Missouri Constitution
What is one of the MO constitution's basic principles and what does it mean?
"All political power in vested in, and derived from the people."- The people are in charge of state government.
How many departments are in the Executive Branch?
14 departments.
How long is a term for a MO representative?
2 years.
How long is a term for a MO senator?
4 years.
Who was MO's first governor?
Alexander Mcnair
How is the MO executive branch different from the Federal Government?
All six officers are elected individually, while the president selects the members of his cabinet.
Describe the office of President Pro Tem.
Appoint to all committees; always from the majority party in the senate.
What are some of the executive duties of the governor?
Carry out laws of the state, appoint officials whose jobs involve enforcement of the laws.
What document helped guide the delegates in writing the constitution?
Constitution of Kentucky.
What is the name of the MO legislature?
General Assembly.
What six offices are in the Executive Branch?
Governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, state treasurer and state auditor.
What are the two houses of the MO legislature and how many members are in each?
House of Representatives has 163 members, while the Senate has 34 members.
When was MO first admitted to the Union?
In 1821, it became the 24th state.
When was the present constitution written?
In 1945.
When and how often is the governor elected?
In the presidential election year, which is every four years.
Describe the major provisions in the first MO constitution.
It gave voters the right to regulate state government; gave voters the right to alter state constitution in either part of full; 13 articles covered powers of government.
How is the government of MO similar to the US and other 49 states?
It is divided into three branches: Executive, Legislative and Judicial.
Who is the governor of MO?
Jay Nixon.
What is MO's state capital?
Jefferson City.
When and where was Missouri's first constitution written?
June 1820, in St. Louis
What does the state of MO secretary of state do?
Keeper of the Great Seal of the State of MO; custodian of the state's records.
What do the majority and minority floor leaders do?
Manage all floor legislative action; majority sets schedule and order of business for senate.
What are the qualifications for being governor of MO?
Must be at least 30 years of age, citizen of the US for 15 years, and resident of MO for 10 years.
What are some qualifications for being a MO senator?
Must be at least 30 years old, a qualified voter in state for 3 years, and a resident to their district for 1 year.
What are the duties of the Attorney General?
Must prosecute all appeals to which the state is a party; represent various state officials.
What are the responsibilities of the lieutenant governor?
Presides over MO senate; if governor leaves office, the duties become his/her's until the term is over.
What does the secretary of the senate do?
Record each days' proceedings and maintaining all records.
What are some legislative powers of the governor?
Send messages to the legislature covering his budget and legislative program; approve/veto bills; call special sessions of the General Assembly.
Why are half of all senators elected every two years?
So that there will always be 17 experienced senators at any given time.
When does the MO legislature meet?
The first Wednesday of January every year.
What is so special about a special session of the General Assembly?
The only matters to be discussed are the reasons that it was called for; can only be 60 days long.
How many terms may a governor serve?
Two terms.
What is a referendum?
When a measure is put to the people for a vote by the General Assembly and is approved by the people.
What is an initiative?
When a measure proposed by initiative is approved by the people, it becomes a law of the state.