Government of Illinois

Last updated
Government of Illinois
Seal of Illinois.svg
Part of United States of America
Constitution Constitution of Illinois
Legislative branch
Name Legislature
Type Bicameral
Meeting place Illinois General Assembly
Upper house
Name Senate
Presiding officer Don Harmon, President
Lower house
Name House of Representatives
Presiding officer Emanuel Chris Welch, Speaker
Executive branch
Head of state and government
Title Governor
Currently J. B. Pritzker
Appointer Election
Cabinet
NameCabinet
Leader Governor
Deputy leader Lieutenant Governor
Headquarters Illinois State Capitol
Judicial branch
Name Judiciary of Illinois
Courts Courts of Illinois
Supreme Court of Illinois
Chief judge Mary Jane Theis
Seat Springfield, Illinois

The Government of Illinois, under Illinois' Constitution, has three branches of government: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. The State's executive branch is split into several statewide elected offices, with the Governor as chief executive and head of state, and has numerous departments, agencies, boards and commissions. Legislative functions are granted to the General Assembly, a bicameral body consisting of the 118-member House of Representatives and the 59-member Senate. The judiciary is composed of the Supreme Court of Illinois and lower courts.

Contents

Executive

The executive branch is composed of six elected officers and their offices, as well as numerous other departments. [1] Illinois is one of 26 states that elect their governor on the same ticket as their lieutenant governor. [2] The six elected officers are:

Departments

The government of Illinois has numerous departments, agencies, boards and commissions; however, the code departments, so called because they are established by the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois, provide most of the state's services: [1] [3]

Former Lt. Governor and Attorney General Neil Hartigan currently serves as General Counsel to The Governor of Illinois (J.B. Pritzker). Regulations are codified in the Illinois Administrative Code . [4] The Illinois Register is the weekly publication containing proposed and adopted rules. [4]

Legislature

The State Senate Chamber of the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield Illinois State Senate.jpg
The State Senate Chamber of the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield

The Illinois General Assembly is the state legislature, composed of the 118-member Illinois House of Representatives and the 59-member Illinois Senate. Representatives elect from their chamber a Speaker and Speaker pro tempore, and senators elect from the chamber a President of the Senate.

The Governor has different types of vetoes, such as a full veto, reduction veto, and an amendatory veto, but the General Assembly has the power to override gubernatorial vetoes through a three-fifths majority vote of each chamber. The General Assembly's session laws are published in the official Laws of Illinois . [5] [6] The Illinois Compiled Statutes (ILCS) are the codified statutes of a general and permanent nature. [4] [6]

Judiciary

The Daley Center in Chicago houses offices and courtrooms for the Cook County Circuit Court Chicago 6.JPG
The Daley Center in Chicago houses offices and courtrooms for the Cook County Circuit Court

The Supreme Court has limited original jurisdiction and has final appellate jurisdiction. It has mandatory jurisdiction in capital cases and cases where the constitutionality of laws has been called into question, and has discretionary jurisdiction from the Appellate Court. The Appellate Court is the court of first appeal for civil and criminal cases rising in the Illinois circuit courts.

The circuit courts are trial courts of original jurisdiction. There are 24 judicial circuits in the state, each comprising one or more of Illinois' 102 counties. [7] The circuit court has general jurisdiction and can decide, with few exceptions, any kind of case.

Capital

James R. Thompson Center, which has offices of Illinois officials. Pat Gauen, columnist of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, argued that Chicago is "de facto" state co-capital with Springfield James R. Thompson Center (51573845537).jpg
James R. Thompson Center, which has offices of Illinois officials. Pat Gauen, columnist of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch , argued that Chicago is "de facto" state co-capital with Springfield

Springfield is the state capital. Many state offices are in Springfield, and it is the regular meeting place of the Illinois General Assembly. [8] All officers chosen in statewide elections are required to have at least one residence in Springfield, funded by the state government. [9]

Most cabinet officers and constitutional officers conduct a majority of their business in Chicago, with offices at the James R. Thompson Center. In 2012, St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Pat Gauen argued that "in the reality of Illinois politics, [Springfield] shares de facto capital status with Chicago." [8] According to Gauen, "Everybody who's anybody in Illinois government has an office in Chicago." [8] University of Illinois researcher and former member of the Illinois legislature Jim Nowlan stated "It’s almost like Chicago is becoming the shadow capital of Illinois" and that "Springfield is almost become a hinterland outpost." [9] A former director of the Southern Illinois University Paul Simon Institute for Public Affairs, Mike Lawrence, criticized state officials for spending so little time in Springfield since it estranged them from and devalued Illinois state employees in that city. [9]

In 2007, Illinois state representative Raymond Poe sponsored House Bill 1959, which proposed ending state financing for officers' travel to Springfield. "The state capital is Springfield, and that should be their work location," said Poe. [10]

Local government

WPA poster for the Cook County Public Health Unit (1941) A lifelong job-the constant protection of their health-The Cook County Public Health Unit LCCN98513455.jpg
WPA poster for the Cook County Public Health Unit (1941)

The administrative divisions of Illinois are the counties, townships, precincts, cities, towns, villages, and special-purpose districts. [11] Illinois has more units of local government than any other state—over 8,000 in all. The basic subdivision of Illinois are the 102 counties. [12] 85 of the 102 counties are in turn divided into 1,432 townships. [12] Municipal governments are the cities, villages, and incorporated towns. [12] Some localities possess "home rule", which allows them to govern themselves to a certain extent. [13] Illinois counties, townships, cities, and villages may promulgate local ordinances. [14] Illinois also has several types of school districts (including the Chicago Public Schools and the Illinois Community College System) and additional units of government that oversee many other functions.

