1. Law-Making Federal, State and Local Level
SS.7.C.3.9

2. Use the PowerPoint to complete the work.

3. By the end of this lesson I will be able to……
SS.7.C.3.9 Illustrate the lawmaking process at the local, state and federal levels.
____will compare local, state, and federal lawmakers (city/county commissioners/council members; state legislators [representatives and senators]; and U.S. congressmen/congresswomen [representatives and senators]).
____will distinguish among ordinances, statutes, and acts on the local, state, and federal levels.
____will compare and contrast the lawmaking process at the local, state, and federal levels.

4. How are laws made at the federal level?
I’M JUST A BILL:
Lyrics:
Question: All revenue bills (raising money, taxes) must start where?
Also remember that special interest groups are groups of people who are concerned with some particular issue or part of the government and who try to influence legislators to act in their favor when creating legislation (laws)

5. Law-Making Federal Level
An act is a federal law
Remember a committee is a smaller group of legislators who study bills and revise them. Then they decide which bills move forward to consideration by the House or Senate as a whole.

6. State Government Read about…….
Under the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, all powers not granted to the federal government are reserved for the states and the people. All state governments are modeled after the federal government and consist of three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial.
The Florida Constitution gives local governments their power:

7. Refresh your memory… State Level Law-Making
How Do State Governments Make Laws? State governments are set up similar to the federal government. Most state legislatures are bicameral meaning they have two chambers or two houses. Each chamber of the state legislature is similar in structure to the House and the Senate in Congress. A special interest group or a citizen or a group of citizens can propose or suggest a new law. A state senator or representative writes the bill officially introduces the idea. At the state level, just like the federal level, most of the work on bills happens in committees. Another similarity is that both chambers of the legislature must pass the same bill. Then a conference committee, a committee of member of both houses, agree to exact wording of the bill. Then they send the approved bill to the governor elected by the residents of that state. The governor, like the president, has three choices. The governor can sign the bill into law, veto (reject) or take no action (in Florida, a passed bill with no action from the governor becomes state statute (state law) in 15 days).
Now that you have read this…. Diagram the state level law-making process!

8. Click the image to visit state statutes!

9. Local Level Law-Making
Making Ordinances in Florida……….. (read this) Ordinances are local laws. There can be county ordinances or city ordinances. Another name for a city or town is a municipality. What is the lawmaking branch at the city level called? What is the lawmaking branch at the county level called?

10. City of St. Augustine Commission
Click the images to visit our local law-makers!
St. Johns County Commission
City of St. Augustine Commission
City of St. Augustine Beach Commission

11. Local Level Law-Making
STEPS:
1. Proposed ordinances must be presented to the council or commission in writing. A proposed ordinance can only be about one subject and that subject must be clear in the title of the proposed ordinance.
2. 10 days prior to a vote on a proposed ordinance, a notice must be posted in a local newspaper that states the date, time, and place of the meeting at which the proposed ordinance will be voted on, the title of the proposed ordinance, and a place where citizens can view the full text of the proposed ordinance. This notice must also let citizens know that any interested or concerned citizens will have an opportunity to be heard during the meeting.
3. During the meeting, only a majority of the city council or county commission members are required to be present. This majority represents a quorum. In order for an ordinance to be passed, a majority of the quorum must vote in favor of it. (Quorum: the smallest number of people who must be present at a meeting in order for decisions to be made.)
4. Votes on the proposed ordinance are kept as official record.
5. Any ordinance becomes effective as outlined in the proposal or 10 days after the vote.
Now that you have read this…. Diagram the local level law-making process!

12. St. Johns County Ordinances
Click the to visit our local ordinances !

13. Vocab Review!
Special Interest Group: people who are concerned with some particular issue or part of the government and who try to influence legislators to act in their favor Legislation: law committee: a smaller group of legislators who study bills and revise them. Then they decide which bills move forward to consideration by the House or Senate as a whole. Act: Federal Law Bicameral: a part of government that makes laws, consisting of two houses Congress: US House of Representatives and US Senate conference committee, a committee of member of both houses, agree to exact wording of the bill Veto: the power to reject a law Statute: state law Ordinance: Local Law Municipalities- cities Quorum: the minimum number of members of an assembly or society that must be present at any of its meetings to make the proceedings of that meeting valid.