Government In Georgia Summary
Government in Georgia (Summary Review)
State government in Georgia operates in accordance with the 10th and current state Constitution of Georgia (see separate handout “A Brief Constitutional History of Georgia”). Georgia government is carried out through three branches - executive, legislative and judicial. The executive branch is headed by the governor who is elected by the people every four years. Governors in Georgia are limited by the state Constitution to no more than two consecutive terms. The Governor of Georgia is considered moderately powerful when compared to governors of other states. Candidates for governor must be at least 30 years old upon assuming office, must have been a U.S. citizen for 15 years and a resident of Georgia …show more content…
It is a bicameral (two house) system. The House is composed of 180 members and the Senate of 56 members, with the members elected by district. The Lt. Governor presides over the Senate, but the Speaker of the House and the Senate Pro Tempore are selected from the majority party of each house. The General Assembly is considered a “citizen legislature” since its members serve only part-time as legislators and hold full time jobs the remainder of the year. The General Assembly convenes on the second Monday each January for a forty day session. The Legislature takes breaks during the session, usually ending sometime in March. Special sessions can be called if needed. Much of the legislature’s work is done through standing committees. Bills are usually sent to the governor at the end of the session for his review when he has 40 days to decide whether to sign the bill, veto the bill (in which event it is returned where the veto can be overridden) or do nothing (where the bill will become law without his signature). (See handout on the legislative …show more content…
These constitutions mirrored the rapid changes in the control of state government during the Reconstruction period. Constitutions were written and approved in 1861, 1865, 1868, and 1877. Due to the rampant abuse of governmental power during the Reconstruction period, the framers of the constitution of 1877, led by Robert Toombs, placed numerous restrictions on the power of state government – particularly in the area of finance. As a result of these restrictions, the document was amended 301 times in 68
State government in Georgia operates in accordance with the 10th and current state Constitution of Georgia (see separate handout “A Brief Constitutional History of Georgia”). Georgia government is carried out through three branches - executive, legislative and judicial. The executive branch is headed by the governor who is elected by the people every four years. Governors in Georgia are limited by the state Constitution to no more than two consecutive terms. The Governor of Georgia is considered moderately powerful when compared to governors of other states. Candidates for governor must be at least 30 years old upon assuming office, must have been a U.S. citizen for 15 years and a resident of Georgia …show more content…
It is a bicameral (two house) system. The House is composed of 180 members and the Senate of 56 members, with the members elected by district. The Lt. Governor presides over the Senate, but the Speaker of the House and the Senate Pro Tempore are selected from the majority party of each house. The General Assembly is considered a “citizen legislature” since its members serve only part-time as legislators and hold full time jobs the remainder of the year. The General Assembly convenes on the second Monday each January for a forty day session. The Legislature takes breaks during the session, usually ending sometime in March. Special sessions can be called if needed. Much of the legislature’s work is done through standing committees. Bills are usually sent to the governor at the end of the session for his review when he has 40 days to decide whether to sign the bill, veto the bill (in which event it is returned where the veto can be overridden) or do nothing (where the bill will become law without his signature). (See handout on the legislative …show more content…
These constitutions mirrored the rapid changes in the control of state government during the Reconstruction period. Constitutions were written and approved in 1861, 1865, 1868, and 1877. Due to the rampant abuse of governmental power during the Reconstruction period, the framers of the constitution of 1877, led by Robert Toombs, placed numerous restrictions on the power of state government – particularly in the area of finance. As a result of these restrictions, the document was amended 301 times in 68