State and Local Government
Separation of Powers - Dividing the powers of
government into three branches
The Legislative Branch
Makes the laws
The Executive Branch
Carries out the laws
The Judicial Branch
Explains/interprets the laws
--Federalism: Dividing
the power between different levels of government
Federal government
State government
Local government
Federal government powers
are expressed (enumerated) or implied in the Constitution.
Federal powers:
conduct foreign
policy
create
money
regulate
commerce
declare war
admit new
states
defend our
country
The Legislative Branch at the national level
Makes laws for
the entire country
US
The Congress
US Senate
US House of
Representatives
The Executive Branch at the national level
Carries out
the laws that the Legislative Branch makes
The White
House
The President
and Vice President
The
Presidents Cabinet
Federal
Bureaucracy
The Judicial Branch at the national level
Explains or interprets the
laws that have been made
US Supreme Court in DC
US Court of Appeals
US District Court
Judicial Review makes sure
that everything agrees with the US Constitution
The 10th amendment reserves powers for the
state governments.
State Powers:
Licenses
Elections
Highway
laws
Welfare of
their citizens
Education
of their young people
Health and
Safety
The state legislative branch makes the laws for the
citizens of
Virginia General Assembly:
VA Senate
VA House of Delegates
The State Executive Branch carries out the laws in the
state.
VA State Governor
VA Lieutenant Governor
VA Attorney General
The State Judicial Branch interprets (explains) the laws.
VA Supreme Court
VA Court of Appeals
The Circuit Court
Felonies,
major civil cases
Local governments derive their powers from the state
governments.
Local powers:
Set up zoning
Make parks
Collect trash
and recycling
Put in water
and sewer lines
School
locations
Local Legislatures:
The Board of
Supervisors for county governments
Town councils
for town governments
The executive branch at the local level:
The mayor of the city or town
The job of the executive
branch is to carry out the laws and work with the town/city council
The judicial branch at the local level consists of
General
District Court
Misdemeanors, minor civil cases
Juvenile and Domestic
Relations Court for family cases and for people under the age of 18