Arizona’s Three BranchesArizona’s Three Branches

Legislative – The State LegislatureLegislative – The State Legislature• Arizona House of RepresentativesArizona House of Representatives• Arizona SenateArizona Senate

Executive – The “Plural Executive”Executive – The “Plural Executive”• 6 major executive offices all directly 6 major executive offices all directly

electedelected Judicial – The Arizona Supreme Court Judicial – The Arizona Supreme Court

and other inferior courtsand other inferior courts

Arizona LegislatureArizona Legislature House of RepresentativesHouse of Representatives

• 60 members60 members• 2 elected from each of 30 legislative districts2 elected from each of 30 legislative districts• Currently 40 Republicans, 20 DemocratsCurrently 40 Republicans, 20 Democrats

SenateSenate• 30 members30 members• 1 elected from each of 30 legislative districts1 elected from each of 30 legislative districts• Currently 21 Republicans, 9 DemocratsCurrently 21 Republicans, 9 Democrats

Legislators all serve 2 year terms, limited Legislators all serve 2 year terms, limited to 4 terms in any one houseto 4 terms in any one house

Here in Mesa, if you live west of Gilbert Rd., you are likely in District 18

If you live east of Gilbert Rd., you are likely in District 19

Your State LegislatorsYour State Legislators

Rep. Cecil Ash (R - Dist. 18)

Rep. Steve Court (R – Dist. 18)

Sen. Russell Pearce (R – Dist. 18)

Your State LegislatorsYour State Legislators

Speaker Kirk Adams (R - Dist. 19)

Rep. Justin Olson (R – Dist. 19)

Sen. Rich Crandall (R – Dist. 19)

The Historical State Capitol The Historical State Capitol BuildingBuilding

Another ViewAnother View

Arizona’s Executive BranchArizona’s Executive Branch

““Plural Executive” – We elect Plural Executive” – We elect allall major members of the executive major members of the executive branch, not just onebranch, not just one• Unlike the federal system, where Unlike the federal system, where

President is elected, then appoints all President is elected, then appoints all other major officialsother major officials

Arizona Executive BranchArizona Executive Branch

6 Major Executives6 Major Executives• GovernorGovernor

Signs or vetoes billsSigns or vetoes bills Recommends laws Recommends laws

to the legislatureto the legislature Appoints heads of Appoints heads of

state agencies and state agencies and judgesjudges

Commander-in-chief Commander-in-chief of the Arizona of the Arizona National GuardNational Guard

Governor Jan Brewer (R)

Arizona Executive BranchArizona Executive Branch

6 Major Executives6 Major Executives• Secretary of StateSecretary of State

Responsible for Responsible for smooth running of smooth running of electionselections

Takes over for Takes over for Governor in case of Governor in case of vacancyvacancy

Sec. of State Ken Bennett (R)

Arizona Executive BranchArizona Executive Branch

6 Major Executives6 Major Executives• Attorney GeneralAttorney General

Chief law Chief law enforcement officer enforcement officer of Arizonaof Arizona

Argues for Arizona in Argues for Arizona in federal court casesfederal court cases

Attorney General Tom Horne (R)

Arizona Executive BranchArizona Executive Branch

6 Major Executives6 Major Executives• State TreasurerState Treasurer

Oversees tax Oversees tax collection and collection and disbursement of disbursement of state fundsstate funds

Advises the governor Advises the governor on the state budgeton the state budget

Treasurer Doug Ducey (R)

Arizona Executive BranchArizona Executive Branch

6 Major Executives6 Major Executives• Superintendent of Superintendent of

Public InstructionPublic Instruction Sets standards for Sets standards for

hiring of teachers hiring of teachers and graduation from and graduation from K-12 schoolsK-12 schools

Advises the school Advises the school districts on districts on standards for what standards for what should be taughtshould be taught

Superintendent John Huppenthal (R)

Arizona Executive BranchArizona Executive Branch

6 Major Executives6 Major Executives• State Mine State Mine

InspectorInspector Inspects all state Inspects all state

mines to ensure mines to ensure safety regulations safety regulations are followedare followed

Mine Inspector Joe Hart (R)

Arizona’s Judicial BranchArizona’s Judicial Branch

Selecting Judges (Merit System)Selecting Judges (Merit System)• State Constitution requires judges to:State Constitution requires judges to:

be at least 30 years oldbe at least 30 years old demonstrate good moral characterdemonstrate good moral character have passed the Arizona Bar and practice law in have passed the Arizona Bar and practice law in

