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State governments of the United States facts for kids

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In the United States, state governments are like smaller governments that work below the main federal government. Each of the 50 states has its own government. These state governments have the power to make laws, carry them out, and decide legal cases within their own area.

The United States started with 13 states. Nine of these were already states when the Constitution began in 1789. Four more joined soon after. Since then, 37 more states have been added by the Congress, following the rules in the Constitution.

How States Get Their Power

Even though each state government has power within its borders, they are not fully independent countries like France or Germany. They can't make their own international agreements or control who crosses their borders.

This special way of sharing power is sometimes called "dual sovereignty." It means that both the federal government and the state governments have their own areas of power. This idea comes from the 10th Amendment of the Constitution. This amendment says that any powers not given to the federal government, or not forbidden to the states, belong to the states or to the people.

Just like the federal government, state governments also have three main parts:

The first 13 states that formed the U.S. had governments that grew out of their original colonial governments. Most of the newer states were created from areas that the U.S. Congress had organized and governed as "territories."

However, six states joined the U.S. without ever being a territory first:

State Lawmakers

The part of the state government that makes laws is called the state legislature. Almost every state (49 out of 50) has a legislature with two parts, called "bicameral." This is similar to the U.S. Congress, which has the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Only one state, Nebraska, has a "unicameral" legislature, meaning it has only one part. Nebraska's legislature is simply called the "Senate," and its members are called "Senators."

Most states (26 of them) just call their law-making body the "Legislature." Other states use names like "General Assembly" (19 states), "Legislative Assembly" (2 states), or "General Court" (2 states).

Upper Houses

In the 49 states with two-part legislatures, the "upper house" is always called the "Senate."

For a long time, state senators were not always elected from areas with the same number of people. This often meant that rural areas had more say. But in 1964, the U.S. Supreme Court made a big decision. They ruled that, unlike the U.S. Senate, state senates must be elected from districts that have roughly the same number of people. This is known as "one person, one vote."

Lower Houses

In most of the states with two-part legislatures (40 of them), the "lower house" is called the "House of Representatives."

A few states use different names:

State Leaders

The "executive branch" of every state government is led by an elected official called the Governor. The Governor is like the state's president.

Many states also elect other important leaders directly. These leaders work with the Governor. They might include:

  • The Lieutenant Governor (who often runs for office with the Governor).
  • The Attorney General (the state's top lawyer).
  • The Secretary of State (who handles official records and elections).
  • Auditors or comptrollers (who check how money is spent).
  • The Treasurer (who manages the state's money).
  • Commissioners for things like agriculture, education, or insurance.

Each state can set up its executive departments and agencies in its own way. This means that how state governments are organized can be very different from one state to another.

Usually, the biggest parts of the executive branch are called "departments." The head of a department is often part of the Governor's team and helps the Governor manage all the agencies in their area. Departments are often divided into smaller parts like divisions or offices. State governments can also have various boards, commissions, or councils.

State Courts

The "judicial branch" in most states has a highest court, usually called the Supreme Court. This court hears appeals from lower state courts.

A few states have different names for their highest court:

  • New York's highest court is called the Court of Appeals.
  • Maryland's highest court was called the Maryland Court of Appeals until 2022, when it became the Supreme Court of Maryland.
  • Texas and Oklahoma each have two highest courts: one for civil cases and one for criminal cases.

A state's highest court has the final say on issues of state law. The only time their decision can be changed is if it involves federal law, in which case the U.S. Supreme Court can overrule it.

Each state's constitution or legislature decides how its courts are set up and how judges are chosen. Most states have at least one court where cases start (a "trial court") and an "intermediate appeals court" for cases that are appealed before going to the highest court.

Delaware has a special court called the Court of Chancery, which handles certain types of legal cases, especially those about business.

Parts of State Governments

Even though states organize things differently, many parts are common to most state governments:

Education

Education is one of the biggest things state governments spend money on. This includes funding for K–12 schools (elementary, middle, and high schools). It also includes money for state university systems, which are public colleges and universities.

Health care

Health care is another very large area where state governments spend money. This includes programs like Medicaid, which helps low-income people get health care, and the Children's Health Insurance Program, which helps children from families who can't afford private insurance.

Images for kids

  • State debt to GDP

    State debt compared to the total value of goods and services produced in the state (2017).

See also

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