Executive
Branches
of
Georgia’s
Government
Branches
• Georgia’s government
consists of 3 branches.
• Legislative
• Executive
• Judicial
Legislative Branch
• Georgia’s Legislative Branch is responsible for
introducing bills and making the laws for the
state.
• It is called the General Assembly.
• It is made up of two houses (bicameral).
• The smaller of the two is the Senate. It is made
up of 56 members, 1 per voting district
• The Larger of the two is the House of
Representatives. It is made up of a 180
members. It is based on the population of the
voting district.
Georgia’s Voting Districts
Senate
• 56 members, 1 per district
• Must be 25 years old to serve
• Must be a resident of
Georgia and a U.S. citizen for
at least 2 years.
• Must live in the district you
represent.
• Serves a 2 year term
• Led by the Lieutenant
Governor
House of Representatives
• 180 members, based on the
district’s population
• Must be 21 years old to serve
• Must be a resident of Georgia and
a U.S. citizen for at least 2 years
• Must live in the district you
represent.
• Serves a 2 year term
• Led by the Speaker of the House
Organization
• Both the Senate and House are divided
into committees.
• Their work is divided into a committee
system.
• Committees are responsible for
reviewing/amending or rejecting bills
before they are voted on.
Copy the following chart LH 174
Georgia’s Lawmaking Process
Lawmaking Process
• Proposal
– Idea is introduced to the legislature
• Committee Action
– Idea is assigned to be evaluated by appropriate
committee
• Floor Action
– Idea is open for discussion with all members
• Conference
– Idea goes back to the committee for acceptance
• Passage
– Idea is voted on by all member of legislature
• Action by Governor
– Signed into Law or Vetoed
Executive Branch
• Georgia’s Executive Branch is responsible
for enforcing the laws of the state.
• Led by the Governor who is elected by the
people.
• The Lieutenant Governor is also elected
into office by the people; he serves as the
president of the senate.
Qualification for the Executive Branch
•
•
•
•
You must be 30 years old.
A U.S. citizen for 15 years.
A resident of Georgia for 6 years.
Governor serves a term of 4 years with a
maximum of 2 consecutive terms.
• Lieutenant Governor serve for 4 years with an
unlimited number of terms they may serve.
Commander
in Chief of
Georgia’s
National
Guard
Leader of
the
Executive
Branch
Appoints
leaders of
the
executive
departments
Governor of
Georgia’s
Powers
Writes the
budget for
the state
Can Sign A
bill into a
Law
Can Veto a
Bill
Powers of Lieutenant Governor
• Serves as Governor if the current governor dies
or is too sick to continue as Governor.
• Serves as the President of the State Senate
• Appoints Senate members to committees.
Important Executive Departments
1. Education- oversees public schools.
2. Public Safety- State police protect citizens
3. Transportation- maintains Georgia’s 4 major
transportation systems.
4. Economic Development- promotes Georgia’s
products and businesses.
5. Natural Resources: enforces laws on hunting
and fishing and maintains state parks.
Left Hand page 176
Complete a tree map over Georgia’s executive branch
Georgia’s Executive Branch
Governor
Duties
Qualifications
Lieutenant Governor
Executive Departments
Judicial Branch
• The job of the Judicial Branch is to
Interpret how the law applies.
• Georgia’s Judicial Branch is divided into
two court systems.
Georgia’s Court Systems
• Trial Court: criminal actions and
lawsuits.
• Court of Appeals: reviews decisions
made in trial courts.
• Supreme Court is the highest court in
Georgia.
Criminal Law
•
Criminal laws are created to protect
society from wrong-doers.
•
Covers serious crimes that will to lead to
fines, community service or prison.
In Georgia there are two types
of crime
1. Felonies- serious crimes (murder, rape,
robbery) with a minimum sentence of 1
year in prison.
2. Misdemeanors- less serious (shoplifting,
trespassing) with a sentence of less than
1 year in jail.
Civil Law
• Civil Law covers grievances or problems
between individuals or groups of people.
• Usually based on injuries or wrong doings
and ends with compensation or payment.
Criminal Court Process
use to draw on LH 166
Arrest and Booking
Plea bargain
Preliminary hearing
Grand jury
Jury selection
Present evidence
Jury deliberation
Cross examine
Sentencing
Appeal
Georgia’s Juvenile Justice
System
1. Juveniles are citizens under the age
of 17
2. must follow the same local, state,
and federal laws that all citizens
follow
*plus some that adults don’t- attend
school, cannot run away from home
and no alcoholic beverages or
tobacco****curfew***
Some Terms To Know
• Delinquent Act- an act that would be considered
a crime if committed by an adult.
Examples: Burglary and car theft
If this act is serious enough, the juvenile may be
charged as an adult.
• Unruly Act- an act that would NOT be
considered a crime if committed by an adult.
Examples: running away from home, breaking
curfew & skipping school.
If a child commits these acts, they may be placed
in a juvenile detention center.
YOU HAVE RIGHTS
• “taken into custody” rather than “under
arrest”
1. The right to have a parent present when
questioned
2. Right not to have their names or pics
public
3. The right to two phone calls
4. Not self-incriminate
5. Not to be placed with adults
Juvenile Court System
• The juvenile court has three main
purposes:
1. To help and protect the well-being of
children
2. To make sure that any child under the
jurisdiction of the court receives the care,
guidance, and control needed
3. To provide care for children who have
been removed from their homes
Steps in the Juvenile Justice
Process
Step 1- intake- decide if there is enough
evidence- release or charge
- Release to parent or detained in the state’s
Regional Youth Detention Center
Step 2- detention- hearing to decide
1. dismiss the case
2. informal adjustment (first offenders)
Say your sorry
3. formal hearing
Step 3-formal hearing• Trial for the judge to hear the case
• Judge decide
NOT GUILTY- released
GUILTY- Another hearing for sentencing
Step 4-sentencing1. Release
2. Probation
3. Youth development center 90 days
4. Special programs- boot camp
5. Assign fines/restitutions or probation
The Seven Most Serious
Delinquent Behaviors
• There are seven offences that, if a child
13-17 commits they will not be protected
under the juvenile court.
• Murder, voluntary manslaughter, rape,
aggravated sodomy, aggravated child
molestation, aggravated sexual battery, &
armed robbery with a firearm.
County and city government
*Georgia has the 2nd most
counties in the U.S.(Texas 1st).
*Georgia has 159 counties, each of
these counties has a government.
*In addition to these counties, there
are almost 600 cities in Georgia.
Each city has a government.
County Government
Counties- are subdivisions of the state set
up to carry out certain government
functions.
-providing courts of law
-building & repairing roads
-holding elections
-police & fire protection
Ran by the board of commissioners
City Government
-Over
500 cities and towns in
Georgia
*Some city services are
police & fire protection,
schools, taxes, and street &
water services.
Forms of City Government
There are three types of government a city
has weak mayor, strong mayor & council
manager.
Weak mayor-The mayor has limited power,
appoints few officials and has little veto
power.