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The State Executive Branch Why It Matters Show Students a Photograph of the BEFORE YOU READ TAKING As You Read, Take NOTES Notes on the State Governor of Your State

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The State Executive Branch Why It Matters Show students a photograph of the BEFORE YOU READ TAKING As you read, take NOTES notes on the state governor of your state. Ask students if The Main Idea Reading Focus Key Terms executive branch. Use a graphic they know who the person is. If they can organizer like this one to record identify the governor, ask them to share A state’s executive branch 1. Who is the state’s chief governor, p. 213 your notes. carries out laws made executive, and what are patronage, p. 215 what they know about the governor: the by the state’s legislative his or her powers and lieutenant governor, Chief State Executive governor’s age, political party, years/ branch. Governors are duties? p. 215 2. Executive terms in offi ce, and so on. If they cannot the chief executives of Who are the other Branch state government. officials of state execu- Other Offi cials identify the governor, introduce them to tive branches? the governor by discussing some of the information suggested above. Explain to students that it is part of their jobs as citizens in a democracy to know about What does the governor do? Once the legislature writes laws, the gov- their political leaders. ernor and his or her executive team Key Terms put those laws into action. In this way, governors may affect your day-to-day affairs. Preteach the following terms: Governors can also propose legislation or veto bills, governor chief executive in each state just like the president. (p. 213) patronage system in which government The State’s Chief Executive jobs are given to people recommended by The citizens of each state elect a governor political leaders (p. 215) to run the day-to-day affairs of their state. lieutenant governor presiding offi cer The governor is the chief executive in each of the state senate and successor of the state. The governor works for the people of governor (p. 215) his or her state. Governors lead the state gov- ernment, set priorities, make government Taking Notes appointments, and implement laws to meet the needs of their states. Chief Executive Governor Qualifications and Terms of Governors In each state, a constitution lists the qualifi - State Executive cations for governor. In general, a candidate Branch Other Offi cials for governor must be a U.S. citizen and must Lieutenant governor, have lived in the state for a certain number secretary of state, Democrat Kathleen Sebelius was elected governor of Kansas in 2002. of years. Most states require a candidate for attorney general, state treasurer, state auditor, governor to be at least 30 years old. Howev- superintendent of public er, a few states, such as California and Ohio, schools allow persons as young as 18 years of age to run for governor. STATE GOVERNMENT 213 Teach the Main Idea At Level The State Executive Branch 1. Teach Ask students the Reading Focus student volunteers write the responsibilities questions to teach this section. of each underneath the appropriate name. 2. Apply Have students create a concept web 4. Practice/Homework Ask students to of the executive branch. Tell them to include think about which state executive branch the key responsibilities of its members in the position they would most want to run for. web. Then have them write a speech that explains 3. Review Write the state offi cials of the why they would be the best choice for that executive branch on the board and have position and what they would do for the state if elected. STATE GOVERNMENT 213 Chief Executive FOCUS ON In most state constitutions, the governor is designated as the chief execu- Ruth Ann tive of the state. As chief executive, a gover- Minner nor may share executive powers with other (1935– ) “executives,” such as the state treasurer, the Reading Focus In 2001 Ruth Ann Minner became Delaware’s first female attorney general, and the secretary of state, governor. Born and raised on a who are also elected offi cials. State governors Who is the state’s chief executive, and small farm, she left school at age usually have a number of executive powers. what are his or her powers and duties? 