MO Constitution

1
MO Constitution
2
Missouri History

• First permanent settlement West of Mississippi
  was in Ste. Genevieve
• Louisiana Territory given by Spain back to France
  in 1802.
• France then sold it in 1803 to the United States
  for 15 million dollars. (Louisiana Purchase)
• Missouri admitted as a state August 10, 1821.
• 24th state admitted to the United States
• Missouri came in to the United States as a slave
  state and Maine as a free state with the Missouri
  Compromise

3
Civil War in Missouri

• Missouri is considered a Union state during the
  war
• State sharply divided
• Biggest battle at Wilsons Creek (near
  Springfield)
• Other key battles at Carthage, Lexington,
  Westport, and Booneville
• Scene of 11 percent of all Civil War battles

4
Missouri Constitution

• Missouri created a new state constitution in
  1945. One that we still use today.
• Missouri has had 4 Constitutions total (1820,
  1865, 1875, 1945)

5
Governor

• Our current governor is Jay Nixon (Democrat)
• Signs and vetoes laws at the state level
• Both Governor and Lieutenant governor serve 4
  year terms.
• Qualifications 30 years old, U.S. citizen for 15
  years and live in Missouri for 10 years
• The capital of the state of Missouri is Jefferson
  City
• Missouri has had 2 other capitals (St. Louis and
  St. Charles)

6
Governor vetoes and other information

• If the governor vetoes a bill created by the
  Missouri legislature a 2/3s vote in both houses
  may override his veto
• If the governor appoints someone to government
  position it must be approved by Senate
• If something were to happen to him the next
  person in line to take over is the Lieutenant
  Governor

7
Senate and House of Representatives

• There are 163 members in the Missouri House of
  Representatives and 34 members in the Missouri
  Senate
• Term for Senators are 4 years
• Term for House of Representatives are 2 years
• In cases of impeachment the House will impeach
  and the Senate will serve as judge

8
Missouri

• The Department of Revenue deals with money coming
  into the state
• Elections in which parties choose their
  candidates is called primary elections

9
Executive Branch

• Governor ( four year term)
• Administers laws
• Signs and vetoes bills
• Grants pardons, reprieves, or commutations
• Appoints and removes officials
• Can call out the National Guard in times of
  crisis

10
Lieutenant Governor

• President of the Senate
• Acting Governor when needed
• Becomes governor if anything happens to the
  governor (death, impeachment, resign)

11
Qualifications for Lit. Govenror

• Same as qualifications for governor
• 30 years old
• U.S. Citizen for 15 years
• Missouri Citizen for 10 years

12
Sect. of State

• Office in charge of compiling, storing and
  publishing state documents
• Keeper of the Great Seal of Missouri
• Authenticates official acts by governor
• Chief elections official

13
State Auditor

• Determines if tax dollars are being spent wisely,
  legally, economically.
• Audits all state agencies and some counties

14
State Treasurer

• Manages the billions of dollars that come in
  state revenue
• Directs states banking and investment services
• Safeguards and locates rightful owners of all
  unclaimed property

15
Attorney General

• Represents the legal interests of Missouri and
  its state agencies.
• States chief legal officer
• Prosecutes or defend all appeals to which the
  state is a party including those appealed to the
  Supreme Court of Missouri of the Court of Appeals
• Will on behalf of the state represent all civil
  suits and other proceedings necessary to protect
  the states rights, interests and claims.

16
Missouris Supreme Court

• 7 judges
• Serve 12 year terms
• Highest court in the State
• Hears all cases on appeal from lower courts or
  transferred from appeals court

17
Missouris Court system

• Circuit Courts at the county of local level
  (Associate and municipal courts make are included
  in the Circuit courts)
• All cases under the law first come to trial in
  the states judicial circuit courts
• Court of appeals- hears all court cases on appeal
• Has 3 districts which hear cases on appeal
• The Supreme court is the highest court in the
  state it meets and hears cases from the court of
  appeals and lower courts in Jefferson City