GEORGIA
GOVERNMENT
SS8CG 1-6
SS8CG1
CITIZENS’ ROLES
#1 Georgia’s Constitution

Preamble


Introduction
Articles outlines:

Bill of Rights

The structure of government

Elections

3 Branches of government

taxation

public education

local governments

It details the process for amending the constitution
#2
Separation of Powers


Divides the responsibilities of government among
the 3 branches.

Executive

Legislative

Judiciary
It creates a limited government
#3
Checks and Balances

Ensure that no one branch becomes too powerful.

Each branch of government was given some power to
control or prevent some actions of the other 2 branches.

Executive


Legislative


Veto Bills / Call Special sessions of legislature /
appointment powers
Impeach officials in executive or judicial branches /
override veto/ confirm appointments / propose
constitutional changes
Judiciary

Determines if laws are constitutional.
#4

All citizens are entitled to all protections/rights
afforded by federal and state constitutions.

Voting, paying taxes, running for government
offices, upholding laws, serving in the military, and
doing volunteer work (library boards, zoning
commissions, & civic organizations)
#5
Voting

18 years old

Citizen of U.S.

Legal resident of GA and country registered in
Elections

Georgia Election Code


Eligibility of cadidates / prints ballots / schedule elections
General elections-November of every even numbered year

Major Federal and State offices
#6
Political parties share common ideals and seek to
influence government policies
Practice

There are topics listed around the room;

Using the CRCT Book on your desk and the marker
provided, write one fact about each topic.

The fact must be different than anything that is
already listed on the paper.


You must put your name next to your fact.
If there are no more facts, you must comment on at
least one fact saying why it is important to Georgia
Government.

Make sure if you are commenting on a fact, draw an
arrow and put your first name next to it.
Practice

Answer the following CRCT Questions

Pages 168-174

Questions 516-537
SS8CG2
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
The General
Assembly
Makes the laws
Bi-cameral
(2 houses or chambers)
(40 day session/2nd Monday in January)
#1 a. SENATE

Qualifications
25 years of age

U.S. citizen

Citizen of GA/2 yrs.

Legal resident of district in which they were elected
for at least one year
Senate Members List

TERM:


2 years
ELECTION:
 Popular

vote
DUTIES:

Proposes and passes bills

Confirms appointments the governor makes to executive offices

MEMBERS- 56
#1 b.
HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES

Qualifications:

21 years of age

U.S. citizen

Citizen of GA/2 yrs

Legal resident of district in which they were elected
for at least one year

TERM:


2 years
ELECTION:
 Popular

vote
DUTIES:
 Writes
appropriations (spending) bills
 Proposes
 Members:
 180
and passes bills
#2 General Assembly

SENATE:::

Leadership- Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle

presides over Senate (cannot vote)

President of the Senate

Appoints committees and chairpersons

Assigns bills to committees
Speaker of the House
Member- elected – David Ralston
 Determines order of business
 Controls debates
 Rules out proposed amendments to bills
 Enforces rules of procedure for General
Assembly
 Controls meeting times & recesses
 Orders role call vote on issues
 Votes only to break a tie

COMMITTEE SYSTEM

Members of House and Senate are organized into
committees:
1. PERMANENT COMMITTEES:

Ways and Means Committee (taxes)

Appropriations Committee (budget)

Judiciary Committee (laws/courts)
2. INTERIM COMMITTEES
3. CONFERENCE COMMITTEES
#3 how a bill becomes a
law
Georgia Legislature | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | In
Recess | LegiScan
1.
proposal is written
2.
Proposal is copied for members/ assigned to a committee
3.
Public hearings/legislative members gather
information/committee studies proposal
4.
Committee may: hold bill/not release it to house, vote bill out of
committee/recommend it be passed (or not)
Make changes/vote new version out for consideration by house, in
house may vote bill out of committee with no recommendation/if
not voted out of committee it is “killed”
5. Sent to full house/discussed, debated, amended (majority needed
to pass bill)
6. When a bill is passed (certified) by house, it is carried to senate for
consideration
7. Bill assigned to committee for study
8. If house and senate pass bill in the same
form, it is signed by presiding officers/clerks
9. sent to governor:
-signs it/law
-takes no action/automatically becomes a
the session
law at the end of
-vetoes it:
General Assembly can override veto
by 2/3 vote of both houses/ bill
becomes law
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyeJ55o3El0
Practice

You are to create a bill that you would like to
become a law.

This bill will have to have the following:


Passing a Bill on allowing electronics in the
classroom.

You must give 3 legitimate reasons that electronic
use in the classroom is beneficial for student
learning.

In your bill you must have:

An introduction

Your 3 reasons (can’t be “just because” or “it’s good”
or “students like electronics”)

A conclusion
You will be presenting it to the Governor at your
meeting tomorrow.
Practice

Answer the following CRCT Questions

Pages 168-179

Questions 538-552
SS8CG 3
EXECUTIVE
BRANCH
Enforces the Law
Largest branch
Headed by Governor
#1

GOVERNOR-Nathan Deal

Qualifications-
LIEUTENANT Casey
GOVERNOR Cagle
 Qualifications
30 years of age
 Citizen of U.S. for at least
15 years
 Resident of state for at
least 6 years

30 years of age
 Citizen of U.S. for at least 15
years
 Resident of state for at least 6
years


Term


Popular vote
Term

4 year term/ limit of 2
consecutive terms/may sit out
4 years to be eligible to run
again
Election



4 year term/unlimited #
of consecutive terms
Election

Popular vote
Governor:

Duties

Appoints state officials

Makes sure civil & criminal laws are enforced

Sends requests/messages to legislature

Signs bills into law or vetoes them

May call special sessions of legislature

May pardon persons convicted of crimes

Manages state’s budget

Directs attorney general

Makes “State of State” address to legislature
Lieutenant Governor:

Duties

Presiding officer of state senate

Makes senate appointments

Assigns senate bills to committee

Recognizes members of senate who wish to speak (may affect
passage/failure of bills)

Takes over governor’s position if governor.. dies, resigns, is
impeached

Serves as chief executive officer when governor is out of state

Commander-in-chief of GA National Guard

Sends in GA Highway Patrol officers & GBI in times of danger

Communicated personal position of issues to Georgians

Honorary head of his/her political party

Issues proclamations to honor individuals, holidays, special events,
& with legislative approval may add new state symbols

Represents state

Meets with business & industry leaders

Works with legislature to get laws passed

Guides state agencies
#3

Executive Branch (4
year terms/popular vote)

State Attorney General

Commissioner of Agriculture

Commissioner of Labor

Commissioner of Insurance

Secretary of State

State School Superintendent

Public Service Commissioners (6 yr term)
Practice


Answer the following CRCT Questions

Pages 179-182

Questions 553-557
Review Bill Sent by the General Assembly

You must Approve or Veto the Bill

In your veto you must:

Specifically give your reasons why you have rejected the bill