All state governments are modeled after the federal government and consist of three branches (although the three-branch structure is not Constitutionally required):executive,legislative, andjudicial.[2][3] All state governments are also organized aspresidential systems where the governor is bothhead of government andhead of state (even though this too is not required). The government of each of the five permanently inhabitedU.S. territories is modeled and organized in a like fashion.
Each state is itself asovereign entity, and as such, reserves the right to organize in any way (within the above stated parameter) deemed appropriate by its people. As a result, while the governments of the various states share many similar features, they often vary greatly with regard to form and substance. No two state governments are identical. The following tables compare and contrast some of the features of U.S. state governments.
With the exception ofNebraska, all American state legislatures arebicameral, meaning there is one legislative body separated into two units. Nebraska eliminated its lower house with a referendum during the 1936 elections. Also, some systems, such as theNew York State Legislature, have two legislative bodies while never technically referring to them in the state constitution as a single body. These dual systems are generally considered bicameral.
The Alabama State Senate allows a filibuster, and has a general three-fifths requirement to enactcloture. A simple majority of 18 is acceptable when dealing with the budget and redistricting.[6]
Arkansas
Arkansas, along with Rhode Island, is one of the only states that requires a supermajority to pass a budget. A three-fourths majority is required for appropriations, except for education, highways, and paying down the state debt, which require a simple majority.[7]
From 1933 to 2011 there was a two-thirds requirement for general fund appropriations for purposes other than public schools (Const., Art. IV, Sec. 12). Because the Legislature typically passes one main budget bill, the requirement effectively applied to the whole budget bill.[7] There has been a two-thirds requirement for tax increases sinceProposition 13 in 1978. In2010, voters approved Proposition 25, eliminating the 2/3 requirement for the budget, but keeping it for tax increases.
There is no lifetime limit on the number, but one must be out of office for at least one election cycle after serving 2 consecutive terms before being eligible again.
Note: Table does not distinguish between term lengths that result in a new election and term lengths that result in a retention vote but not a full election.g
^abThe new limit was decided by referendum as Proposition 28, in June 2012. Between 1990 and that date, one could serve 3 terms in the House and 2 in the Senate, which means the new limit is globally earlier but roughly doubles in each body.
^State representatives were limited to three terms (6 years) until term limits were repealed byOregon Ballot Measure 3 (1992).
^State senators were limited to two terms (8 years) until term limits were repealed by Oregon Ballot Measure 3 (1992).
^abThere are no limits on the number of terms a governor may serve in total as long as there is a four-year break after a second term.
^Governors of Indiana may serve an unlimited number of terms, but may only serve for eight years in any twelve-year period. (Constitution of Indiana Article 5)
^Uncompleted entries do not indicate the lack of a retirement age, only a lack of data in this article. States without a mandatory retirement age will indicate "None".
^Retention election held after two years of service. Mandatory retirement at age 75.
^The Indiana retirement age is the same regardless of the length of the Justice's remaining term.
^Name officially changed from Maryland Court of Appeals in 2022.
^While Michigan law stipulates that State Supreme Court judges be listed on the "non-partisan" section on the ballot, only candidates who have been nominated by political parties with ballot access at their respective state conventions are allowed to stand in the succeeding general election. Subsequently, each party is only allowed to nominate as many candidates as there are supreme court seats up for election in a given year.
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