State and Local Governments•Provide most services

• Schools• Transportation• Land use• Social services

•Make most decisions• Regulate driving, occupations, families• Criminal behavior to be tried

The Legislative Branch•What do State Legislators Do?oLawmakingoOversightoApprove all appropriations•Who Are the State Legislators?

o The nation has 7,382 state legislators who are mostly business persons or lawyers.

•What do Legislative Committees Do?•What Influences State Legislators?

o Political PartiesoLobbyist and Interest GroupsoOther Influences on State Legislators

o Ombudsmeno Committees

Government in Typical State Constitutions• State constitutions

follow this general outline having many officers.

• States have to deal with a much wider range of functions, educational provisions, and criminal codes than the U.S. Constitution.

• For that reason, state constitutions would be so much longer than the national constitution.

State Constitutions & Number of Amendments

The Diversity of State LegislaturesType 1: Full-time, High-Pay, Large-Staff “Professional Legislatures”California Illinois Michigan OhioFlorida Massachusetts New Jersey Pennsylvania

New York Wisconsin

Type 2: In-Between HybridAlabama Hawaii Minnesota South CarolinaAlaska Iowa Missouri TennesseeArizona Kansas Nebraska TexasColorado Kentucky North Carolina VirginiaConnecticut Louisiana Oklahoma WashingtonDelaware Maryland Oregon

Type 3: Part-Time, Low-Pay, Small-Staff “Citizen Legislatures”Arkansas Maine New Hampshire South Dakota Georgia Mississippi New Mexico Utah Idaho Montana North Dakota Vermont Indiana Nevada Rhode Island West Virginia

Wyoming

How a Bill Becomes Law

A Profile of State Legislatures

Women in State

Legislatures

16%

24%

1988 2008

Women in Statewide

Elected Offices

13%

24%

1988 2008

Source: Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University

Current Percentage of Women in State Legislatures

Party Control of State Legislatures

The Legislative Branch•What Influences State Legislators?

o Political Parties•Only Nebraska has a nonpartisan, unicameral legislature •Candidates for state legislatures are nominated by political parties and are elected as party members. The role of parties varies widely from state to state.

oLobbyist and Interest Groups• Interest groups are a significant and growing source

of influence on state legislatures through the use of lobbying.

oOther Influences on State Legislators

Modernization and Reform•Legislative Term Limits: Problem or Solution?o Higher professionalism’s gains wiped out by term limitso Promotes the ideal of “citizen” legislators

•Legislative Leaders

• Assembly Speaker

• Majority Leader

• Minority Leader

Term Limits in the States

The Politics of Drawing Legislative District Lines

•Redistricting•Gerrymandering•Malapportionment

•One Person, One Vote

•No Majority-minority Districts

•New Rules for Redrawing the Districts

•In California, Citizen Redistricting CommitteeoProposition 11 by voters in November 2008oProposition 20 in 2010

Direct Legislation: Policy Making by the People?

•Initiative

•Referendum

•Recall

•The Debate over Direct Democracyo 58% were approved in 2008o Stimulates voter turnout, civic engagement,

political efficacyo Can target minoritieso Allows interest groups much influence

Citizen-Initiated Initiative and Referendum at the State Level

States That Provide for Citizen-Initiated Recall of Elected State Officials

The California Legislature Eligibility – At least 18 years of age Residency – California resident for three years, at least one

year in the district. Term Limits – Two, four-year terms for the senate (8

years) and three, two-year terms (6 years) for assembly. Senate seat rotation – 20 seats each even-numbered years. Assembly seat rotation – All 80 seats even- numbered

years. Code of Ethics – Binds both houses, may expel a member

by two-thirds vote. Compensation - $99,000 salary and $121 per day living

expenses when in session; telephone and gasoline expense allowance for a state-licensed automobile; limited health and retirement benefits.

The Functions of the California Legislature

1. Make State Laws2. Establish Taxes3. Confirmations4. Redistricting5. Can Place Constitutional Amendments on the Ballot6. Spend State’s Money (Appropriations)7. Oversight

State Expenditure ComparisonCalifornia

& Massachusetts

California Political Parties

American Independent www.aipca.orgDemocratic www.cadem.orgGreen www.cagreens.orgPeace and Freedom www.peaceandfreedom.org Natural Law www.natural-law.orgReform www.reformpartyca.orgRepublican www.cagop.orgLibertarian www.ca.lp.org

California Interest Groups1. Business2. Agriculture3. Labor Unions4. Professional Associations5. Education6. Government7. Ideological Organizations8. Racial, Ethnic, or Religious Organizations9. Public Utilities10.Miscellaneous