Federalism: Part 3
Principles of GPA
Copyright and Terms of Service
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Texas Government – Structure
• Structure defined by the state
constitution
• Division of power between three
branches:
– Legislative
– Executive
– Judicial
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Texas Government – Legislative
• Bicameral
• Senate
– 31 members elected to
2-year terms
– One from each senatorial district
• House of Representatives
– 150 members elected to 2-year terms
– Number based on county population
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Texas Government – Executive
• Governor
– Elected to a 4-year term
– Chief executive officer
– Commander-in-chief of state
military forces
– Executes state laws
– Conducts business with other states
and the U.S.
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Texas Government – Executive
(continued)
• Lieutenant governor
– Elected to a 4-year term
– President of the Senate with the power
of the casting vote
– Serves in place of the governor if the
governor becomes unable to serve
• Secretary of state
– Appointed by the governor with the
consent of the Senate
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Texas Government – Executive
(continued)
• Comptroller of public accounts
(treasurer)
• Commissioner of the general land
office
• Attorney general
– Represents the state in all suits and
pleas
– Verifies charger rights of private
corporations
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Texas Government – Judicial
• Interprets and applies state and local laws
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State Supreme Court
Court of Criminal Appeals
Court of Appeals
District courts
County courts
Commissioners courts
Courts of the Justices of the Peace
Other courts as established by the state
legislature
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Functions of State Government
• Regulate corporate practices, interest
rates, exams for doctors and other
professionals to obtain licenses
• Protect consumers from unfair and
deceptive trade practices
• Regulate safety and sanitary
conditions of factories, including workers’
compensation and unemployment
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Functions of State Government
(continued)
• Business development
• Pollution control and conservation
of natural resources
• Protect life and property through
laws, police forces, and criminal
corrections
• Health, education, and welfare programs
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Federal vs. State Government
• Both have three branches to maintain
a balance of power:
– Bicameral legislative branch – (Senate
and House) charged with lawmaking
– Executive branch – the chief executive
officer (president or governor) charged
with executing the law
– Judicial branch – charged with
interpreting and applying laws
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Local Government
• Not mentioned in or created by the
constitution
• Created by individual states
• Can be abolished by the state
• Can act only because the state authorizes its
power
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Local Government: Structure
• County government
– More than 3,000 in the U.S.
– Exists to serve administrative
needs of the state
– Number and structure varies from none in
Connecticut and Rhode Island to more than
250 in Texas
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Local Government: Structure
(continued)
• County Government (continued)
• Most have four major elements:
– Governing body, usually popularly elected with
terms from 2-5 years, holding both executive
and legislative powers
– Boards or commissions
– Appointed bureaucrats
– Variety of elected officials
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Local Government: Structure
(continued)
• City or Municipal Government
• Acts as an agent of the state in providing law
enforcement and public health
• Cities must be incorporated by a state and are
usually incorporated for the convenience of the
people who live there
• Cities are based on a charter, which
– Names the city
– Describes its boundaries
– Declares the city a corporation, giving
it the rights to sue and be sued, make contracts, and
own, manage, and dispose of property
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Local Government: Structure
(continued)
• City or Municipal Government (continued)
• The charter also provides how and for what terms
its officers are to be chosen, outlines their duties,
and deals with finances
• Forms of city government
• Mayor-council – the elected mayor is the chief
executive with an elected council as his or her
legislative body
• Commission – 3 to 9 popularly elected
commissioners form the city council
• Council-manager – strong council of 5 to 7
members, with a weak mayor, and a chief
administrative
officer appointed by the council
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Local Government: Structure
(continued)
• City or Municipal Government (continued)
• Special districts
– Independent units created to provide
a service in a wider or smaller area than that
covered by a county or city
– Found most often in rural and
suburban areas
– Reasons for their creation include
A. Handling pollution in several counties
B. Fire protection in out-of-the-way areas
C. Soil conservation or reforestation
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Functions of Local Government
• County government is responsible for the
administration of state laws
– Levy taxes, assess property taxes and
appropriate funds
– Manage county courthouse, jails, etc.
– Administer welfare
– Conduct elections
– Build and repair roads, bridges, drains, and
schools
– Record deeds, mortgages, marriage
licenses, and hunting and fishing licenses
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Functions of Local Government
(continued)
• City governments
– Fund public education through local
taxes, with aid from state government
– Provide water, sewers, waste removal,
streets and traffic regulation, public
health services, and recreational facilities
– Provide fire and police protection
– Build and maintain hospitals, airports,
sports arenas, etc.
– Plan city growth and zoning
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Resources
• 9780133656329, Macgruder’s American Government, McClenaghan,
W., Pearson, Prentice Hall, 2008.
• 9780078799822, United States Government: Democracy in Action,
Remy, R., McGraw Hill, Glencoe, 2010.
• Texas Constitution and Statutes website. Retrieved from:
http://www.constitution.legis.state.tx.us/
• http://www.dallasbar.org/sites/default/files/case_summary_2011.pdf
• Do an Internet search for the following:
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Texas secession facts
Governor says Texans may want to secede from union
Gov. Rick Perry: Texas could secede, leave union
Texas secession comes to supreme court, in a way blog
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