State and Local Government

I. State Constitutions Importance Characteristics Create the structure of government Establish local governments Regulate the way state and local governments raise and spend money Characteristics Bill of rights Much longer than the US Constitution More detail Alabama’s Constitution Longest in the world (lots of amendments Does not allow home rule (state level approval for many local issues)

II. 3 Branches Legislative Executive Judicial Pass laws Bicameral (except Nebraska) Elected by districts of equal population Executive Governor Elected by the people Sign legislation Leadership (state, party) Run the executive branch Other officials Attorney general – prosecutes criminals Secretary of State – certifies elections Treasurer – manages money Judicial Hears criminal and civil cases Judges can be appointed or elected (Alabama elects judges)

III. State Policy Regulation of business Corporate charters Public utilities Consumer and worker protection Business development Environment 1. Pollution control 2. Conservation Protecting Life and Property Police and other law enforcement Corrections - prisons Health, Education, and Welfare Schools Public health departments Medicaid, assistance programs

IV. State Finance Taxes (Alabama uses all of these) Other Sources _________________________________ Income tax License fees ________________________________ Estate Other Sources Borrowing – bonds ___________________________________ Federal grants Categorical – ____________________ Block – ________________________ Unfunded mandate – Federal requirement with no money attached

V. Influences on State Government Political parties ____________________ controlled the state from the Reconstruction until recently Since 2010 _________________________ have controlled both houses of legislature and every statewide elected position Interest groups - people with something in common who try and convince the government to make laws that will benefit them ____________________________________ AEA – teachers union (declining influence in recent years) Chamber of Commerce – business owners HOW? – __________________________________________ Culture – conservative, religious No lottery _______________________________ Local laws about alcohol

VI. Local Government *All levels of local government derive their power from the state County ____________________________________________________ Other officials (Sheriff, coroner, clerk) City Laws made by _________________________________ Mayor is chief executive Local government functions Education Zoning ___________________________ Transportation Fire/police __________________________ Social services Financing (according to state law) ________________________________________ Grants (from state and federal) Fees