Georgia’s Constitution,
Executive & Judicial Branch,
County & City Government,
Spending & Revenue
 Georgia’s
Highest Body of
Laws.
 Georgia’s
First Constitution was
in 1777.
 Has
been rewritten 10 times.
 Most
recent 1983.
 Limited
Government: Government has
limited power
 Popular
Sovereignty: The power of the
government rests on the will of the
people.
 Separation
of Powers: Each branch of
government has their own job.
 Checks
and Balances: Each branch of
government has a “check” on the other
branches.

The framers wanted to strengthen the
government but prevent the
concentration of power in the hands of
a small group.
 Created



3 Branches
Legislative- Makes Laws
Executive- Enforces Laws
Judicial- Interprets the Laws and makes
judgments in legal disputes.
 One
branch has the ability to prevent the
other branch from becoming too powerful.
 Example:
The executive branch can veto a
bill from the legislative branch.
Explains
why the
document
was
written.
 To
Perpetuate the principles of free
government
 Insure justice for all
 Preserve Peace
 Promote the interest and happiness of the
citizens and of the family
 Transmit to posterity the enjoyment of
liberty
 11
Total Articles
 They
address the different
branches of government &
duties of the government.
 Article
Rights.
 Article
I is the GA Bill of
X tells how the
Constitution can be changed
or amended.
 First:
through
proposals by the
General Assembly



A lawmaker must
introduce the
amendment.
2/3 of lawmakers
must approve it.
Voters have to vote
to ratify the
amendment.
 Second:
Constitutional
Convention


Delegates to the
convention will
meet to discuss and
vote on possible
changes to the
constitution.
Voters have to vote
to ratify the
amendment.
Approved
March 28,
1935.
 Made
up by the General Assembly.
 2 Houses – Senate and House of
Representatives.
 236 Members
 General Assembly members meet for a 40
day session beginning on the second Monday
in January.
 2 year term in office
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 Responsible
for making laws for the
state of Georgia.
 Responsible for appropriating funds
for the State to spend.
 Leadership:
-- Speaker of the House
(Majority party)
-- President of Senate (Lt. Gov.)
13
 Committee
System in the General Assembly
A
Standing committee is a group of legislators
organized by subject area that continues from
session to session. Each committee is
organized into two or more subcommittees to
allow greater specialization of expertise.
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 Bill
is introduced
 Committee
recommends Bill
 The Bill Goes to the
Entire House to Vote
 The Bill Goes to the
Senate
 Bill Goes to the
Governor
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 Governor:
Nathan Deal
 Lieutenant
Governor:
Casey Cagle
Qualifications:
• US Citizen for
15 years
• GA Citizen for
6 years
• 30 Years Old
Term In Office:
• 4 Years
Elected In:
• November
General
Election
Takes Office In:
• January
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 Managing
the state’s
budget.
 Direct the Attorney General
to represent the state in
legal matters.
 ‘State of the State’ address.
 Prepare budget bills for the
House of Reps.
 Commander in Chief of GA
National Guard.
 Heading states civil defense
units.
 Communicating
issues.
their position on key
 Honorary
head of the party that got
him elected.
 Honor
individuals, add new state
symbols.
 Represent
GA domestically and
internationally
 Bring
business to GA
 There
are other elected officials
in the Executive Branch:






State Attorney General
Commissioner of Agriculture
Commissioner of Labor
Commissioner of Insurance
Secretary of State
State School Superintendant
Government Agency: A unit of government
such as a department, board, commission or
office. They are a part of the executive
branch.
All executive branch activities fit into seven
major policy categories: Education, Human
Services, Public Safety, Transportation,
General Government, Economic
Development, and Natural Resources.
20
Courts of Georgia
Supreme Court 7 Justices
1 Court
Court of Appeals 12 Judges
1 Court
Superior Court
State Court
159 Courts (49 circuits)
70 Courts
Juvenile Court
159 Courts
Probate Court
159 Courts
Magistrate Court
159 Courts
Municipal “City” Court- approximately 400 Courts
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Supreme Court

Appellate jurisdiction

Exclusive in cases
involving
constitutional issues,
contested elections,
capital felonies, titles
to land, wills, and
divorces.
Appellate Court

Appellate jurisdiction
in cases not reserved
to the Supreme
Court.
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Superior Court
State Court
70 Courts
Trial Courts
159 Courts (49 circuits)

General jurisdiction

Exclusive in cases of
felonies, divorces,
titles to land.
Appellate
jurisdiction: over
probate, magistrate,
and municipal courts.
Limited jurisdiction
 Misdemeanors, traffic
offenses, and most
civil cases.

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Magistrate Court
Municipal “City” Court
159 Courts
approximately 400 Courts
Limited Jurisdiction:
 Criminal: pretrial
proceedings,
warrants, and bail.
 County ordinance,
traffic, and bad check
violations.
 Civil Claims under
$5,000.

Limited jurisdiction
 Traffic violations,
ordinance violations,
and criminal
preliminaries (such as
warrants).

25
Counties
Cities
Special Districts
26
A
County Seat is the
center of a county’s
government.
 Canton
is Cherokee
County’s central
seat of government.
The governing body of
a county is its county
commission, whose
members are elected
by the county voters.
 County commissioners
can pass ordinances
(law about property &
affairs) and
resolutions (informal
statement on the
commission's
opinion).

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Fire Protection
Police Protection
Sewer System
Parks & Recreation
Facilities
Public Health
Facilities
Public
Transportation
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Weak Mayor
Council
Mayor
recommends
ordinances and
appoints
department
heads with
council approval.
Council decides
on policies and
makes laws.
Strong Mayor
Council
Mayor has
strong
executive
power, an
administrative
assistant, can
veto council
legislation, etc.
Council has
limits on their
power.
Council
Manager
Mayor can
preside over
council
meetings, but
has no
administrative
power. Council
decides on laws
and policy. City
Manager
appointed to run
admin items.
29
A
unit set up by the legislature or by a city
or county ordinance for a special purpose.
Hospitals
Grady Hospital
Public
Transportation
MARTA – CCT
Industrial
Development
To advertise to get
business to come to the
community.
30
Public Safety
Police, Firefighters, Inspectors, etc.
Public Works
Roads, streets, water & sewer lines, storm drainage
Public Utilities
Waterworks, sewage treatment plants, electric
companies
Community
Development
Divide the community into zones. Each zone has a
designated use – residential, commercial, industrial, or
agricultural.
Human
Services
Hearing & Eye tests. Spraying for mosquitoes, and
community immunization
Leisure
Services
Judicial
Services
Record Keeping
Parks & Recreation facilities.
Running all county courts and the sheriff’s department
Keeps internal records for the county. Land lots, births,
death, marriages, taxes on real and personal property.
31
 Expenditure
is the
amount of money
the government
spends on
something.
 Revenue
is money
that the
government gets to
pay for
expenditures.
32
Taxes
• Property Taxes
• Real & Personal Property
• Alcohol tax, Hotel tax
Revenue • Tax on Insurance
• Public Safety, Public Works, Public
Utilities, Community Development,
Services Human Services, Leisure Services,
Judicial Services, Record Keeping.
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 The
COUNTY gets
the most revenue
from Property
Taxes.
 The
 The
 The
COUNTY gets
the least revenue
from licenses and
permits.
CITY gets the
most revenue from
Public Utilities.
CITY gets the
least revenue from
licenses and
permits.
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Fuel Tax
Other Taxes
Income Tax
Sales Tax
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