Chapter 23 US Government – Flashcards
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a method by which citizens propose an amendment or law - process begins with an individual or group writes a proposed amendment - people in favor of the amendment then circulate it as part of a petition to obtain signatures of a required number of eligible voters - required signatures from state to state vary - constitutional initiatives account for about 5% of the proposed amendments to state constitutions
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Initiative
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a gathering of citizens, usually elected by popular vote, a constitutional convention meets to consider changing or replacing a constitution
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Constitutional Convention
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a group of experts appointed to study the state constitution and recommend changes.
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Constitutional Commission
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- Create structure of state governments - Establish different types of local governments - regulate the ways state and local governments can raise and spend money - establish independent state agencies, boards, and commissions that have power in area that affect citizens' lives directly the basic set-up of government and laws of each state
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State Constitutions
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when voters rather than the legislature votes on an issue
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Referendum
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more and more state judges began to interpret state constitutions independently of the united states constitution. Added to the formal amendment process, judicial review has become an important means of constitutional change in the states as well as the national government
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Judicial Review
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one with 2 houses in our case it would be the house of representatives and the senate
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Bicameral
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in 26 states the presiding officer of the upper house. they serve as the vice president to the US Senate
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Lieutenant Governor
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largest number of votes in an election
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Plurality
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the power to turn down a particular section or item in a piece of legislation without vetoing the entire law
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Item Veto
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usually involves a dispute between 2 or more private individuals or organizations
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Civil Case
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the state brings charges against a citizen for violating a law
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Criminal Case
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one chambered. for example Nebraska's state legislature
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Unicameral
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- in the lower house, the presiding officer is called the speaker of the house-a position similar to that of the speaker in the house of representatives. - the majority party in the lower house usually chosen by the speaker.the speaker has the power to appoint the chairpersons along with all the other members of the house committees
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Speaker of the House
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supervises the legal activities of all state agencies, give legal advice to governors and act as lawyers for the state in cases in which it is involved
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Attorney General
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in state governments,, they are the chief secretary or clerk of the state government - in charge of all state records and official state documents, including all official acts by governor and the legislature
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Secretary of State
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manages the money that a state government collects and pays out - they pay the bills of the state government and often serves as the state tax collector - in most states the state treasurer has the power to invest state funds
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State Treasurer
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combines the idea of being elected through popular election and being appointed by the governor
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Missouri Plan
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a document that grants certain rights, powers and privileges to a corporation it is important because it give the corporations legal status
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Corporate Charter
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an organization either public or private that supplies such necessities as electricity, gas, telephone service or transportation service
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Public Utility
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the payment people unable to work as a result of job related injury or ill health recieve
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Workers' Compensation
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workers who lose their jobs may receive this under programs that state governments set up and regulate
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Unemployment Compensation
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the care and protection of natural resources including the land, lakes, rivers, and forests; oil, natural gas, and other energy sources and wild life
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Conservation
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is a system of fixed, required terms of imprisonment for certain types of crimes. the judge has flexibility with the judgment
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Mandatory Sentencing
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law, whereby state government provides financial aid to victims of certain crimes
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Victim Compensation
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a legal procedure through which a person accused of a crime who has fled to another state is, on demand, returned to the state where the crime took place. - sometimes governors are reluctant to follow Article 4 in the constitution
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Extradition
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a prisoner served the rest of the sentence in the community under the supervision of a parole officer
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Parole
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it was designed to show young offender how terrible prison life could be through a brief prison incarceration followed by supervised release
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Shock Probation
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a relatively new program involves shorter sentences in a highly structured environment where offenders participate in work, community service, education, and counseling
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Shock Incarceration
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a related alternative sentence, requires an offender to stay at home except for certain functions the court permits. several states are using this approach for incarceration
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House Arrest
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is an agreement between a union and an employer that all workers must join a union-usually within 30 days of being hired
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Union Shop
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government efforts to maintain basic health and living conditions for those people who have insufficient resources of their own also known has human services
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Public Welfare
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another federal state welfare program, provides money to the states to help people who cant afford necessary medical service. covers elderly people, blind, disabled, and low income families with dependent children
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Medicaid
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tax imposed on certain item such as gasoline, liquor, cigarette also called selective sales taxes.
