Summary of Governors and State Legislatures
Summary
Governors are called upon to work with the state legislature in the lawmaking process, to be the head of their political party, and to be the chief spokespersons and crisis managers for their states. State constitution or state statutes give many governors the power to veto legislation, pardon or commute the sentences of convicted criminals, author a state budget, and call a special session of the state legislature. The three key functions performed by state legislatures are lawmaking, constituency service, and oversight. Legislatures differ in size, diversity, party composition, and level of professionalism across the fifty states.
Practice Questions
- Which branch would you consider to be closest to the people? Why?
Answer
1. The state legislature, particularly the state house, where members represent fewer people per district. Constituency service is part of the job of a state representative or senator, and house members’ need to be frequently reelected means they will have to pay attention to the electorate.
Glossary
delegate legislator: a legislator who represents the will of those who elected him or her to office and acts in their expressed interest, even when it goes against a personal belief about what is ultimately in the constituency’s best interest
formal powers: those powers a governor may exercise that are specifically outlined in the state constitution or state law
line-item veto: a state governor’s ability to strike out a line or individual portions of a bill while letting the remainder pass into law
pardon: a governor’s action to absolve someone of blame for a crime and secure his or her release from prison
reduction veto: a governor’s authority to reduce the amount budgeted in a piece of legislation
trustee: an officeholder who believes he or she was elected to exercise judgment and to know best by virtue of having the time and expertise to study and understand an issue
This lesson is part of:
American State and Local Governments