1. State and Local Government

2. 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)

3. 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)

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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