members must be American citizens and live in the district they represent.
- In most states, representatives must be at least 18 years old.
- The minimum age for senators ranges from 18 to 30.
- Membership in the legislature has become a far more demanding job as state governments have gained ever-growing responsibilities.
- Some legislatures meet year-round.
- Compensation for members is becoming more suited to the level of work.
- The Constitution gives the legislative branch (Congress) the power to make laws.
- Each house has a leader.
- Leaders greatly influence proposed legislation.
- A speaker of the house directs business in the house of representatives.
- A president does the same in the senate.
- State legislatures operate much like the U.S. Congress.
- The majority political party selects the house speaker.
- In states where the lieutenant governor does not preside over the senate, the majority party picks the senate president.
- Ideas for bills come from many sources including the governor, individuals, and the legislators themselves.
- After a member in either house introduces a bill, it goes to the appropriate committee of that house.
- Committees study bills, hold hearings, and revise or change the bills if necessary.
- In many cases, bills die in committee, never making it to a vote.
- Otherwise, a committee may send a bill to the full house with a recommendation that it be passed or rejected.
- If the two houses pass differing versions of the same bill, it goes to a conference committee, which works out agreeable language.
- Both houses must approve the final version of a bill, and the governor must sign it before it becomes law.
- Representatives to the U.S. Congress and the state legislatures are elected from districts.
- In most states, legislatures draw the boundary lines for each election district.
- The U.S. Census Bureau takes a national census, or population count, every 10 years.
- State legislatures set up or reexamine congressional districts every 10 years.
- Unequal representation often occurred as state senate districts were based roughly on land area, and state house districts were apportioned, or divided into districts, based on population.
- Area-based districts often produced malapportionment, or unequal representation, in many state legislatures.
- A city district and a rural district might each have had one senator, even though the city district had 10 times as many people.
- A U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the 1960s established that state legislatures must be apportioned on the basis of equal population.
- Many states had to reapportion their legislatures as a result of the Supreme Court ruling.
- Americans expect a great deal from their state governments.
- Citizens demand better public transportation and schools.
- Citizens demand better services for disabled and disadvantaged people.
- Citizens expect state governments to protect the environment, regulate business, and reduce crime and drug abuse.
- State governments are finding it difficult to pay for these services.
- Many legislators refuse to vote to raise taxes.
- The federal government has eliminated many grants because of its own budget concerns.
- State governments face a difficult choice: Should they cut programs or raise taxes to pay for them?
- Legislators fear they may be defeated in the next election if they raise taxes.
- Legislators also want to avoid cutting essential services, and cutting services at a time when challenges are mounting may be considered irresponsible.
- The U.S. Supreme Court's rulings of the 1960s also increased the representation of city dwellers in state legislatures.
- State legislators face great pressure in dealing with issues in larger cities where crime, drug abuse, and unemployment are often highest.
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