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Excise Tax
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tax in witch the percentage of income taxed drops as incomes rise. - because everyone buys necessary items such as clothes, the sales tax represents a higher percent of the poorer person's income.
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Regressive Tax
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the state imposes the income tax on earning of individuals and corporations. - when this tax rises as person's income rises it is called progressive tax.
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Progressive Tax
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some states asses income taxes at the same rate for every wage earner.
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Proportional Tax
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contractual promise on the part of the borrower to repay a certain sum plus interest by a specified date. In some states voters must be asked to approve new bond issues.
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Bond
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the federal government with it's vast revenue and taxing power, provide about 20% of all states revenue. - intergovernmental revenue is revenue distributed by one level of government to another, may come in the form of federal grant.
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Intergovernmental Revenue
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Are sums of money given to the states for a variety of specific purposes. - Not only supply funds but stipulate how the grant to be used. - Influence the state in a number of ways such as starting a program that they otherwise could not afford. - Grants set certain minimum standards in the state.
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Federal Grant
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a large grant of money to a state or local government to be used for general purposes, such as public health or crime control. - block grants have fewer guidelines. - state official have more chose over how they want to use it.
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Block Grant
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is a formal order given by a higher authority, in this case the federal authority
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Mandate
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federal fund go to all the states on the basis of a formula. different amounts go to different states based on the states wealth. these grants usually require state to provide matching funds. Under project grands state or local agencies, even individuals, may apply for funds for a variety of specific purposes: to fight crime, to improve the cities subway stations, and to control air and water pollution.
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Categorical-Formula Grant
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- Create structure of state governments - Establish different types of local governments - regulate the ways state and local governments can raise and spend money - establish independent state agencies, boards, and commissions that have power in area that affect citizens' lives directly
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What are the four most important functions of state constitutions?
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- Bill of Rights + contains the protections of the citizens, rights stated in the national constitution - Length + over the years, as new states were being added the constitution length - Details + includes things like special tax for the veterans, requirements for public schools, fixed salaries, declaration of state holidays + some say that the details should not be in the constitution and should be in the law + long constitution due the politics
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What are the common characteristics of state constitutions?
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- they contain a lot of details which should be in the law rather than the constitution. - most of the details come from politics - have a lot of rules that apply to the state
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Why are state constitutions so long as compared to the US Constitution?
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- some have changed to provide the governor with more power - people believed that they needed a strong executive leadership - 33 states held on to their old constitution - 50 - 33 states made changes
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How are state constitutions changed? How many have been replaced with new documents? How many are still using their original state constitutions?
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legislatures can propose amendments that ultimately can get passed and given to the governor to approve
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How do governors & state legislatures work together to carry out policies & pass laws that affect the people of their state?
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- elected through popular election - election by legislature - appointed by governor - Missouri plan: combines popular election and appoint by governor
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What are the differences in the ways states choose judges?
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Judges governors speaker of house
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What executive officials, besides the governors, are elected in many states?
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regulation of business administration and control of natural resources protection of individual rights implementation of education, health and welfare programs
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What are the four major objectives of state economic policy?
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they all vary because of the way the judges interpret the laws and they have the flexibility of how the law would work. it allows the state governments to experiment and see what works and what doesnt
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Why does each state have its own set of criminal laws?
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What other policy areas are major concerns for state governments?
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- the sales tax - the state income tax - severance tax - property tax
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What are the major sources of states tax revenue?
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they provide grants to the states which are pretty much flexible in the way they want to use it and it also always the people to come for help
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Under what kinds of programs does the federal government provide monetary aid to states?
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they try to balance out the amount of taxes that it being taken from the people and also they allow things like borrowing money using the bonds. they also try to raise their revenue through lotteries
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How do the different kinds of taxation schemes attempt to distribute the burden of taxes among people of different levels of income?
