| A | B |
|---|
| What is the only qualification that is different for members of the General Assembly? | Their age. Senate - at least 25; House of Representatives at least 21. |
| What are the duties of members of Georgia's legislative branch? | Make laws, Appropriate Money, Represent Constituents, Propose amendments, call for reapportionment and redistricting after census due to population shifts. |
| What is the job of the legislative branch that has power over the other two branches? | Appropriations |
| How are Georgia's legislators chosen? | Elected by citizens in their district. |
| What is the third responsibility of Georgia's legislature and requires the most time? | Representing their constituents (people in their district). |
| What is Georgia's legislative branch called? | General Assembly |
| Who is the most powerful leader in the Senate? | Lt. Governor/President of the Senate |
| Who is the most powerful leader in the House of Representatives? | Speaker of the House |
| Which branch is the governor? | Executive |
| Which branch is a Senator and/or a House of Representatives member? | Legislative |
| Who is the leader in each house (Senate & House of Representatives) that is appointed by the governor to represent his views and push his agenda? | Floor Leader |
| How does the majority party control the law making process? | The leader of each house is usually a member of the majority party, usually serve as committee chairmen, and have more votes because they vote together as the majority party. |
| What must happen before a bill becomes a law? | It is introduced and usually goes through a committee; It must pass both the House and the Senate; The governor must either sign it, not sign it, or the legislature must override his veto. |
| What are small groups in the legislature organized by subject area that study each of the bills? | Committees |
| Who assigns bills to committees in the Senate? | Lt. Governor/President of the Senate |
| What may a committee do to a bill? | Hold it in committee (kill bill); send it out of committee as is to floor of full House or Senate for vote; amend it and send it out of committee to floor of full House/Senate for vote. |
| Which leader in the legislative branch is elected by his peers and selects the committee chairmen? | Speaker of the House |
| How is a bill blocked from becoming law by the executive branch? | Governor's veto |
| Why do members of the Senate sometimes have conflicts with the President of the Senate? | Since the Lt. Governor/President of the Senate is elected by the citizens of GA, he may not be a member of the majority political party in the Senate at that time. |
| What is associated with the legislature's responsbility after a census if population shifted in voting districts making them very unequal? | Reapportionment and redistricting. |
| Which branch of government has the ower to administer state programs and carry out/execute laws? | Executive |
| If a person who is now 32 moves to Gwinnett County as a teenager from another country and becomes a citizen at 21, will he/she be able to run for governor? Explain. | No. He/she has not been a U.S. for at least 15 years. |
| What is the governor's power that he has to maintain the budget throughout the year? | Formal |
| What are formal powers of the governor? | Powers specified in the Georgia State Constitution |
| What type of power does the governor have to greet foreign dignitaries? | Informal |
| Why might the governor prefer to work with executive department heads rather than constitutional officers? | The governor selects his own department heads, but the constitutional officers are elected by the citizens of the state and may not be the same party or mindset of the governor, and he may not fire them. |
| Which major policy area has the largest budget? | Education |
| Which major policy area oversees the state patrol, GBI, driver's licenses, and business regulation? | Public Safety |
| Which major policy area helps Georgia's economy by maintaining and expanding highways, ports, airports, and rail systems? | Transportation |
| Which major policy area promotes physical health, mental health, and welfare of Georgians? | Human Services/Resources |
| Why does Georgia's governor have to manage the state's budget throughout the year even after the 40 day legislative session ends? | Georgia's constitution states the budget must be balanced, so it may not go into debt, borrow money, or spend more than it collects in revenue. |
| Lists ways Georgia gains revenue to pay for state government expenses. | Income tax, sales tax, Federal/National government, fees and licenses, and lottery. |
| Which revenue source raises the most money or the state each year? | Income tax |
| Explain how the federal/national government has great influence over the reserved powers of states. | States receive Federal funds to use as the Federal government tells them, otherwise the Feds will cut off the funds. |
