Description
The three branches of Iowa's government mirror the three branches of the U.S. government. There is the executive branch, which includes the governor and other staff, and duties can include approving or vetoing bills, administering or carrying out laws and can recommend proposed laws. There is the judicial branch, which is comprised of the state's Supreme Court and other courts, who decide whether laws are constitutional, appoints state supreme court justices and interprets laws. The final branch is the legislative, which includes the General Assembly. The Iowa legislature, like the U.S. Congress, is made up of two bodies — the Iowa Senate and the Iowa House of Representatives. There are 50 senators in Iowa and 100 members of the Iowa House. This branch can pass laws and confirm Supreme Court justices.
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Source-Dependent Questions
- When reading the chart, what is meant by the "separation of powers" in Iowa?
- What does each branch of government do for the people of Iowa?
Citation Information
Text 1: "The Three Branches of Government and How they Work in Iowa," Legislative Services Agency (LSA). Courtesy of LSA
Text 2: "Iowa's Constitution," The Goldfinch: Constitutional Issues and Iowa, Vol. 8, No. 3, pp. 7, February 1987. Courtesy of State Historical Society of Iowa