GCSU GA constitution exam

how many federal employees?

3 million

how many state/local employees?

13 million

What areas of public policy do the states take most of the responsibility for?

education, highways, lawenforcement, public health, welfare

Similarities between state gov systems

1. every state has a written constitution and 3 gov branches

2. governor, state leg and court system

constitutionalism

-gov created for the people by people

- describe fundamental powers and establishments to excersis powers

-doc should not be changed easily

when was constitution adopted

1982

when was constitution put into action

1983

how many constitutions has GA had?

10

when was GAs first constitution

1777

special amendments

pertain only to single localities (illegal)

general amendments

statewide application

amendment procedure in GA

1. amendments proposed and then approved by voters

number of ballots/approval in 1982

30-40 proposed 20 approved

number of ballots/approvals since 1982

10 proposed and 7 approved

subjects that Ga constitution covers

1. Basic rights of the individual, voting, elections, the legislative/judicial/executive branches, taxation, finance, education, local government, amending procedures

who is the most important and powerful individual in Ga system

Governor

how can ga governor be removed before term is up

impeachment

how many GA governors have been impeached

0

requirements for governor

30 yrs old

US citizen for 15

state citizen for 6

majority of votes

characteristics of past governors

white males that have had a political profession

head of state

rep and spokes person for the sate of ga

head of government

in theory responsible for management of programs and services

commander in chief

has his own armies (the national guard)

chief executive

see that laws are being carried out and leader of the state gov executive branches

management by exception

1. personal actions only occur during exceptional cases

2. questions that can not be settled by lower office will be settled by governor

how are heads of executive departments selected

elected by voters

how did jimmy carter reorganize the state executive agencies

-decreased number of departments to 22

-one acency handles one broad broad function

how did jimmy carters reorganization help?

- made the executive branch less complex and easier to manage by the governor

Which power of the Governor is held by some political scientists to be the most important of his policy-making and management tools?

power over state fiscal affairs

Role of OPB

help decide the executive branch budget

how is the governor involved I the leg process

- can address leg, ask to propose bills, cal for cooperation, special sessions

-line item vetoe

- can veto (if no action by the gov n 40 days the bill becomes law

what is line item veto

a specific item veto

what kind of bills can the governor line item veto

appropriation bills

leg override veto

2/3 of both chambers

term of governor

2 terms for 4 years each

how many members in general assembly

236

how does general assemblies exercise oversight of executive branch

assembly can investigate the actions of state agencies to access the efficiency and honesty of theit preformance

which branch confirms most of the governors appointments

leg branch

responsibility of leg

speeches, soloving problems, providing info to the media. citizen complaints

why do legislators have another full-time job

because the pay sucks

upper house

senate

how long do senates hold office

6 years

lower house

house of reps

how long do house of reps hold office for

2 years

impeachment process

HOR brings fomal misconduct; senate tried

general assembly not rep of boarder public

legislators have other jobs such as lawyer or farmer that doesrepresent broader public

max number of seats in ga senate

56

min number of seats in the ga house

180

covers if speaker is out

speaker pro tem

who is pres of the senate

lieutenant gov

who covers for the LG?

prez pro tem

administration

1. Chosen by the governor to serve as his or her spokesperson and to manage to consideration of legislative programs

- When is the General Assembly's legislative session?

2nd week in jan

how many courts in the GA judiciary??

1000

how are courts seen as political bodies

the are involved in conflicts

how are courts different than political bodies

policy making procedures are different

why do courts not want to appear political??

they dont want to seem bias

how did the 1983 constitution change the Ga judiciary

it abolished, consolidated and renamed serveral classes of courts

uniform jurisdiction

courts of the same class now hear the same types of cases; probate court

supreme court

establishes uniform rules of practice and procudure

non partisan elections

supreme, appeals, superior, state

partisan

juvenile, probate, magistrate

non partisan

candidates will not be listed as Dem or Repub

how many judges in supreme

7

how many judges in appeals

9

What kind of administrative supervision does the Supreme Court exercise?

• Can propose riles for lower courts, set standards of conduct for judges, set rules covering the removal or discipline of judges, and regulate the admission of attorneys to the State Bar

circuit system; how many

48 with one judge, they have travel circuit where they hold court in each county of he circuit a specified number of days each month

What kind of trials do they have exclusive original jurisdiction over?

exclusive: cases that involve felonies, divorces, ownership of land

what appellate jurisdiction for supreme courts have

lower courts

how is superior court judge selected how long si the term

non partisan campaigns

4 year term

Missouri plan

governor would appoint the superior court jdge; voters would choose to retain or rejuect the judge; governors are better evaluators of qualifications

district attorney

present evidence of criminal conduct to grand jury; serve as prosecuting attorney

what cases do state courts hear?

misdemeanor criminal cases

juvenile

less than 17 years old

probate

handling estates of dead, traffic violations, marriage, elections, mental hospital

magistrate

cases involving minor civil disputes and county ordinances

municipal courts

mayor/recorder/police courts

local governments are creatures of the states

the state governemtn creates them can change of abolish them

dillons rule

local governments can only preform those duties that hvae been explicitly given to them by the states

how many counties doe Ga have

159

wha gov services have been provided for the counties

law enforcement, road aintence protery transaction,

NOW: expansion into recreation. sanitation. econoic developement

primary elected governing body at the county level?

board of comissioners

what does state government do to help create a city

they give charters to municipal coorporations

typical form of city government

mayor-coucil city

city-county consolidation

counties expand services and become like cities so they move into one governemtn

largest form of local government in GA

school district

what are special districts

gov formed by gov

what do special districts provide

each county is responisble for elections

county unit system

electoral college with counties but didnt work because rural ares had more political power

pre cleare\ance

any chances that would have an effect on electional administration: polling place location, district boundries, balloting

government transparency and campaign finance commission

- When is the General Assembly's legislative session?