State governments of the United States
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In the United States, state governments are
Legal status
While each of the state governments within the United States holds legal and administrative jurisdiction within its bounds,
This form of limited sovereignty (commonly called "dual sovereignty" or "separate sovereigns" in the language of
The governments of the 13 states that formed the original Union under the Constitution trace their roots back to the
Six subsequent states were never an organized territory of the federal government, or part of one, before being admitted to the Union. Three were set off from an already existing state: Kentucky (1792, from Virginia),[7][8][9] Maine (1820, from Massachusetts),[7][8][9] and West Virginia (1863, from Virginia).[8][9][10] Two were sovereign states at the time of their admission: Texas (1845, previously the Republic of Texas),[7][8][11] and Vermont (1791, previously the de facto but unrecognized Vermont Republic).[7][8][12] One was established from unorganized territory: California (1850, from land ceded to the United States by Mexico in 1848 under the terms of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo).[7][8][13]
Legislatures
The legislative branch of the U.S. states consists of state legislatures. Every state except for Nebraska has a bicameral legislature, meaning it comprises two chambers.
The unicameral Nebraska Legislature is commonly called the "Senate", and its members are officially called "Senators".
In the majority of states (26), the state legislature is simply called "Legislature". Another 19 states call their legislature "General Assembly". Two states (Oregon and North Dakota) use the term "Legislative Assembly", while another two (Massachusetts and New Hampshire) use the term "General Court".
Upper houses
In the 49 bicameral legislatures, the upper house is called the "Senate".
Until 1964, state senators were generally elected from districts that were not necessarily equal in population. In some cases state senate districts were based partly on county lines. In the vast majority of states, the Senate districts provided proportionately greater representation to rural areas. However, in the 1964 decision
Lower houses
In 40 of the 49 bicameral state legislatures, the lower house is called the "House of Representatives". The name "House of Delegates" is only used in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. California and Wisconsin call their lower house the "State Assembly", while Nevada and New York simply call the lower house the "Assembly". New Jersey calls its lower house the "General Assembly".
Executive
The executive branch of every state is headed by an elected
Each state government is free to organize its executive departments and agencies in any way it likes. This has resulted in substantial diversity among the states with regard to every aspect of how their governments are organized.
Most state governments traditionally use the department as the standard highest-level component of the executive branch, in that the secretary of a department is normally considered to be a member of the Governor's cabinet and serves as the main interface between the Governor and all agencies in his or her assigned portfolio. A department in turn usually consists of several divisions, offices, and/or agencies. A state government may also include various boards, commissions, councils, corporations, offices, or authorities, which may either be subordinate to an existing department or division, or independent altogether.
Judiciary
The judicial branch in most states has a
The structure of courts and the methods of selecting judges is determined by each state's Constitution or legislature. Most states have at least one trial-level court and an intermediate appeals court from which only some cases are appealed to the highest court.
Delaware has a unique
Common government components
Although the exact position of each component may vary, there are certain components common to most state governments:
- Office of the Governor
- Office of the Lieutenant Governor
- Office of the State Attorney General
- Agriculture
- Arts council
- Banking/Financial institutions
- Civil service
- Consumer protection
- Corrections and parole supervision
- Economic development
- Education
- Emergency management
- Energy
- Environment
- Fire protection
- Health care
- Highway patrol
- Homeland Security
- Housing
- Insurance
- Justice
- Labor
- Law revision
- Lottery
- Motor vehicles
- Military/Adjutant general
- Occupational safety and health
- Pensions (for public employees)
- Public health
- Secretary of State
- State parks
- State police
- State university system
- Transportation
- Treasury
- Unemployment insurance
- Veterans' affairs
- Workers' compensation
Education
Education is one of the largest areas of spending by state governments.[15] This includes K–12 education (primary and secondary schools) as well as State University systems.[15]
Health care
Health care is one of the largest areas of spending by state governments.[15] This includes spending on Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program.[15]
State Government debt to gross domestic product
source:[2]
See also
- List of people who have served in all three branches of a U.S. state government
- Local government in the United States
- Federal government of the United States
- Article Four of the United States Constitution
- Seals of the U.S. states
- Political divisions of the United States
References
- ^ "Glossary of Statistical Terms: State Government". Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Retrieved February 26, 2017.
- ^ a b c "Constitution of the United States, Article IV, Section 3, Paragraph 1". Legal Information Institute, Cornell University Law School. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
- ^ a b "Constitution of the United States, Amendment X". Legal Information Institute, Cornell University Law School. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
- ^ ISBN 9780231121798.
- ISBN 9789041119940. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
- ISBN 9780748620104. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
- ^ ISBN 9780061431395.
- ^ a b c d e f "Official Name and Status History of the several States and U.S. Territories". TheGreenPapers.com.
- ^ a b c Michael P. Riccards, "Lincoln and the Political Question: The Creation of the State of West Virginia" Presidential Studies Quarterly, Vol. 27, 1997 online edition
- ^ "A State of Convenience: The Creation of West Virginia, Chapter Twelve, Reorganized Government of Virginia Approves Separation". Wvculture.org. West Virginia Division of Culture and History.
- ISBN 978-0-8090-4439-9.
- ^ "The 14th State". Vermont History Explorer. Vermont Historical Society.
- ^ "California Admission Day September 9, 1850". CA.gov. California Department of Parks and Recreation.
- ^ Lash, Steve (November 29, 2022). "Maryland's appellate courts will get new names Dec. 14". The Daily Record. Baltimore: Maryland Daily Record. Archived from the original on December 14, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
- ^ a b c d "Policy Basics: Where Do Our State Tax Dollars Go?". Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. April 10, 2009.