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Illinois Government. Mostly overlooked but has most contact with our daily lives. Structure. The PREAMBLE -States the purposes of the state government. Current Illinois Constitution effective since 1970 Structure: 2 Major Sections. 14 Articles in the Illinois Constitution.
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Illinois Government Mostly overlooked but has most contact with our daily lives
Structure • The PREAMBLE-States the purposes of the state government. • Current Illinois Constitution effective since 1970 • Structure: 2 Major Sections. • 14 Articles in the Illinois Constitution. • Three Branches in the Illinois, just like the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
Legislative Branch • Two Branches: • State House of Representatives has 118 MEMBERS. • State Senate has 59 MEMBERS. • Called the GENERAL ASSEMBLY and is a BICAMERAL system. • Required Meetings: ONCE A YEAR • Qualifications: 21 Years Old, U.S. Citizen and LIVE IN THE DISTRICT YOU REPRESENT!!!.
Terms • Like the House of Representatives the State House of Representatives has a TWO YEAR term. • State Senator, like the President, is elected every 4 YEARS;HOWEVER, there is a one half stagger, unlike the US Senate which as a 1/3 STAGGER.
Executive Branch • Secretary of State: official RECORD KEEPER for the state. • COMPTROLLER- decides which bills will be paid with available money. • Treasurer- keeps safe and INVESTS state MONEY. (writes checks to pay bills the comptroller tells him to pay.) • Members • Governor-EXECUTIVE OFFICER • LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR- responsibilities given by law and governor. • ATTORNEY GENERAL- chief legal officer for state.
Qualifications • In order to run you must be 25 years old 3 years in the state. One Term: 4 years but elected in NON-PRESIDENTIAL years.
Powers of the Governor • Amendatory VETO: governor can make specific changes in a bill after it has passed in the General Assembly. LINE ITEM VETO- governor can reduce the amount of money appropriated in a revenue bill. Number of days to consider vetoes: 60 Days
Judiciary Branch • Top: State SUPREME COURT: 7 judges. • Like Federal Supreme Court it hears FINAL appeals. • Middle: State Appellate Courts- reviews decisions of CIRCUIT COURTS. • Bottom- CIRCUIT COURTS- general trial courts (5 circuits or judicial districts in state)
Qualifications • Unlike Federal Supreme Court the judges are ELECTED • Supreme Court and Appellate: 10 YEARS. • Circuit Courts: 6 Years. • Lawyer • License to Practice in ILLINOIS • Live in judicial district that they represent.
Articles • Article One: State of Illinois “BILL OF RIGHTS” • Article Two: Separation of Powers into THREE branches. • Article Seven: HOME RULE PROVISION. All municipalities over 25,000 can automatically levy taxes, license businesses, and borrow money.
Article 2: The Powers of the state • Separation of powers • Powers of the government
Article 3: Suffrage & Elections • Voting qualifications/Disqualifications: • 18 or over • Resident of the state for at least 30 days before the election • General Assembly can establish requirements for voting • If you are convicted of a felony or are serving time in prison you are not allowed to vote until you have finished your sentence
Article 4: The Legislature • General Assembly (comparable to Congress) • 2 houses Senate & House of Reps. • Elected by electors from 59 legislative districts and 118 Representative districts • One senator is elected from each legislative district • Decennial redistricting (recurring every 10 years)
Article 4: The Legislature (continued) • General Assembly meets on the second Wednesday of January • The governor can convene the GA for other reasons • Sessions are open to the public unless 2/3 of the members vote for it to be closed • Majority of members from each house =quorum
Article 4: The Legislature (Continued) • The Secretary of State convenes the HOR to elect a Speaker of the House • The governor convenes the Senate to elect a President of the Senate (both happen of the 1st day of the January session of the GA in ODD NUMBERED years) • Bills are passed the same way as they are in the U.S. Constitution
Article 4 • Bills becoming laws: • Every bill passed by the GA is presented to the governor within 30 calendar days after its passage • If the governor approves, it becomes a law • If the governor should veto a bill, he does so with his objections to the house it originated in • Any bill not returned by the governor within 60 calendar days from the date he received in on automatically becomes a law
Article 4 • Except in cases of treason, felony or breach of peace, a member is granted immunity from arrest going to, during, and returning from sessions of the GA • Impeachment: • HOR has the sole power to conduct investigations to determine the existence or cause for impeachment and, by a vote of a majority of the members elected, can impeach executive and judicial officers • Impeachments are tried by the senate
Article 4 • If the governor is tried, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall preside • No person can be convicted without the concurrence of 2/3 of the Senators elected • Judgement shall not extend beyond removal from office and disqualification to hold any public office of this state • An impeached officer, whether convicted or acquitted shall be liable to prosecution, trial, judgement, and punishment according to law
Article 5: The Executive • Branch includes: • Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Attorney General • Secretary of State • Comptroller & Treasurer elected by the electors of the state • All serve a 4-year term beginning on the 2nd Monday of January
Article 5 • Governor can grant pardons, commutations, and reprieves for all offenses he chooses • The manner of applying is regulated by law
Article 5: Job Descriptions • Governor- reports to GA each year on the condition of state • LG- duties & powers delegated by the governor • Attorney General- legal officer of the state • Secretary of State- maintain official records of GA • Comptroller- maintain the fiscal accounts and order payments into and out of funds held by the treasurer • Treasurer- safekeeping and investing of monies and securities deposited with him and for their disbursement upon order of the comptroller
Article 6: The Judiciary • Judicial power is vested in: • Supreme Court • Appellate Court • Circuit Court • State is divided into 5 judicial districts; the first is Cook County
Article 6 • Supreme Court consists of 7 judges • 3 selected from Cook County and 1 from each of the other judicial courts • 4 constitute a quorum • They select a Chief Justice who served for 3 years
Amendment Procedures • Step 2 RATIFICATION: by the people, in a state-wide ballet called a REFERENDUM. • Step 1 PROPOSAL: 3/5 of each branch of the GENERAL ASSEMBLY ask if there should be a State constitutional convention.
OR • Step 2 Ratification: • Approval in a referendum. Step 1 Proposal: 3/5 of each branch of the General Assembly propose an amendment.
Compare and Contrast the Federal Government to the Illinois Government on the Venn Diagram.
Comparing Illinois to the Federal Government Federal ____ members in the Senate. ____ members in the House. Has a _________ term limit for judges. The President can run for _______ terms. Illinois ___ members in the Senate. ____ members in the House. Has a ________ term limit for judges. The Governor can remain a governor for __________ terms.
Similarities of the State and Federal Government • Both have a “_______ of ________” to protect the citizens rights. • Both have a _________, _________, and ________ branch. • Both have a higher court called the _________ _________.