Georgia State Government

Transcription

1 Georgia State Government

2 Georgia s Constitution Structure: Preamble/Introduction Eleven Articles: 1. Bill of Rights 2. Separation of Powers 3. Establishment of lower government & taxes

3 Responsibilities 1. Pay taxes 2. Participate in Government Voting Holding political office 3. Defend Nation 4. Serve on a jury

4 Voting qualifications Citizens of the United States 18 years old Legal resident of Georgia and the county where the person wants to vote Voter cannot currently be serving jail time for a felony offense or ruled to be mentally incompetent

5 Elections in Georgia Primary: when you elect a member within your political party

6 Elections in Georgia General: an elections where the winners from the primaries compete for office. These elections are held in November.

7 Elections in Georgia Special: an election that is used to present a special issue to voters to fill a vacancy

8 Political parties Two-Party System Role of political parties is for a group of like minded individuals who share common beliefs and ideas to work together to elect other like minded individuals.

9 Essential Questions How do political parties serve the purposes of voters with different opinions?

10 Crisis

11 Essential Questions How do political parties serve the purposes of voters with different opinions?

12 Voter Scenarios

13 Voter Scenarios Tammy has just moved to Atlanta from Houston, TX. It is the day before the election and she has decided that she wants to vote in this year s presidential election. Can she vote in this year s election? Why or why not?

14 Voter Scenarios Adam has lived in Conyers for a year and a half and loves getting involved in local politics. He has proof of residency proving that he is a legal resident of Georgia. However, Adam never changed his driver s license from his home state of New York. The election is next week. Can he vote in the election? Why or why not?

15 Voter Scenarios Sam has just been released from prison for robbery a felony crime. He is not on probation and is anxious to find a job and get on with his life. His friends are encouraging him to vote for Senator Barack Obama for president. Sam is hesitant because he doesn t know if he is eligible to vote. Can he vote in the election? Why or why not?

16 Voter Scenarios Tasha just received a speeding ticket in DeKalb county. She s never been in trouble with the law before and is nervous that this speeding ticket will go on her record. Can she vote in the election? Why or why not?

17 Voter Scenarios Jake s 18 th birthday is on Friday. The Friday before the election. He really likes John McCain and wants to help him win the presidency. Can he vote in the election? Why or why not?

18 Voter Scenarios Renee currently lives in Covington, GA (Newton County), but she is still registered to vote in Cobb County. The election is three weeks away. Can she vote in the election? Why or why not?

19 Voter Scenarios Tony has suffered from many mental disabilities most of his adult life. He works at the local grocery store and owns his own home. The neighborhood kids even call him the crazy man because he sits on his front porch and whispers to himself. He is registered to vote. Can he vote in the election? Why or why not?

20 Voter Scenarios Dr. Smith is what some call a mad scientist. He is a genius in the sciences and has even come close to discovering a cure for cancer. He is a celebrated doctor and scientist. Unfortunately, last year Dr. Smith was committed to a mental institution by a judge due to mental distress he suffered after the death of his cat. Can he vote in the election? Why or why not?

21 Foundations of Georgia s Government Separation of Powers, Checks and Balances, Citizens Rights and Responsibilities

22 Georgia s Government What is the Georgia state constitution? It is the governing document that explains the laws, governmental offices, and citizens rights and responsibilities in the state of Georgia.

23 Georgia s Government What is the basic structure of the Georgia state constitution? Structure of the Georgia state constitution: Preamble (Introduction) Articles (11 main articles) Sections Paragraphs

24 Georgia s Government What is the basic structure of the Georgia state constitution? Article I: Bill of Rights Article II: Voting & Elections Article III: Legislative Branch Article IV: Constitutional Boards & Commissions Article V: Executive Branch Article VI: Judicial Branch Article VII: Taxation & Finance Article VIII: Education Article IX: Counties & Municipal Corporations Article X: Amendments to the Constitution Article XI: Miscellaneous Provisions

25 Georgia s Government What are the three branches of government? The three branches of government are the: Executive Branch: Carries out laws Legislative Branch: Makes laws Judicial Branch: Evaluates or reviews laws

26 Structure of U.S. Government

27 Structure of Georgia Government State Capital Governor s Mansion State Supreme Court General Assembly Governor Lieutenant Governor

28 Structure of Georgia Government Executive Branch Legislative Branch Judicial Branch Carries out the laws. Makes the laws. Evaluates or reviews the laws. Governor: Nathan Deal (Republican) 82 nd Governor Lieutenant Governor: Casey Cagle (Republican) Also includes the head officials of these departments: Department of Agriculture, Attorney General, GA Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner, Public Service Commission, Secretary of State, and State School Superintendent. General Assembly House of Representatives: 180 members representing the citizens of Georgia. Senate: 56 members representing the citizens of Georgia. Courts at the state, county and city levels. Supreme Court Juvenile Courts Court of Appeals Superior Courts Probate Courts Magistrate Courts

29 Georgia s Government How do the separate branches of government ensure equal power among the branches? When the U.S. Constitution was written, the writers wanted to separate the powers of the branches of government so no one branch would have all or most of the power. They also included a system of checks and balances to keep the branches of government accountable to one another. The Georgia constitution was modeled after the U.S. Constitution.

