The Government of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is the governmental structure of the state of Pennsylvania as established by the Pennsylvania Constitution. As in all 50 states, it is composed of three branches: executive, legislative and judicial. The capital of the Commonwealth is Harrisburg.
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History [edit]
Pennsylvania has had five constitutions during its statehood:[1] 1776, 1790, 1838, 1874, and 1968. Prior to that, the province of Pennsylvania was governed for a century by a book titled Frame of Government, written by William Penn, of which there were four versions: 1682, 1683, 1696, and 1701.
Executive branch [edit]
The current Governor is Tom Corbett The other elected officials composing the executive branch are the Lieutenant Governor Jim Cawley, Attorney General Linda L. Kelly, Auditor General Jack Wagner, and State Treasurer Rob McCord.[2] Unlike most other states, in Pennsylvania all members of the executive branch are not on the ballot in the same year: elections for governor and lieutenant governor are held in even years when there is not a presidential election, while the other three statewide offices are elected in presidential election years.
Legislature [edit]
Pennsylvania has a bicameral legislature set up by Commonwealth's constitution in 1790. The original Frame of Government of William Penn had a unicameral legislature.[3] The General Assembly includes 50 Senators[4] and 203 Representatives.[5] Joseph B. Scarnati III is currently President Pro Tempore of the State Senate,[6] Dominic Pileggi the Majority Leader,[7] and Robert J. Mellow the Minority Leader.[8] Keith R. McCall is Speaker of the House of Representatives,[9] with Todd A. Eachus as Majority Leader[10] and [Frank Dermody] as Minority Leader.[11] The 2006 election resulted in the Democrats regaining control of the House and the balance remaining unchanged in Republicans' favor in the Senate.
Judicial branch [edit]
Pennsylvania is divided into 60 judicial districts,[12] most of which (except Philadelphia) have magisterial district judges (formerly called district justices and justices of the peace), who preside mainly over minor criminal offenses and small civil claims. Magisterial District Judges also preside over preliminary hearings in all misdemeanor and felony criminal cases.[12] Most criminal and civil cases originate in the Courts of Common Pleas, which also serve as appellate courts to the district judges and for local agency decisions.[12] The Superior Court hears all appeals from the Courts of Common Pleas not expressly designated to the Commonwealth Court or Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. It also has original jurisdiction to review warrants for wiretap surveillance.[12] The Commonwealth Court is limited to appeals from final orders of certain state agencies and certain designated cases from the Courts of Common Pleas.[12] The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania is the final appellate court. All judges in Pennsylvania are elected; the chief justice is determined by seniority.[12]
Federal relations [edit]
During the Tom Ridge administration, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania maintained a permanent in-house lobbying office in Washington, DC, to lobby the federal government of the United States.[13] During the Ed Rendell administration, the Commonwealth closed that office and entered into a $720,000 annual contract with Blank Rome to lobby the federal government.[13] The Rendell administration says that the contract with Blank Rome was $140,000 less per year than maintaining a permanent state office in Washington.[13]
Executive departments [edit]
Entities under the governor's jurisdiction include, among others:
- Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole
- Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks
- Pennsylvania Department of Aging
- Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
- Pennsylvania Department of Banking
- Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development
- Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR)
- Pennsylvania Department of Corrections
- Pennsylvania Department of Education
- Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
- Pennsylvania Department of General Services
- Pennsylvania Department of Health
- Pennsylvania Department of Insurance
- Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry
- Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA)
- Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare
- Pennsylvania Department of Revenue
- Pennsylvania Department of State
- Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PENNDOT)
- Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
- Pennsylvania Game Commission
- Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
- Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB)
- Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
- Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
- Pennsylvania State Police (PSP)
- Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
See also [edit]
References [edit]
- ^ 23 hi bill Law Weekly 324 (March 27, 2000). Jenkinslaw.org. Retrieved on December 31, 2011.
- ^ State Elected Officials. Electionpa.com. Retrieved on December 31, 2011.
- ^ Pennsylvania State Archives. Phmc.state.pa.us. Retrieved on December 31, 2011.
- ^ Pennsylvania Senators. Legis.state.pa.us. Retrieved on December 31, 2011.
- ^ Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Legis.state.pa.us. Retrieved on December 31, 2011.
- ^ Pennsylvania Senate. Legis.state.pa.us. Retrieved on December 31, 2011.
- ^ David Brightbill. Legis.state.pa.us. Retrieved on December 31, 2011.
- ^ Robert Mellow. Legis.state.pa.us (January 4, 2011). Retrieved on December 31, 2011.
- ^ The Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Legis.state.pa.us. Retrieved on December 31, 2011.
- ^ The Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Legis.state.pa.us. Retrieved on December 31, 2011.
- ^ [1]. Legis.state.pa.us. Retrieved on December 31, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f Judicial districts[dead link]
- ^ a b c Bumsted, Brad; Mike Wereschagin (November 29, 2009). "Lobbyist expenses wasteful, critics say". Pittsburgh Tribune Review.
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