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New York State Government Our New York State Government is made up of three parts, or branches: the Executive Branch, the Legislative Branch, and the Judicial Branch. These three branches were outlined in the the state Constitution. If this whole process sounds familiar, it's because our state government is very similar to the United States Federal Government. Each branch has different powers and different jobs. The constitution made it this way, so that no one branch is the most powerful. This idea of limiting any one branch's power is called checks and balances. Our three branches meet in Albany, our state capital. Like the federal executive branch, our state Executive branch carries out New York's laws. But the head of this branch is not called a President, but rather he or she is called a governor. Right now, our Governor is George Pataki. He is elected for a four year term and can serve 2 terms. He has many departments working under him. He gets to appoint his own officials and department heads. He also gets to veto any bill (idea) that he doesn't like. The executive branch also plans the budget for the state.
Like the federal legislative branch, our state Legislative branch makes the laws. Like the federal government, our legislature also has two parts: the State Senate and the State Assembly. The Senate has 61 members and the Assembly has 150. They are elected by the people, and their terms are for 2 years only. To watch a live video, when the Assembly is in session, click here!
Did you know that anyone can come up with an idea to make life more fair and better for people in our state? That written idea is called a bill. But the bill has to be voted on and approved by the members of the Assembly and the Senate in order to become a law. If both parts agree on the law, then, because of checks and balances, the governor has to approve it also. The third branch of government, similar to the federal government is the Judicial Branch. Its job is to decide if someone has broken a law. There are many different levels of the courts in our state, with the highest, or most powerful one, being the Court of Appeals. It is the judges on this court that can make a decision to change a case heard by a lower court. Checks and Balances also works here in the way that the judges are chosen. The governor chooses the judge, but the Senate has to approve of that choice.
DEFINITIONS: Constitution: an outline as to how the government should work checks and balances: the system in which the power of each branch of government is balanced by the powers of the other branches. appoint: choose veto: to say no budget: a plan to figure out how you are going to spend money
Copyright ©
2001-2011
Oswego City School District |
In
summary, our state government has three branches: Executive,
Legislative, and Judicial. Each has its own duties, but checks and
balances makes sure no one branch is too powerful. 