16 to help on her family’s farm. Minner’s husband died when • Power of the Budget One of the duties she was 32. She had three sons to raise, but she returned and powers the governor in most states The State’s Chief Executive to school, worked two jobs, and earned her G.E.D. After her second husband died, Minner began in politics by stuffing has is the power to prepare a budget for Recall What are the three main roles envelopes. She worked as an aide in the state legislature and one or two years. The governor submits of governors? chief legislator, chief as receptionist in the governor’s office. She was elected to this budget to the legislature. The gov- executive, and political party leader four terms in the state House of Representatives beginning ernor’s budget sets priorities and offers in 1974, to three terms in the state Senate beginning in 1982, solutions to state problems. Citizens of a Rank Which of the governor’s du- and to two terms as lieutenant governor in 1992 and 1996. state look to this budget as an indication ties do you think is most important? Minner has also been honored in Delaware as Mother of the of leadership. Year and Woman of the Year. Which is least important? Explain • Power to Make Appointments A num- your answer. Students should choose Draw Inferences Why might issues such as adult education and ber of state agencies help the governor from the duties the governor has as child welfare be important to Governor Minner? carry out the laws. Most states have execu- chief legislator, chief executive, and tive departments that include agriculture, political party leader and other duties. justice, labor, public safety (which includes the state police), public works, and trans- Most governors serve four-year terms. portation. Each state agency has a specifi c In some states, such as New Hampshire and area of responsibility. For example, the Linking to Today Vermont, they serve for two years. About state board of health enforces health laws half of the states limit their governors to Women Governors In 1924, Nellie Tay- and recommends measures to improve the one or two terms in offi ce. loe Ross of Wyoming and Miriam “Ma” health of state citizens. The department of The salaries of governors vary greatly human services supervises programs that Ferguson of Texas were elected as the from state to state. For example, the gover- help people who are disabled, poor, or fi rst women governors. Since then, more nor of New York receives $179,000 a year. unemployed. Other state agencies admin- than 20 women have served as governor. The governor of Alaska receives $126,000 a ister state laws on conservation and public As of the end of 2004, a record eight year, and the governor of Nebraska receives utilities. women held the offi ce of governor at $85,000 per year. In addition, governors Although voters elect some of the usually receive an allowance for expenses, the same time (Janet Napolitano, Ari- heads of these agencies in some states, the such as travel. In most states governors and zona; M. Jodi Rell, Connecticut; Ruth governor usually has the power to appoint their families live in an offi cial residence in Ann Minner, Delaware; Linda Lingle, these state offi cials. Appointments typical- the state capital. Hawaii; Kathleen Sebelius, Kansas; ly require confi rmation by the state Sen- Kathleen Blanco, Louisiana; Jennifer Powers and Duties of Governors ate. An offi cial who has been appointed by Granholm, Michigan; Christine Gre- A state governor is the highest-ranking offi - the governor can usually be removed or goire, Washington). cial at the state level. He or she is responsible replaced by the governor. for “faithfully executing the laws” of the • Power to Supervise State Employees In state. Like the president, a governor plays most states, many important state agencies many roles in his or her state. The three main are under the governor’s control. By direct- roles are chief executive, chief legislator, and ing the operation of these agencies, the political party leader. governor can have a major impact on state 214 CHAPTER 8 Differentiating Instruction Below Level Special Needs Students Complete a Graphic Organizer 2. Then have students fi ll in the organizer. Tell of the Governor’s Duties them to add bullets as necessary. 1. Create the following graphic organizer on the 3. Circulate to make sure students’ organizers chalkboard: are correct and provide assistance as needed. Chief Legislator: (Legislator: proposes laws, addresses • legislature; Executive: budget, appointments, Governor: Powers Chief Executive: state employees; Party Leader: shapes Answers • and Responsibilities opinions, campaigns; Other: police, militia, Focus On because they were important Political Party Leader: National Guard, pardon) VerBal/Linguistic, to her as she tried to further her • Visual/Spatial education as an adult to make enough Other powers: Alternative Assessment Handbook: Rubric 13: money to raise her children • Graphic Organizers 214 policies and state action. Overall, the 50 Other State state governments employ more than 4.7 million people. Executive Officials Most state government jobs are open Each state also has a number oF other exec- to any qualifi ed citizen who passes a state utive branch oFfi cials to help run the state examination. However, some state jobs are government and enForce state laws. In most Reading Focus fi lled through patronage .
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