30 Checks and Balances EXECUTIVE BRANCH LEGISLATIVE BRANCH JUDICIAL BRANCH

31 Checks and Balances EXECUTIVE BRANCH Determines whether laws are constitutional Can propose constitutional changes; Impeach officials LEGISLATIVE BRANCH JUDICIAL BRANCH

32 The Legislative Branch 1777: unicameral legislature 1789: bicameral legislature called the General Assembly

33 The General Assembly Propose and pass bills Both houses must approve bills All legislatures are elected by popular vote 2 year terms with no limit

34 Legislative Sessions 40 day sessions starting 2 nd Monday in January End mid- March

35 The General Assembly Georgia Senate Georgia House of Representatives Lieutenant Governor Passes laws on taxes, education, contracts, property, etc Speaker of the House

36 The Georgia House of Representatives 180 members Presiding Officer: Speaker of the House Must be 21 year old Writes Appropriations 36 Standing Committees

37 The Georgia Senate 56 members Presiding Officer: Lieutenant Governor Confirms appointments 26 Standing Committees Must be 25 year old

38 The Presiding Officer Determines the order of business Controls debate Rules out proposed Amendments to bills Enforces rules of procedure for the General Assembly Tells committees when to meet Roll call for vote on any issue Specific Requirements

39 Georgia s Population 2010 Census

40 Reapportionment Every 10 years, the legislature redraws the voting lines into districts House Senate

41 Legislative Committees Allow the legislature to look at bills more closely Standing Committees permanent from one session to another Ways and Means: bills involving taxes Appropriations: budget bills Judiciary: laws and court system

42 Legislative Committees Interim Committee: Works on assigned issues between sessions Joint Committee: Has people from both houses that are brought together to work on assigned bill Conference Committee: When the House and Senate have different version of bill; takes two bills to make one

43 So How Does a Bill Become a Law??

44 New Bill A proposal is written in legal language by the clerks office The bill is given a name and number Copies are made for all of the legislators

45 Assigned to a Committee Committee discusses good and bad points Public meetings may be held Committee can: A. Hold Bill B. Pass Bill C. Change Bill D. Kill Bill

46 House of Representatives A bill is sent to the full house for discussion It can be amended at this point A majority is needed to pass the bill

47 Certified Carried by messenger to Senate

48 Senate Assigned to a committee where the bill is discussed A. Hold Bill B. Pass Bill C. Change Bill

49 Governor Passed on to Governor if both houses agree on the same bill Governor can: A. Pass B. Hold C. Veto

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51 Your Turn! What kind of bill would you like to see passed in the Georgia General Assembly? Taxes Education Contracts Real/Personal property Inheritances Mortgages Corporations Marriage/Divorce Fines Imprisonment Public Regulations

52 The Executive Branch How does the Governor of Georgia get elected? By majority of the popular vote S/he is elected to a 4 year term

53 The Executive Branch Are there any restrictions on how many terms the Governor can serve? Yes, 2 consecutive terms for a total of 8 years. They must then wait 4 years before running again. Georgia Governor's Mansion 391 West Paces Ferry Rd NW Atlanta, Georgia 30305

54 The Executive Branch What are the qualifications to become Governor? 30 years old Citizen of the U.S. for 15 years Resident of the state for at least 6 years

55 The Executive Branch Who takes over if the Governor dies or resigns? The Lieutenant Governor takes control until the next general election Nathan Deal Casey Cagle

56 The Executive Branch Who is the Lieutenant Governor? How is s/he elected? o 2 nd in command to the Governor o Elected by popular vote at the same time as the Governor o Presiding Officer of the State Senate

57 The Executive Branch How are the Governor and Lieutenant Governor different? o Can serve unlimited terms o Presiding officer of Senate Nathan Deal 16 years Casey Cagle

58 Powers of the Governor What exactly does it mean to be Governor?

59 Formal Powers Executive o Appoint officials o Enforce civil and criminal law

60 Formal Powers Legislative Powers o Signing bills into law o Vetoing bills o Calling special sessions of the General Assembly

61 Formal Powers Judicial o Pardon criminals o Appoint justices

62 Formal Powers What kind of power am I? Include being able to pardon persons convicted of crimes and appoint state justices to fill unexpired terms Judicial

63 Formal Powers What kind of power am I? Include being able to appoint state officials and making sure that criminal and civil laws are enforced Executive

64 Formal Powers What kind of power am I? Include sending requests and messages to the legislature and being able to veto a bill so it does not become law Legislative

65 Informal Powers Look at your notes- how are the informal powers of the Governor just as significant as the formal powers?

