State and Local Government

*Since we live in a nation that features a Federal system of government, the power of government is divided between the national government, and the States governments.

-According to Article IV of the US Constitution, each state is guaranteed a representative form of government.

-Article VI of the US Constitution is often referred to as the Supremacy Clause. This means that all federal laws take precedence and are supreme over any state or local laws; however it also means that anything that is not covered under federal law can be covered under state law.

State Constitutions
*Each state has its own Constitution. Each state’s Constitution must adhere to the US Constitution and to all federal laws.

-The first written Constitution in America was adopted by the colony of Connecticut in 1638.

-The State with the oldest Constitution still in effect is New Hampshire. New Hampshire adopted their current Constitution in 1784.

Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
-Pennsylvania’s first Constitution was adopted in 1776. Since 1776 Pennsylvania has had 5 Commonwealth Constitutions. (Pennsylvania, along with Massachusetts, Virginia, and Kentucky are not states, they are Commonwealths.) Pennsylvania’s current Constitution was adopted in 1968.

-Pennsylvania’s Constitution is made up of a Preamble, 11 Articles, and 13 Amendments.

-The Constitution of Pennsylvania’s Preamble is as follows: “WE, the people of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, and humbly invoking His guidance, do ordain and establish this Constitution.”
-Article I of Pennsylvania’s Constitution is the Commonwealth’s Bill of Rights. There are 28 specific rights listed in Pennsylvania’s Bill of Rights.

-Article II of Pennsylvania’s Constitution establishes the Commonwealth’s legislative branch of government. Pennsylvania’s legislature is called the General Assembly; it is a bicameral legislature with an upper house, the Senate, and a lower house, the House of Representatives.

-Article III of Pennsylvania’s Constitution defines how the General Assembly goes about making laws.

-Article IV of Pennsylvania’s Constitution establishes the Commonwealth’s Executive Branch. The chief executive of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is the Governor (Edward G. Rendell). In addition to the Governor, the executive branch is made up of the Lieutenant Governor (Catherine Baker Knoll,) the Attorney General (Gerald Pappert,) Auditor General (Robert P. Casey,) and Treasurer (Barbara Hafer.)

-Article V of Pennsylvania’s Constitution establishes and defines the Commonwealth’s Judicial Branch. Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court is made up of 7 justices who are elected by the people. This Article is quite lengthy because the Commonwealth basically has 3 sets of rules for the courts. The judicial system is set up the same in all of the counties with the exception of Philadelphia and Allegheny Counties (this includes the City of Pittsburgh.) Philadelphia and Allegheny counties have their own court systems which are run by the local governments, but fall under the authority of the Commonwealth.

-Article VI of Pennsylvania’s Constitution describes the responsibilities and expectations of Public Officers, both those elected and those appointed.

-Article VII of Pennsylvania’s Constitution outlines the Commonwealth’s election process.

-Article VIII of Pennsylvania’s Constitution defines the Commonwealth’s laws regarding taxes and finances.

-Article IX of Pennsylvania’s Constitution describes the legal relationship the Commonwealth has with the county and local governments throughout the state.

-Article X of Pennsylvania’s Constitution sets forth the basic laws that Private Corporations must adhere to in the Commonwealth.

Article XI of Pennsylvania’s Constitution describes and defines the process of Ammending the Constitution.