Government of Pennsylvania

Seal_of_Pennsylvania

Governor_Shapiro

AustinDavis

3x4

Stacy_Garrity_US_Army

Health_and_Welfare_Building,_Harrisburg,_Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania_State_Capitol

Overview of the government of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania

The Government of Pennsylvania is the governmental structure of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as established by the Constitution of Pennsylvania. It is composed of three branches: the executive branch, the legislative branch, and the judicial branch.

Executive Branch

The executive branch is headed by the Governor, who is elected for a four-year term and may serve a maximum of two consecutive terms. The Lieutenant Governor is elected on the same ticket as the Governor. Other elected officials in the executive branch include the Attorney General, the Auditor General, and the State Treasurer.

The Governor has the power to sign or veto legislation, appoint heads of state agencies, and grant pardons and reprieves, except in cases of impeachment. The Governor is also the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.

Legislative Branch

The legislative branch is a bicameral body composed of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, which includes the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and the Pennsylvania State Senate. The House of Representatives consists of 203 members who serve two-year terms, while the Senate consists of 50 members who serve four-year terms.

The General Assembly is responsible for enacting laws, approving the state budget, and confirming appointments made by the Governor. It also has the power to impeach and remove state officials from office.

Judicial Branch

The judicial branch is headed by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, which is the highest court in the state. The Supreme Court consists of seven justices who are elected to ten-year terms. Below the Supreme Court are the Superior Court of Pennsylvania and the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, both of which serve as intermediate appellate courts.

The judicial system also includes the Court of Common Pleas, which serves as the trial court of general jurisdiction, and various minor courts such as Magisterial District Courts and Philadelphia Municipal Court.

Related Pages

• Governor of Pennsylvania
• Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania
• Pennsylvania General Assembly
• Pennsylvania House of Representatives
• Pennsylvania State Senate
• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
• Superior Court of Pennsylvania
• Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
• Court of Common Pleas
• Constitution of Pennsylvania

See Also

• Politics of Pennsylvania
• Elections in Pennsylvania
• Pennsylvania State Capitol
• List of Governors of Pennsylvania

   This article is a Pennsylvania-related stub. You can help WikiMD by expanding it!