MISSOURI CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT

MISSOURI CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT

State Motto

“Salus populi suprema lex esto.”

“The welfare of the people shall be the supreme law.”

MISSOURI CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT

Missouri Facts • Missouri’s capital is Jefferson City • Missouri became the 24th state in 1821 • Missouri’s nickname is the “Show Me State” • The state animal is the mule • The state bird is the blue bird • The state tree is the dogwood

Missouri Voters

MISSOURI CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT

Legislative Branch

General Assembly Senate

House of Representatives

Executive Branch

Governor

Lt. Gov.

Cabinet Depts.

JudicialBranch

Supreme Court

Courts of Appeals

Circuit Court

MISSOURI CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT

163 Missouri House Districts

MISSOURI CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT

34 Missouri SenateDistricts

MISSOURI CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

• The Missouri legislature is known as the General Assembly

• General Assembly is divided into two houses:

1. Senate—upper house 2. House of Representatives—lower house

• Legislature is in session from January to May each year

MISSOURI CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT

SENATE • 34 members • Serve 4 year terms (1/2 elected every two years)—8 years max.

• Presided over by Lt. Gov. (President pro Tempore takes over in his absence)

• Approves gubernatorial appointments

MISSOURI CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT

SENATE Qualifications:

• 30 years old

• A qualified Missouri voter for 3 years

• A resident of their district for 1 year

MISSOURI CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

• 163 members

• Serve 2 year terms

MISSOURI CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT

HOUSE OF REPRESENTAVIES

Qualifications:

• 24 years old

• A qualified Missouri voter for 2 years

• Resident of their county or district for 1 year

MISSOURI CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT

EXECUTIVE BRANCH ELECTED BY VOTERS 1. Governor2. Lieutenant Governor3. Secretary of State4. Auditor5. Treasurer6. Attorney General

MISSOURI CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT

EXECUTIVE BRANCH Missouri Governor

• Term: 4 years

• Term limit: 2 consecutive terms

MISSOURI CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

Qualifications Missouri Governor • at least 30 years old

• U.S. citizen for at least 15 years

• live in MO for at least 10 years

MISSOURI CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

BASIC POWERS OF MISSOURI’S GOVERNOR

• Administers state laws

• Appoints and removes officials

• Liaison with federal government

• Recommends Laws and Budget

MISSOURI CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT

EXECUTIVE BRANCH ContinuedBASIC POWERS OF MISSOURI’S GOVERNOR

• Signs or Veto's Laws

• Calls Special Sessions

• Commands National Guard

• Grants Pardons, Reprieves,

MISSOURI CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT

JUDICIAL BRANCH

The Supreme Court

• Chief Justice Presides over Court

• 7 Justices

• 12 year Term

• Hears cases on appeal from lower courts

MISSOURI CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT

JUDICIAL BRANCH

Requirments

• 30 years of Age

• Citizen for at least 15 years

• Qualified Mo. Voter at least 9 years

MISSOURI CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT

Missouri Nonpartisan Court Plan

• Lower Court Judges apply• Candidates selected by lawyer-dominated

committee• Three names are forwarded to the

governor • Has sixty days to select one • If does not select one the committee

will then make the selection.

MISSOURI CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT

Missouri Nonpartisan Court Plan

• General Election Held after one year service

• “Retention Election.” Held

• Can be removed and process starts over

• Or Retained to serve full term

MISSOURI CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT

Circuit Courts

• 4 year term• 44 districts

• Handle Beginning Trials • Requires witnesses and evidence

MISSOURI CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT

Court of Appeals• 12 Year Term• Must be 30 years of age• 15 year Citizen• Qualified Voter for 9 years

• Make up• Eastern- 14 Judges• Western- 11 Judges• Southern- 7 Judges

• Hear appeals from Lower Courts

MISSOURI CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT

Municipalities

• Incorporated Local Government

• Organized under Missouri Law

• Corporate and Governmental characteristics

MISSOURI CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT

Three main types of city government in Missouri today1) Mayor-council - Appears most frequently in Missouri

a. City Council – Elected to in order to create local laws (ordinances) b. Mayor- chief executive responsible for carrying out the local laws

2) Commission - Board of commissioners, (City Council) - Performs both the legislative and the executive functions. - Elected by the people of the city - Creates local laws (ordinances) also act as a department head to carry out local laws in particular group

3) Council-manager - Comprised of a council, a mayor, and a city manager - Council – Elected to in order to create local laws (ordinances) - Mayor – Presides at council meetings, little admin. power- City Manager - City’s chief executive administrator

- Nonpartisan official hired by the city

MISSOURI CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT

Township

• Sub-administrated unit of a county

• Very little power

• Ex) unity for road maintenance

MISSOURI CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT

Counties

• Unit of State

• Carrie out key function

• Taxation, Law enforcement

• 114 Counties / 1 independent city

MissouriCounties

MISSOURI CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT

Missouri Government Officials- Find and list Missouri’s

• Governor• Lt. Governor• Willard’s Missouri State Senator• Willard’s Missouri State Representative• Secretary of State• Attorney General

MISSOURI CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT

What is unique about Missouri Government?

The Initiative: Where Missourians can start the legislative processThe Referendum: Where Missourians get to review and vote on bills passed by the General Assembly

Now we have learned a little about State Government….try this

List things that pertain to the state, to the national, and finally to both levels of Government

STATE NATIONAL BOTH

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