ArizonaArizona be a resident of Arizona for at least 5 yearsbe a resident of Arizona for at least 5 years

• Bipartisan Nominating Commission chooses at Bipartisan Nominating Commission chooses at least 3 qualified applicants to recommend to least 3 qualified applicants to recommend to the governorthe governor

• Governor chooses one of the names to appointGovernor chooses one of the names to appoint

Arizona’s Judicial BranchArizona’s Judicial Branch

Judges serve either a 4 year or 6 Judges serve either a 4 year or 6 year termyear term

Judicial Recall – at the end of their Judicial Recall – at the end of their term, judges names appear on a term, judges names appear on a ballot for voters to vote “yes or no on ballot for voters to vote “yes or no on the question of retention”the question of retention”

Judges are required to retire at 70Judges are required to retire at 70

Arizona’s Judicial BranchArizona’s Judicial Branch

Superior Court

Arizona Court of Appeals

Arizona Supreme Court

159 1

2 3

1 5

Courts Judges

Rebecca White Berch, Rebecca White Berch, Chief Justice of Chief Justice of ArizonaArizona

Arizona’s Judicial BranchArizona’s Judicial Branch

Other courts include municipal courts Other courts include municipal courts and justice of the peace courts, and justice of the peace courts, which decide “limited jurisdiction” which decide “limited jurisdiction” issuesissues• Ex. – traffic tickets, renter/landlord Ex. – traffic tickets, renter/landlord

disputes, small claims lawsuits, etc.disputes, small claims lawsuits, etc.

Other Important Features of Other Important Features of Arizona’s ConstitutionArizona’s Constitution

Initiative – citizens may propose a Initiative – citizens may propose a law or constitutional amendment by law or constitutional amendment by collecting signatures on a petitioncollecting signatures on a petition• In the next election, voters determine In the next election, voters determine

whether it becomes law or notwhether it becomes law or not• Ex. – Prop. 102 (2008) defined marriage Ex. – Prop. 102 (2008) defined marriage

as one man and one woman in Arizona’s as one man and one woman in Arizona’s constitutionconstitution

Other Important Features of Other Important Features of Arizona’s ConstitutionArizona’s Constitution

Referendum – The Arizona legislature Referendum – The Arizona legislature passes a bill, but submits it to voters passes a bill, but submits it to voters for final approval (rather than the for final approval (rather than the governor)governor)• 5% of voters can petition to pass a bill 5% of voters can petition to pass a bill

by referendum, or legislature can by referendum, or legislature can choose to use this methodchoose to use this method

• Ex. Prop 302 (2000) – used car rental Ex. Prop 302 (2000) – used car rental and hotel tax revenue to build a new and hotel tax revenue to build a new Cardinals stadiumCardinals stadium

Other Important Features of Other Important Features of Arizona’s ConstitutionArizona’s Constitution

Recall – voters can petition to put an Recall – voters can petition to put an elected official on the ballot before elected official on the ballot before their term is overtheir term is over• Requires 25% of voters to sign the Requires 25% of voters to sign the

petitionpetition• Ex. – Mayor Neil Giuliano of Tempe faced Ex. – Mayor Neil Giuliano of Tempe faced

a recall election on the grounds he a recall election on the grounds he shouldn’t have advocated the light rail shouldn’t have advocated the light rail project (but he won the recall election project (but he won the recall election and stayed in office)and stayed in office)

Other Important Features of Other Important Features of Arizona’s ConstitutionArizona’s Constitution

Tribal Sovereignty – Indian tribal Tribal Sovereignty – Indian tribal reservations are not subject to the laws of reservations are not subject to the laws of ArizonaArizona• Ex. – Gambling is not legal in Arizona, yet Ex. – Gambling is not legal in Arizona, yet

casinos can be built and operated on tribal casinos can be built and operated on tribal landslands

Clean Elections – anyone running for state Clean Elections – anyone running for state office who gets a small donation from a office who gets a small donation from a certain number of people can have their certain number of people can have their campaign funded by the statecampaign funded by the state

Things that are on the Final that Things that are on the Final that don’t fit in another categorydon’t fit in another category

Central Arizona Project – water Central Arizona Project – water conservation project that brings conservation project that brings water to the valley from the Colorado water to the valley from the Colorado RiverRiver

Civic ResponsibilitiesCivic Responsibilities• VotingVoting• Paying taxesPaying taxes• Serving on juriesServing on juries• Obeying the lawObeying the law