66 Elected Officials The people of Georgia elect officials to various roles within the executive branch. Let s look at some of those roles now.

67 Elected Officials Lieutenant Governor Presiding officer of the Senate, acting Governor when Governor is not present

68 Elected Officials State School Superintendent

69 Elected Officials Public Service Commission

70 Elected Officials Secretary of State

71 Elected Officials Attorney General

72 Elected Officials Commissioner of Insurance

73 Elected Officials Commissioner of Agriculture

74 Elected Officials Commissioner of Labor

75 Non-Elected Officials The Governor s most influential power is appointed officials.

76 Non-Elected Officials Department of Public Safety

77 Non-Elected Officials Georgia Department of Transportation

78 Non- Elected Officials Department of Natural Resources

79 Non-Elected Officials Department of Economic Development

80 Elected Officials Get your phones out!

81 Judicial Branch

82 Types of Cases Civil Disputes between two or more persons or groups Criminal Cases involving violations of the law

83 Judicial Branch The role of the Judicial Branch is to: o interpret the state constitution o protect the legal rights of citizens o enforce the laws of the state

84 Due Process The US Constitution says no state can deprive any citizen of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN!?!

85 Due Process This means: You have the right to an attorney You have the right to a speedy trial You have the right for it to be in front of a fair judge You may plead the fifth

86 Adult Justice System o Divided between Civil and criminal law o Serious offenses are given trial by jury o Categorized as misdemeanor & felony

87 Adult Justice System Felonies: o Serious crimes such as arson o No less than 1 year jail sentence o Punishable by death in some cases 1. Murder 2. Kidnapping with bodily injury 3. Aircraft high jacking 4. Treason

88 Adult Justice System Misdemeanors: o Less serious o Punishable with less than 1 year sentence o Examples include, but are not limited to: 1. Assault 2. Battery 3. Cruelty to animals 4. Shoplifting 5. trespassing

89 Adult Justice System Pretrial: 1. arrest: enough evidence that someone has committed a crime 2. booking: officially processed 3. initial appearance: explained charges by a judge 4. preliminary hearing: magistrate judge decides if there is enough evidence for a trial

90 The Jury System Grand Jury: determines whether or not persons accused of crimes should be indicted and required to stand trial If there is enough evidence, the grand jury then issues an indictment

91 Adult Justice System Assignments before Superior Court: the suspect states that they are guilty of not guilty 1. Not guilty: case goes to trial 2. Guilty: case goes directly to sentencing

92 The Jury System Trial Jury: is a group of citizens who are charged with judging a person charged with a crime

93 Adult Justice System Trial: 1. Selecting a jury: 12 jurors of peers are selected by the lawyers 2. Opening Statements 3. Presentation of Evidence 4. Closing Statements

94 Adult Justice System 5. Jury Deliberations and verdict: jury decides if the defendant is guilty or not. If found not guilty, the suspect is released. 6. Sentencing: if found guilty, judge sentences defendant according to the law. It is up to the judge to determine how long the accused will spend in jail.) 7. Appeal: reviewed by a higher court

95 Juvenile Justice System Delinquent Act: an act committed by a juvenile that would be a criminal act by adult standards. If the act is serious enough, the juvenile can be tried as an adult.

96 Juvenile Justice System Status Offense: only against the law because of a person s age aka an unruly offense

97 Juvenile Justice System Juvenile Rights: 1. Right to parent/guardian before being questioned by authorities 2. Names/photographs are not to be made public 3. Two phone calls: parents and attorney 4. Right to not self-incriminate 5. Right to not be placed with adult offenders 6. Right to parents being contacted immediately

98 Juvenile Justice System Juvenile Steps: 1. Intake Officer 2. Released or Detained 3. Informal Adjustment 4. Adjudicatory Hearing: judge decides juveniles guilt or innocence there is no jury for juvenile cases

99 Juvenile Justice System Juvenile Steps cont: 5. Disposition Hearing: judge hears witnesses to determine sentencing 5. Sentencing: rules on punishment 7. Appeal

