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Rights and Responsibilities
Services Provided by Government
Taxes
Levels of Government
Branches of Government
Resources to use for studying:
• This study guide
• This PowerPoint linked to Mrs.
Bitter’s class website
• KY Adventure book, pp. 316-335
• Social Studies journal

Establish and Maintain Order: Rules and laws make life run smoothly and help to keep us safe.
Protect Rights: Our laws provide security by protecting our property rights and individual rights.
Accomplish Common Goals: The state government is made up of people who live in
KY. KY citizens vote for and elect leaders they think will make laws that support the goals they want accomplished (i.e. to have a safe society).

Rights Responsibilities
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You have the right to help make laws.
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You have the responsibility to obey the laws.
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You have the right to worship as you wish, or not at all.
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You have the responsibility to respect others’ choices of worship.
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You have the right to express your opinion in newspapers, internet, etc.
You have the right to vote.
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You have the responsibility to respect others’ opinions.
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You have the responsibility to learn about the candidates.

Road Repair
Police Officers Firemen
Public Parks
Ambulances Libraries

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They get money from TAXES.
A tax is money citizens pay to the government in many different forms.

Sales Tax: The money added to something you purchase at a store. Kentucky sales tax is 6%.
Property Tax: The money paid on property you own, such as a home, land, or a car.
Income Tax: This is money you pay to the government on the money you earn. You pay federal income tax and Kentucky state income tax.
Tariff Tax: This is money paid on goods coming from another country.

Level Place What It Provides
Cities and
Counties
Police, Firefighters, City
Parks, County Road Repair
Kentucky
United
States
State Land and Resources,
State Roads, Driver’s License
Military, Printing Money,
Relations with Other
Countries

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Makes sure state laws are carried out
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The governor is the leader of the state and serves a 4 year term
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Signs bills into law
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Governor can veto a bill
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Calls special sessions of the General Assembly
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Commands the state National Guard
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Pardons (excuses) criminals from punishments

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Writes the bills that can become laws
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People in Kentucky elect representatives to serve in this branch, which is called the General Assembly
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Two houses (groups): House of Representatives and Senate
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138 Legislators: 100 representatives and 38 senators
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Meets once a year in regular session to vote on bills that can become laws
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Decides how much money will be spent on state programs such as education

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Decides what the laws mean, and makes sure they are fair (constitutional)
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The courts make up this branch
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KY Supreme Court has seven judges and they serve eight year terms
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Judges listen to cases and decide punishment of guilty people
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A jury (a group of people) can also be asked to listen and decide if a person is innocent or guilty

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Each of the three branches has the same amount of power, or control over what happens in the government. This is sometimes called Checks and Balances. Each branch uses its power to check on the other two branches, making sure no one branch is becoming more powerful than the other two. We don’t want one branch to gain all the power and begin making decisions that are not good for our state’s citizens.

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