state legislature
Regional lawmaking body
A state legislature is the lawmaking body of a U.S. state, typically consisting of two chambers—a senate and a house of representatives or assembly.
Nebraska is the exception, with a single-chamber legislature.
State legislatures pass laws on matters not reserved to the federal government: education, criminal law, taxation, and local governance.
The state legislature voted to raise the minimum wage.
- Tenth AmendmentStates retain unassigned powers
- constituent servicesLawmaker assistance to voters
- lawmakingCrafting enforceable rules
- lame duck sessionPost-election legislative period
- partisan gridlockGovernance halted by factions
senate · assembly · appropriations · federalism · redistricting · budget approval · veto override · term limits · floor debate · committee hearing · amendment process · vote · constitutional amendments · oversight · chamber · gavel · lobbyist · smoke-filled room
- South AsiaIndia, Indian states, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Hindustan
- governing bodiesgoverning body, governing council, senate, board of directors, parliament
- government bodiesagency, bureau, department, ministry, judiciary
- IllinoisChicago, Springfield, Land of Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln, downstate
- official gatheringsparliament, senate, council, convention, assembly
- legislaturebill, senators, senator, legislators, representative
state legislatureU.S. Congress
Federal legislative branch
Congress · national legislature · federal government · city council · municipal government
state legislaturegovernor
State's chief executive
state supreme court · state courts · executive branch · judicial branch · attorney general
state legislatureprivate sector
Economy outside government control
corporate board · nonprofit organization · private enterprise · civil society · voluntary association