Pennsylvania Government

Pennsylvania Government

Levels of Government

Type of Government Location People involved

Federal or National Washington DC. President

US SenatorsUS Representatives

State Harrisburg Governor

State Senators

State Representative

County Washington PA County Commissioners

Local McGuffey School District School board members

Local Morris Township, Claysville, Blain, Buffalo, South Franklin,Donegal, East and West Finley

Mayor, Supervisors, or Commissioners

What is a Constitution? • Our state’s government has been outlined in our

state Constitution

• The word Constitution means “An official Plan of Government”

• People in our state government work to pass new laws, maintain law and order, provide highways, schools, and health care for the people of our state

Which one came first?

Pennsylvania United States

Was written before the United Constitution in 1776

Was written 11 years after the Pennsylvaniastate constitution in 1787

What do the have in Common?

• The Pennsylvania Constitution influenced the United States Constitution

• The both use a separation of power and set up three branches of Government.

• Legislative Branch, Executive Branch, and Judicial Branch

Influences?

Montesquieu- separation of power, so one group or personcannot control the government.The reason why we have three Branches

William Penn- all peopleAre equal and the idea ofthe General Assembly, allowingPeople to participate in the Government

What is the Job of the Legislative Branch?

• The Legislative Branch writes the state laws

• They are made of two groups the house of representatives and the Senate

What is the job of each part of the legislative branch?

House of Representatives

• Write and vote on laws • Will serve a two year term • We have 203

representatives

Senate • Write and vote on laws • Will serve a four year term • We have 50 State Senators

State Senator Tim SolobayPeter DaleyEast and West Finley , Morris,Donegal, Claysville , Blaine, and Buffalo

Jesse White South Franklin

Terms for Legislative Branch

• General Assembly- What the Senate and House of Representatives are called when they meet together.

• Bills- are written suggestions for laws, they are discussed in the General Assembly. They must be passed by a simple majority in both the House and Senate.

What happens when a bill is passed?

• When a bill is passed by both parts of the General Assembly, then the Governor can….

– Sign the Bill into law

Or

– Veto- or reject the law

What happens when a bill is Vetoed?

• If a bill is Vetoed it could still become a law

• This is called overriding the governor’s veto – It must be approved by 2/3 of the House

and – It must be approved by 2/3 of the Senate • The bill will then become a law without the

governor’s signature.

What is the job of the Executive Branch ?

• The executive branch must see that laws are carried out

What is their job?The Governor – Tom Corbett

Is the leader of the Executive branch

Serves a four year term

Lieutenant Governor –Jim Cawley

Will help the Governor

He will also serve as governor if the governor dies or becomes too ill to perform his duties

Has the Lt. Governor ever had to step up as Governor?

After 9-11 Pennsylvania’s Governor, Tom Ridge, was chosen by President George Bush to be the director of Home Land Security

The Lt. Governor Mark Schweiker had to step in as Governor

Attorney General

responsibility for the prosecution of crime prosecuted by the commonwealth– included organized crime– public corruption– consumer protection.

Will represent the commonwealth and reviews rules and regulation made by agencies.

Kathleen Kane

What is their job?

• The treasurer manages the money that the state collects in taxes and other sources

• The auditor general see to it that all the collected money is legally spent

Rob McCord Jack Wagner

Departments of the Executive Branch Department Job and Purpose

Department of Education Manages Public Education Department of Transportation Driver Licenses Department of Agriculture Farms and farmers Department of Environmental Resources

Manage state parks

Department of Commerce Business and trade Department of public welfare Provides services for adults,

children, and people with disabilities

State Police Enforces laws

What is the Job of the Judicial Branch? • They will interpret the laws and tell us that the laws

mean when they are questioned.

• They also decide whether someone or some group has broken a law

• They determine the punishment for ones found guilty

• They also deal with disagreements between agencies, people, and business involving the state

What is the job of the Supreme Court?

• Oldest one is the country

• Supervises all statewide courts

• Will hear causes involving the interpretation of the state constitution

• There are no juries, lawyers present their causes to a panel of judges

What is the job of the Supreme Court?

• The judges are elected for 10 year terms• There are only 7 judges • A case is won with a simple majority rule

What is the job of the Superior Court?

• The Superior Court will hear cased that are being appealed from lower courts before they are heard by the Supreme Court.

• Many cases are settled here and do not make it to the Supreme Court

What is the job of the Commonwealth Court?

• The Commonwealth court will hear cases against the state government

Judicial Branch at the local level- District Justices

• District Justices interpret laws at the local level• They issue warrants for arrest and also search

warrants• They can determine if a case goes to the

Common Pleas court• They can administer and collect fines for illegal

acts such as speeding and littering

The Judicial Branch at the local level = Common Pleas Court

• Common Pleas Court will hear cases involving all types of crime and civil cases

• An example of a civil case would be a disagreements between two parties such as a contract, property, or insurance claims.

Relate our state Government to the way our school functions

• Legislative Branch = makes the laws

• Executive Branch= enforces the law (Governor and State Police)

• Judiciary Branch= court system

• School Board = makes the rules

• The Principal and the teachers

• The school Superintendent

Comparing and Contrasting State and Federal Government

State • Executive Branch

– Governor – Lieutenant Governor – Can Veto or Sign a bill into

law– Has departments

Federal • Executive Branch

– President– Vice President– Can veto or sign a bill into law – Has departments

Comparing and Contrasting State and Federal Government

State • Supreme Court

– Are the laws constitutional?– Cases are won with a simple

majority – Made up of 7 judges (no jury) – Judges are elected– Judges have a ten year term

Federal • Supreme Court

– Are the laws constitutional?– Cases are won with a simple

majority – Made up of 9 judges (no jury)– Judges are appoint by the

President and approved by the congress

– Judges serve for life

Comparing and Contrasting State and Federal Government

State

• Legislative Branch – House of

Representatives– Senate – Together both

General Assembly– Can override a veto

Federal

• Legislative Branch – House of

Representatives– Senate – Together both are

called Congress – Can override a veto

Who represents us in the United States Congress?

United State CongressmanTim Murphy US. Senator Robert Casey

US. Senator Pat Toomey

Sites used • http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/findyourlegislator/inde

x.cfm?CFID=119360139&CFTOKEN=95555901

• http://www.patreasury.gov/

• http://www.auditorgen.state.pa.us/

• http://www.casey.senate.gov/

• http://murphy.house.gov/http://www.pacapitol.com/Main.html

• http://www.washingtoncourts.us/pages/home.aspx