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Texas Government Part 1 ( Chapter 27)

Texas Government Part 1 ( Chapter 27). Essential Question Does Texas Government Help Texas?. 3 Branches of Government. Legislative : makes laws Executive : governor and lieutenant governor Judicial : court system (judges). Facts. The highest ranking official in Texas is the Governor

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Texas Government Part 1 ( Chapter 27)

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  1. Texas GovernmentPart 1 (Chapter 27) Essential Question Does Texas Government Help Texas?

  2. 3 Branches of Government • Legislative: makes laws • Executive: governor and lieutenant governor • Judicial: court system (judges)

  3. Facts • The highest ranking official in Texas is the Governor • The 2nd highest ranking official in Texas is the Lieutenant Governor • The Constitution that Texas uses today is the Constitution of 1876 • How does the constitution stay current? Amendments

  4. Facts, con’t • Texas law makers meet every 2 years • The law makers can only meet for 140 days • If something important that comes up, the governor can call a Special Session • Texas must operate on a Balanced Budget

  5. Facts, con’t • About 50% of Texas money comes from taxes • Largest tax in Texas is the sales tax • The 2nd largest source of money in Texas comes from the US Government

  6. Vocabulary • Balanced Budget: Texas won’t spend more than it makes in Taxes (no debt) • Deficit: debt; spend more than comes in • Popular Sovereignty: government ruled by the people; citizens have a right to vote • Federalism: the US Government shares some powers with the states

  7. Vocabulary, con’t • Republicanism: people have a right to vote • Checks and Balances: one branch of the government doesn’t have more power than another branch • Limited Government: government cannot control people’s lives • Individual Rights: people’s rights that the government cannot take away from them

  8. Texas GovernmentPart 2 (chapter 28) Essential Question Does Texas Government Help Texas?

  9. Vocabulary • Civil Law: laws dealing with disagreements between citizens (like vandalism, not paying rent, etc) • Criminal Law: laws dealing with major criminal acts (murder, rape, etc) and the punishment • Redistricting: adjusting legislative districts every 10 years after the census

  10. Texas Court System • Texas judges are elected by the people • Texas Supreme Court • District judges, lower court judges, and Justice of the Peace • Lower courts • Municipal: city or local government

  11. Texas Court System, con’t Order of Texas Court System: • Municipal Courts and Justices of the Peace • Handle minor cases (traffic, juvenile, misdemeanors, etc) • Misdemeanor: crime that doesn’t do major harm; less severe punishment • Justice of the Peace: person who tries minor cases and performs marriages

  12. Texas Courts, con’t • County Courts • Handle appeals by lower courts • Appeal: request to have case heard again • District Courts • Tries Felony Cases • Felony: serious crime (like murder, rape, kidnapping, etc) • Courts of Appeal • Texas Supreme Court (most powerful court in Texas)

  13. Texas County Government • 254 Counties in Texas • Texas divided into smaller sections to handle law enforcement, etc • Precincts: smaller part of a county to handle things like voting

  14. Texas County Officials • County Commissioner: sets tax rate and decides on county budget • Sheriff: top law officer in county • County attorney, county treasurer, county clerk, county auditor • County Constable: county officer that helps keep peace and serves subpoenas

  15. School Districts • Formed to keep government out of education…don’t want schools to be run by state, city, and county government • More than 1050 school districts in TX • Schools are run by a School Board • Elected Trustees: person responsible for schools • Jobs: hire/fire teachers, set school tax rate, work with state on funding, etc

  16. City Governments • When community wants to become a city, they can apply to be incorporated • Incorporated: form into a legal body • What cities do: • Offer services: police, sewer, medical, water, etc • Encourage development (new businesses, etc) • Offer special services: library, parks,etc • Make zoning laws: • Zoning: deciding what can be built where

  17. Types of City Government • Home Rule Cities: over 5000 people • Self govern • General Law Cities: under 5000 people • Obey laws set by state

  18. City Government, con’t • Types of City Governments • Mayor Council • Citizens elect mayor and city council • City council has most power; not mayor • Most cities in Texas use this • Council-Manager • Commission

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