GA State Legislature & the Governor

Question 1

What are the three most important leadership positions that influence the legislative process as discussed in class?

Answer 1

1. Speaker of the House
2. Lt. Governor
3. Governor

Question 2

Who creates the budget bill for approval by the House and the Senate?

Answer 2

Governor

Question 3

If your interest group wants money in the State budget, where and when do you begin to influence the budget process as discussed in class?

Answer 3

1. when the governor asks departments their needed budget and starts with a revenue estimate
2. when the governor creates the budget
3. when budget bill is assigned to sub-committee of the committee of appropriation

Question 4

Does a budget bill begin in the House or the Senate?

Answer 4

House

Question 5

What is the name of the Committee that changes/approves the State Budget in the House and Senate?

Answer 5

Committee of Appropriation

Question 6

What committee works out the differences between the budget and legislative changes made by the House and Senate?

Answer 6

Conference Committee

Question 7

Line Item Veto

Answer 7

the governor can review a budget or appropriations bill passed by the legislature and selectively veto particular spending items or provisions. This means the governor can strike out specific allocations of money or particular legislative provisions that they disagree with or deem unnecessary

Question 8

Balanced Budget

Answer 8

he requirement that the state’s budget must not have a deficit, meaning expenditures should not exceed revenues

Question 9

What committee decides what gets voted on Senate and House floor.

Answer 9

Rules Committee
&
Standing committees decided what bills leave committees to go to the floot

Question 10

LT. GOVERNOR: Main responsibility?

Answer 10

MAINTAINING RELATIONSHIPS

Question 11

GA General Assembly

Answer 11

SENATE:
- 56 senators
- Lt Governor (presiding officer, President of the Senate, elected statewide)

HOR:
- 180 reps
- Speaker of the House (speaker MUST be a member of the house)

Question 12

GA General Assembly Session

Answer 12

• 40 legislative days
• Adjourned March 28th this year
• consider bills and resolutions over two year biennium
• budget and past amended budget passed each session

Question 13

Lt. Governor Creation

Answer 13

WE NEEDED A LINE OF SUCCESSION
- There was originally NO Lt. Governor

• After WWII when JFK was assassinated
• GA needed a system of succession for the Governor
• Claim to power; Lt. Governor is right behind the Governor in succession

Question 14

Lt. Governor

Answer 14

• elected at the same time, same term, and in the same manner as the Governor
• President of the Senate, executive duties given by Governor and law
• General Assembly decides the pay of the Lt. Gov

Question 15

Lt. Governor Qualifications

Answer 15

All qualifications are states in the GA Constitution

• US citizen for 15 yrs
• legal resident of the state for 6 years immediately preceding the election
• 30 y/o by date of assuming office

Question 16

Lt. Governor Succession Process

Answer 16

• Governor temporary disability: Lt. Gov has all powers/duties/compensation as the Governor
• Governor death, resignation, permanent disability: Lt. Gov shall become the Governor until a successor is elected (no replacement election for the Lt. Gov position)

Question 17

Lt. Gov Authorities

Answer 17

• Title 28: General Assembly –> managing it with the Speaker of the House
• Title 45: Appoints public officers and employees
• appoints Senators and members of public boards, commissions, and authorities (his appointments do not need to be confirmed by any legislative body) (KEY WAY GOV INFLUENCES POLICY OUTSIDE THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS)

Question 18

Lt. Gov Presiding over the Senate

Answer 18

• Constitution does NOT state the meaning of “President of the Senate”
• caucus (majority) and Lt. Gov relationship is vital to passing legislation

Question 19

Lt. Gov Key Powers and Roles

Answer 19

• keeps order, flow (recognizes speakers), and decorum
• rules on motions and amendments
• NEVER HAS A VOTE (NOT EVEN TO BREAK A TIE)
• CANNOT introduce new legislation
• President Pro Tem / other senators can preside in his absence
• reduce tension
• majority vote can be done to go against his motions (never done)

Question 20

Lt Gov: deadlocked laws

Answer 20

• Lt. Gov can never ever vote, even to break a tie, SO, if a law is deadlocked (28-28 vote) the law will fail

Question 21

Lt. Gov: Committees

Answer 21

• Lt. Gov chairs the Senate Committee on Assignments

Question 22

Senate Committee on Assignments (COA)

Answer 22

• Lt. Gov, President Pro Tempore, Senate Majority Leader, 2 other senators appointed by the Lt. Gov
• post powerful committee in the Senate
• assigns senators to other committees and chairs of committees
• decide what bills go to each committee
• rules determined by Senate Rul 2-1.1 (which can be changed

Question 23

Lt. Gov Powers (Committees)

Answer 23

• appoint temp. ex-officio members in standing committees (if member of committee is absent, lt gov can assign a person to take their place on the committee for that day (POWER))
• create subcommittees of standing committees and appoint their members with COA
• appoint members to interim “legislative study committees” (some topics need longer then 40 legislative days to be discussed, so lets take time during the off season)