100 Georgia Court System State Court 70 Courts 105 Justices Juvenile Court 159 Courts 120 Judges & Associate Judges Supreme Court 7 Justices Court of Appeals 12 Judges 4 Divisions Superior Court 188 Judges 49 Circuits Probate Court 159 Courts 159 Justices Magistrate Court 159 Courts 159 Chief Magistrates 346 Chief Magistrates

101 Appellate Courts Supreme Court 7 Justices Appellate Jurisdiction: exclusive in cases involving constitutional issues, treaties, contested elections, capital felonies, titles to land, wills, equity, divorces, and alimony Court of Appeals 12 Judges 4 Divisions Appellate jurisdiction: in cases not reserved to Supreme Court Superior Court 188 Judges 49 Circuits General Jurisdictional: exclusive in cases of felonies, divorces, titles to land, and equity cases. Appellant Jurisdiction: over probate, magistrate, and municipal courts

102 Trial Courts State Court 70 Courts 105 Justices Limited Jurisdiction: misdemeanors, felony pretrial proceedings, traffic offenses, and most civil cases Probate Court 159 Courts 159 Justices Limited Jurisdiction: probating wills, administering estates, appointing guardians, and involuntary hospitalization of incapacitated individuals Juvenile Court 159 Courts 120 Judges Limited Jurisdiction: children under 17 years old said to be delinquent, unruly, or charged with traffic offenses; under 18 said to be deprived Magistrate Court 159 Courts 159 Chief Magistrates 346 Chief Magistrates Limited Jurisdiction: Criminal: pretrial proceedings, warrants, bail; county ordinance, traffic and bad check violations; miscellaneous misdemeanors Civil: small claims under $15,000

103 Checks and Balances

104 Checks and Balances The Executive Branch: can veto bills passed by the legislative branch and can call special sessions of the legislature. It also has some appointment powers when officers of the court resign or die The Legislative Branch: can impeach officials in the executive or judicial branches. It can override a governor s veto of bills to make them into laws. It must also confirm appointments made by the governor. It can also propose constitutional changes. The Judicial Branch: determines whether or not laws are constitutional.

105 Questions before your test?

106 Georgia Counties

107 Why do we need counties? Counties were created by the Legislature to serve as districts for carrying out state laws and programs Boundaries created by state legislature

108 What is a county seat? Center of county government is the county seat This is where the county courthouse or government complex is located

109 County Responsibility 1. Operate court of law 2. Protect citizens 3. Maintain local roads

110 Responsibilities Enact reasonable laws regarding local property and affairs County resolutions

111 How many? Since 1932 GA has had 159 counties 10,000-50,000 people 14 counties have more than 100,000 Higher population = what?

112 More power in state government! House Senate

113 County Government Board of Commissioners are elected by population They have a combination of executive and legislative powers

114 Activities for the State 1. Trial courts for judiciary branch 2. State health and welfare programs 3. Conducts voter registration and state elections

115 Georgia Cities

116 Municipality A city with its own government Savannah was founded by Oglethorpe in 1733 Augusta was named after St. Augustine

117 Do you have it? A city must have a charter to be recognized as a political unit residents 2. 3 miles from the boundaries of another city 3. 60% of land must be divided up

118 Limits A city government is limited by their charter think about our charter here at SSCMS, how are the concepts similar?

119 City Government 1. Mayor -Council Form 2. Council-Manager Form 3. Commission Form

120 Mayor-Council Form Graphic Organizers on page 572 Weak-Mayor Council Strong-Mayor Council Figurehead

121 Council-Manager Form A city Council is elected to make decisions and establish new laws and polices again: see graphic organizer on page 572

122 Commission Form Voters elect commissioners who head a department within the city government. They then elect the mayor. see graphic organizer on page 573

123 City-County Government The merger of both city & county governments to better benefit the people who live within the community

124 Where Do Georgia s Citizens Live?

125 Where? Urban Areas Rural Areas More than 2,500 OR A city & surrounding area with 50,000 + people Less than 2,500 people

126 Metropolitan Areas ⅔ people of Georgia live in a metropolitan area Central city with over 50,000 residents A city and its surrounding counties with a total population of over 100,000

127 Atlanta Has over 50% of state s population 70% live in urban areas 50 years ago 70% of Georgia s population lived in rural areas Agriculture Business

128 Urban Sprawl People move out of cities and into the suburbs bringing businesses with them Inner cities loose industry and population

129 Problems with Urban Sprawl Unplanned expansion Not enough infrastructure Economic Hardships Traffic

130 Urban Revitalization Less tax money = less power for city Number of voters based in populated suburbs Attempts to bring people back to the city Successful venture: building convention centers and other tourist attractions