Unit 12 Vocabulary

The branch of government tasked with ENFORCING the law. It is headed by the governor and includes the aspects of government that cover public safety, education, transportation, human resources, and economic development. It also includes state agencies and law enforcement.

• Executive Branch

• General Assembly

• Governor

• Legislative branch

Georgia’s legislative branch of government is bicameral, meaning it has two houses. Those two houses are the Georgia House of Representatives and the Georgia Senate. The General Assembly includes committees that study and examine issues pertaining to bills before they are presented to the entire Assembly. The ultimate job of the Assembly is to craft the state’s laws.

• General Assembly

• Executive Branch

• Judicial branch

• Legislative branch

The Georgia state constitution consists of a preamble, a bill of rights, articles, and amendments. It divides government into three branches: the legislature, which is bicameral; the judiciary, which is headed by the state supreme court; and the executive, which is presided over by the governor. Checks and balances among the branches prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.

• Georgia’s state constitution

• US Constitution

• Preamble

• Bill of Rights

The leader of the executive branch of state government. In Georgia, the governor is tasked with signing bills into law or vetoing them; appointing leaders to various state agencies; and overseeing the state’s affairs in general.

• Governor

• Lt. Governor

• General Assembly

• Judicial Branch

The branch of government tasked with APPLYING and INTERPRETING laws in the state. It consists of the state Supreme Court, a Court of Appeals, Juvenile Courts, Superior Courts, and additional lower courts.

• Judicial branch

• Legislative Branch

• Executive Branch

• General Assembly

The branch of government tasked with CREATING LAWS for the state. It consists of the Georgia General Assembly.

• Legislative branch

• Executive Branch

• Judicial Branch

• General Assembly

As both the leader of the Senate and the second-in-command of the state, the lieutenant governor is a member of both the legislative and executive branches. If the governor dies in office, the lieutenant governor assumes the role of governor for the remainder of the term. As president of the Senate, he or she guides bills through the General Assembly but does not vote on them.

• Lieutenant governor

• Governor

• General Assembly

• Executive Branch

In Georgia, local government is divided between COUNTIES AND CITIES. The counties are overseen by either a single commissioner or a committee of multiple commissioners, who are elected to terms lasting anywhere from two to six years. They hold both legislative and executive power. Cities are mostly governed by a mayor and a city council.

• Local government

• General Assembly

• Special purpose governments

• Court System

Districts usually created by cities or counties as “CITY BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT” districts.

• Special purpose governments

• Local Government

• General Assembly

• Court System

A system of law enforcement tasked with apprehending, prosecuting, defending, sentencing, and PUNISHING ADULTS who are suspected or convicted of committing crimes.

• Adult criminal justice system

• Court System

• Juvenile justice system

• Local Government