Civics_Ch7_info

=**State and Local Government Background Information**=

**State Government:**
Remember, the U.S. is a federal system in terms of the government, which means that power is divided between the federal and state governments. The federal government is the most powerful, but does reserve powers to the states as well. __//NOTE//__: Reserved powers are granted to the states from the 10th amendment, which says powers not delegated to the federal government are reserved to the states. States are responsible for rules concerning marriage, driving laws, traffic regulations, and maintain the education system; local governments receive their powers from the states. States also have state police to enforce state laws. __//NOTE//__: Concurrent powers are shared by the federal and state governments such as taxation – states raise money with sales tax, income tax, and property tax, which pays for services such as education, highways, and health and safety programs. __//NOTE//__: All states have constitutions which set the structure and rules for state government. State constitutions have:
 * A preamble that lists the basic principles in which the state was founded.
 * A bill of rights that guarantees listed rights to its citizens.
 * Outline of the organization of the state’s government.
 * Qualifications that citizens must meet for voting and rules for elections.
 * Provisions for managing state affairs such as education, law and order, transportation, and finance.
 * Methods of amending the state constitution with amendments.

__//NOTE//__: The Full Faith and Credit Clause ensures that each state will accept the decisions of civil courts in other states (marriage, birth certificates, driver’s license). What this means is that when you pass your drivers' test for your license, you'll have a PA license. However, you are still allowed to drive in other states even though you didn't pass the test in other states. The U.S. Constitution also ensures extradition from one state to another in terms of criminals. __//NOTE//__: A person who commits a crime in one state and tries to flee to another state will be sent back, which is extradition. The federal government and the states often work together by cooperating in terms of services (federal money often give to states for law enforcement, education, and other areas), times of crisis, and by the national government aiding the states.

**State Legislatures:**
Pennsylvania has a bicameral legislature, which means that the PA legislative (lawmaking) branch has two chambers. __//NOTE//__: The PA General Assembly (Congress) is divided into the PA state House of Representatives and PA state Senate. The state is divided into House districts and Senate districts. Bills become laws in PA by similar means that the federal government passes laws. __//NOTE//__: In PA, a bill is introduced in either chamber, goes to a committee, then is debated in the chamber introduced, goes to the other chamber, each chamber works out a compromise, then the bill goes to the governor. Legislators accept and welcome input and information from all citizens they represent. __//NOTE//__: The people a congressman represents are constituents. Citizens are able to send letters, email, or make phone calls to their representatives and senators. Some states allow the citizens to begin the lawmaking process by use of the ballot. These states use what is called initiative, or can start a petition for a new law to be put on the next election's ballot. PA doesn't use initiative, but __//NOTE//__: PA has referendum, which means voters can vote on legislation in an election.

**State Executive Branch:**
__//NOTE//__: The governor is the chief executive of a state and must be 30 years old and live in the state being elected from. The governor shares some executive powers unlike the president at the federal level. Independent of the governor's office, but __//NOTE//__: in the executive branch are the state treasurer, state attorney general, state secretary of state, which are all elected positions. __//NOTE//__: Governors have the power to submit the state budget to the legislature. Governors also have the power to appoint heads of various departments in the executive branch. Governors also supervise the many employees of the state government. __//NOTE//__: The governor is chief legislator since the governor signs bills into law and has the power of the veto. __//NOTE//__: The Lieutenant governor is the second in command. __//NOTE//__: The secretary of state keeps records and carries out election laws. __//NOTE//__: The state attorney general is in charge of legal business and matters concerning the law. __//NOTE//__: The state treasurer handles the state funds. __//NOTE//__: The state auditor makes sure the state funds are used legally.

**State Roles and Responsibilities:**
Over __//NOTE//__: the state is responsible for education, transportation and automobile laws, marriage laws, regulating business in the state, providing for public safety, supervising elections, and providing professional licenses. In terms of the education, the state develops a standardized test (PSSA), standards for students to be guided by, graduation requirements, and overall school requirements. In terms of transportation, the state develops all traffic laws and laws for licensing and yearly inspections. States determine requirements to be married and licenses for marriage are obtained at county courthouses.

**State Courts:**
Each state has its own __//NOTE//__: penal code or set of criminal laws. Lower courts hear minor cases including misdemeanor cases and civil cases involving small amounts of money also called magistrate's court with the judge (or magistrate) being elected. Bigger cities have municipal courts within the city. Major criminal and civil cases are handled in general trial courts where a jury hears cases and a judge presides. States have appeals courts where a person can seek a review of their case. __//NOTE//__: State supreme courts are the highest courts in a state and can only be overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. In most states (PA included), citizens elect their judges for a certain term length.

**Local Government:**
There are certain units of local governments. A __//NOTE//__: municipality is a unit of local government that is incorporated by a state and can include a state's cities, towns, villages, and boroughs. Local governments provide conveniences and services that we have come to expect in our daily lives. __//NOTE//__: Local responsibilities include road repair, safety, street cleaning, trash collection, electricity, water, sewage, and public transportation. __//NOTE//__: The biggest unit is a county - all states are divided into counties - counties are divided into townships headed by an elected chairperson or supervisor. County governments are headed by commissioners. __//NOTE//__: Local governments can pass ordinances or regulations passed by local lawmakers to govern a community. Towns often have town meetings when all citizens meet regularly to discuss town issues. __//NOTE//__: Cities often have a mayor and council.

All three levels cooperate by building roads together, which is seen after President Eisenhower began the interstate highway system and gives money to state and local governments to help them maintain the highways. Public education is one of the most important areas in which governments at all levels cooperate to serve the public - federal funds to states help operate schools, which is divided into local school districts. __//NOTE//__: The money that the federal government gives the states for such programs are grants. In the states, stores and businesses must obey state laws that require good business practices. State health regulations protect people eating at local restaurants. State education requirements ensure that all students have the same basic education. State inspectors ensure safety regulations in factories. State governments establish state licensing boards. States also compete with each other to attract industry.

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