Government of New York (state) facts for kids
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| Polity type | Presidential republic Federated state |
|---|---|
| Constitution | Constitution of New York |
| Legislative branch | |
| Name | New York State Legislature |
| Type | Bicameral |
| Meeting place | New York State Capitol |
| Upper house | |
| Name | Senate |
| Presiding officer | Antonio Delgado, President |
| Lower house | |
| Name | Assembly |
| Presiding officer | Carl Heastie, Speaker |
| Executive branch | |
| Head of State and Government | |
| Title | Governor |
| Currently | Kathy Hochul |
| Appointer | Election |
| Cabinet | |
| Name | Cabinet |
| Leader | Governor |
| Deputy leader | Lieutenant Governor |
| Headquarters | New York State Capitol |
| Judicial branch | |
| Name | New York State Unified Court System |
| Courts | Courts of New York |
| New York Court of Appeals | |
| Chief judge | Rowan Wilson |
| Seat | New York Court of Appeals Building, Albany |
The Government of the State of New York is how the state of New York is run. Its main office is in the New York State Capitol building in Albany. Just like the U.S. federal government, New York's government has three main parts. These parts are the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.
The executive branch is led by the Governor. The legislative branch, called the Legislature, includes two groups: the Senate and the Assembly. The judicial branch, known as the Unified Court System, includes the Court of Appeals and other courts. New York State is also divided into smaller areas like counties, cities, towns, and villages. Each of these smaller areas has its own local government.
Contents
Executive Branch
The executive branch is responsible for carrying out the laws. The main elected leaders in this branch are:
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Kathy Hochul (D)
Governor -
Antonio Delgado (D)
Lieutenant Governor -
Thomas DiNapoli (D)
Comptroller
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The executive branch also includes many different departments. These departments help manage various parts of the state. There are up to twenty state government departments. Some examples include:
- Department of Agriculture and Markets (helps with farming)
- Department of Civil Service (manages state employees)
- Education Department (oversees schools and learning)
- Department of Environmental Conservation (protects nature)
- Department of Health (looks after public health)
- Department of Motor Vehicles (handles driver's licenses and car registrations)
- Department of Transportation (manages roads and travel)
Rules made by these departments are published in the New York State Register. They are also collected in the New York Codes, Rules and Regulations (NYCRR).
Legislative Branch
The New York State Legislature is the part of government that makes laws. It is bicameral, meaning it has two separate parts. These parts are the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly. The Assembly has 150 members. The Senate currently has 63 members.
The Assembly is led by its Speaker. The Senate is led by the Lieutenant Governor. The Lieutenant Governor usually only votes if there is a tie. Often, another senator leads the Senate meetings.
The Legislature has the power to create new laws. However, the Governor can say "no" to a bill, which is called a veto. If the Governor vetoes a bill, the Legislature can still make it a law. This happens if two-thirds of the members in both the Senate and the Assembly vote to override the veto.
The Legislature can also suggest changes to the New York Constitution. If they vote for a change, and then vote for it again after an election, the change goes to the voters. If the voters approve it in a special election called a referendum, it becomes part of the Constitution. New laws are published in the Laws of New York. Permanent laws are organized into the Consolidated Laws of New York.
Committees in the Legislature
Both the Senate and the Assembly have special groups called standing committees. These committees review bills before they are voted on by all members. They focus on specific topics like education, health, or transportation. For example, the Assembly has 37 standing committees, and the Senate has 32. These committees help make sure that bills are carefully looked at before they become laws.
Legislative Session
The Legislature meets for a "session" each year. This usually starts in January and continues until a budget for the state is agreed upon. The budget is supposed to be finished by the end of March. However, it can sometimes take longer. During the session, both the Senate and the Assembly work together and separately. They introduce new bills and discuss changes to the Governor's budget plan.
During the legislative session:
- Bills are introduced and voted on to become law or not.
- Official statements or Proclamations are made.
- Changes to the Governor's budget are discussed and decided.
Judicial Branch
The New York State Unified Court System is the part of government that interprets and applies the laws of New York. It makes sure everyone gets equal justice under law. It also helps solve disagreements between people or groups. The court system can seem a bit confusing because of its names. It has trial courts, where cases start, and appellate courts, where decisions can be reviewed.
The appellate courts, which review decisions from lower courts, include:
- Court of Appeals (the highest court)
- Appellate Division of the Supreme Court
- Appellate terms of the Supreme Court
- Appellate sessions of the County Court
The superior courts, where serious cases are heard, include:
- Supreme Court
- County Court
- Family Court
- Surrogate's Court
- Court of Claims
Local courts handle many everyday legal matters. These include:
- NYC Criminal Court and NYC Civil Court (for New York City)
- District Court (outside New York City)
- City courts (outside New York City)
- Justice courts (town and village courts)
The highest court in New York is the Court of Appeals. This is different from many other states where the "Supreme Court" is the highest. The main court for serious criminal cases (felonies) is the County Court, or the Supreme Court in New York City. The system is managed by the chief judge of the Court of Appeals.
Local Government
New York State is divided into many smaller areas. These include counties, cities, towns, and villages. Each of these areas has its own local government. These local governments provide most of the services people use every day. This includes things like local police, fire departments, and schools.
Whether an area is called a city, town, or village depends on the type of government its residents choose. It does not depend on how many people live there. Each local government has certain powers to make its own laws. These powers are called "home rule." New York also has other local government groups. These include school districts, fire districts, and public-benefit corporations. These groups often manage specific services.
New York has 62 counties. These counties are divided into 932 towns and 62 cities. There are also 10 Indian reservations in the state. In total, New York has over 3,400 active local governments.
In 1898, when New York City became one big city, all the old town and county governments within it were replaced. This created the current five boroughs and a single, unified city government.
Other Governments
Tribal Government
Native American governments are largely independent from New York State. The state cannot interfere with tribal self-government. However, New York can make rules about what non-Native Americans do on tribal land. For example, federal law says states cannot tax Indian lands. But New York State can tax sales of cigarettes to people who are not tribe members on tribal land.
See also
- Politics of New York (state)
- Elections in New York
- Law of New York
- New York State Common Retirement
