1. Executive Branch Notes Intro to Legislative Branch
KUDos:
Know:
Georgia Government
Understand:
SS8CG3 Analyze the role of the executive branch in Georgia state government. a. Explain the qualifications for the governor and lieutenant governor and their role in the executive branch of state government. b. Describe how the executive branch fulfills its role through state agencies that administer programs and enforce laws.
S8CG2 Analyze the role of the legislative branch in Georgia. a. Explain the qualifications for members of the General Assembly and its role as the lawmaking body of Georgia. b. Describe the purpose of the committee system within the Georgia General Assembly. c. Explain the process for making a law in Georgia. d. Describe how state government is funded and how spending decisions are made.
Do:
Executive Branch Notes
Intro to Legislative Branch

2. Executive Branch *Largest branch in the state
Purpose of the Executive Branch:
Sets up the Governor’s office
To enforce the laws passed by Georgia’s General Assembly
Largest branch of the state government
Nathan Deal (2011)
Governor’s Mansion

3. Executive Branch Lieutenant Governor Both Governor
Chief Officer of the state
Elected by popular vote
4 year terms
can serve 2 consecutive terms, then must wait 4 years to run again
See formal and informal powers below
Qualifications:
30+ years old
U.S. citizen for 15+ years
Resident of Georgia for 6+ years
Presiding Officer of Senate
Can serve unlimited terms
Acting Governor when Governor is not present

4. Powers of the Governor Formal Informal Executive Legislative Judicial
Appoint officials
Enforce civil and criminal law
Legislative
Signing bills into law
Vetoing bills
Calling special sessions
Judicial
Pardon “criminals”
Appoint Justices
Not required by law
Communicating to the public a personal position on issues of interest to all Georgians
Acting as honorary head of the political party that elected him or her to office
Issuing proclamations to honor individuals, holidays, or special events and, with the legislature’s approval, adding new state symbols
Representing the state in meetings with other state officials, federal officers, or foreign dignitaries
Meeting with business and industry leaders from other states or nations to encourage them to expand their businesses into Georgia
Working with members of the legislature to get laws passed
Guiding state agencies

5. Other Formal Powers: Managing the State’s budget
Directing the attorney general to act as a representative of the state in lower court cases involving state law
Making an annual “State of the State” address to the legislature
Preparing budget bills for considering by the Georgia’s House of Representatives
Serving as commander-in-chief of the Georgia National Guard
Heading the state’s civil defense units
Sending Georgia Highway Patrol officers and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) into communities in times of danger

6. State Agencies

7. Est. in 1777

9. Legislative Branch
Most of the work conducted in both houses of the General Assembly is in the committee system:
The HOReps = 36 standing committees
The Senate = 26 standing committees
Each committee has a particular focus
The members must serve on 2-3 committees
Each of the committees can create, amend, change, or kill legislation

10. Types of Committees Standing Ad Hoc/Study Joint Conference
Permanent committees that continue every legislative session
Examples:
*Ways and Means: handles bills involving taxes
*Appropriations Committee: works on the budget
*Judiciary Committee: deals with bills involving laws and court system
Committees created for a special purpose
Current Examples:
*Joint Study Committee Storm-Water Management
*Senate Study Committee on Homelessness
Made up of both members of the House of Rep and the Senate
Created when the House and Senate create different version of a bill
The members of each house must compromise and make one bill for it to become a law.

11. Make a bill to send to Georgia General Assembly
Use the handout to draft a bill to send to the General Assembly in Georgia.
A bill is a first draft of a law.
You need to follow the directions in the handout (they will be on my blog if you do not finish in class).
You will need to have this in class BY WEDNESDAY!
We are using them for another activity.
If you do not have yours. You will be completing a packet on government in another class for a grade.

13. Proposal is submitted to the Clerk’s Office
Written in legal language
Given a name/number
For example: the twelfth proposal in a session of the House of Representatives would be called “H.R. 12.” If the bill began in the Senate it would be “S.B. 12.”

17. Funding for Georgia Government
Individual Income Tax
Corporate Income Tax
A Portion of the income a person or am married couple earns in salaries, wages, or investments
A flat tax (6% since 1969) on the income that a corporation generates within Georgia

18. Funding for Georgia Government
Insurance Premium Tax
General Sales Tax
Placed on insurance companies operating in Georgia and generates about 2% of Georgia’s annual revenues
Placed on customer purchase of most items bought at retail stores.

19. Funding for Georgia Government
Property Tax
Excise Taxes
County and city governments administer and collect property taxes, and in doing so, they add on a small state property tax which is forwarded to the state.
Special taxes placed on purchase of specialty items like gas, alcohol, and tobacco products.
They are usually fixed amounts per item, rather than percentages of the price.

20. Funding for Georgia Government
Estate/Inheritance Tax
Non-tax funding
Tied closely to the federal government’s estate tax, which is payable from the estate of deceased persons. With changes in federal law, receipts from this tax (sometimes called the “death tax”) have decreased recently and make up less than 1% of state revenues.
Fees: state parks, licenses, etc
Make up about 3-4%
State lottery
Over 700 million per year
3rd largest revenue source
Can only be used for certain programs (educational)
Settlement Programs
Ex: tobacco settlement Funds

21. 2017 Decisions on Spending How to decide? States have a budget…
The budget is a controversial process. Every program that people want the state government to operate—from universities to state parks to Medicaid to indigent legal defense to prisons—must have funds appropriated in the budget process in order to function. By influencing the budget—cutting funds or raising funds or changing how the funds may be spent—one can have a major impact on particular programs and therefore changing the state as a whole.