See also

Related Research Articles

The government of California is the governmental structure of the U.S. state of California as established by the California Constitution. California uses the separation of powers system to structure its government. It is composed of three branches: the executive, consisting of the governor of California and the other constitutionally elected and appointed officers and offices; the legislative, consisting of the California State Legislature, which includes the Assembly and the Senate; and the judicial, consisting of the Supreme Court of California and lower courts. There is also local government, consisting of counties, cities, special districts, and school districts, as well as government entities and offices that operate independently on a constitutional, statutory, or common law basis. The state also allows direct participation of the electorate by initiative, referendum, recall and ratification.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Governor of Illinois</span> Chief executive office of the U.S. state of Illinois

The governor of Illinois is the head of state and head of government of Illinois, and the various agencies and departments over which the officer has jurisdiction, as prescribed in the state constitution. It is a directly elected position, votes being cast by popular suffrage of residents of the state. The governor is responsible for endorsing or vetoing laws passed by the Illinois General Assembly. The office also carries the power of pardon and commutation under state law. The governor is commander-in-chief of the state's land, air and sea forces when they are in state service. Illinois is one of 13 states that does not place a term limit for governor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Illinois General Assembly</span> Bicameral legislature of Illinois

The Illinois General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois. It has two chambers, the Illinois House of Representatives and the Illinois Senate. The General Assembly was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. As of 2023, the current General Assembly is the 103rd; the term of an assembly lasts two years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Illinois Attorney General</span> Attorney General for the U.S. state of Illinois

The Illinois attorney general is the highest legal officer of the state of Illinois in the United States. Originally an appointed office, it is now an office filled by statewide election. Based in Chicago and Springfield, the attorney general is responsible for providing legal counsel for the various state agencies including the governor of Illinois and Illinois General Assembly, as well as conducting all legal affairs pertaining to the state.

The government of the U.S. state of Ohio consists of the executive, judicial, and legislative branches. Its basic structure is set forth in the Constitution and law of Ohio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government of Maryland</span> State government of the United States

The government of Maryland is conducted according to the Maryland Constitution. The United States is a federation; consequently, the government of Maryland, like the other 49 state governments, has exclusive authority over matters that lie entirely within the state's borders, except as limited by the Constitution of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government of Chicago</span> Political and legal structure

The government of the City of Chicago, Illinois, United States is divided into executive and legislative branches. The Mayor of Chicago is the chief executive, elected by general election for a term of four years, with no term limits. The mayor appoints commissioners and other officials who oversee the various departments. In addition to the mayor, Chicago's two other citywide elected officials are the City Clerk and the City Treasurer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government of Florida</span> Government of a U.S. state

The government of Florida is established and operated according to the Constitution of Florida and is composed of three branches of government: the executive branch consisting of the governor of Florida and the other elected and appointed constitutional officers; the legislative branch, the Florida Legislature, consisting of the Senate and House; and the judicial branch consisting of the Supreme Court of Florida and lower courts. The state also allows direct participation of the electorate by initiative, referendum, and ratification.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government of New York (state)</span> Government of the U.S. state of New York

The Government of the State of New York, headquartered at the New York State Capitol in Albany, encompasses the administrative structure of the U.S. state of New York, as established by the state's constitution. Analogously to the US federal government, it is composed of three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The head of the executive is the governor. The Legislature consists of the Senate and the Assembly. The Unified Court System consists of the Court of Appeals and lower courts. The state is also divided into counties, cities, towns, and villages, which are all municipal corporations with their own government.

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

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government of Indiana</span> State government of the United States

The government of Indiana is established and regulated by the Constitution of Indiana. The state-level government consists of three branches: the judicial branch, the legislative branch, and the executive branch. The three branches share power and jointly govern the state of Indiana. County and local governments are also constitutional bodies with limited authority to levy taxes, pass legislation, and create and maintain local public infrastructure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government of Tennessee</span>

The Government of Tennessee is organized under the provisions of the 1870 Constitution of Tennessee, first adopted in 1796. As set forth by the state constitution, administrative influence in Tennessee is divided among three branches of government: executive, legislative, and judicial.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Illinois Comptroller</span> U.S. state constitutional officer position

The Comptroller of Illinois is a constitutional officer in the executive branch of government of the U.S. state of Illinois. Ten individuals have held the office of Comptroller since the enactment of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, replacing the prior office of Auditor of Public Accounts that was first created in 1799. The incumbent is Susana Mendoza, a Democrat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Carolina government and politics</span>

South Carolina government and politics covers the three different branches of government, as well as the state constitution, law enforcement agencies, federal representation, state finances, and state taxes. South Carolina is a state in the United States of America and was the eighth admitted to the Union. The state of South Carolina was preceded by the Crown Colony of South Carolina, a constitutional monarchy which was overthrown during the American Revolution. Presently, South Carolina's government is formed as a representative democracy.

The Judiciary of Virginia is defined under the Constitution and law of Virginia and is composed of the Supreme Court of Virginia and subordinate courts, including the Court of Appeals, the Circuit Courts, and the General District Courts. Its administration is headed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Judicial Council, the Committee on District Courts, the Judicial Conferences, the Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission, and various other offices and officers.

The law of Illinois, a state of the United States, consists of several levels, including constitutional, statutory, and regulatory law, as well as case law and local law. Illinois state law is promulgated under the Illinois State Constitution. The Illinois Compiled Statutes (ILCS) form the general statutory law. The case law of the Illinois Supreme Court and state appellate courts is currently published online under a public domain reporting system. Interpretations of law and conflicts among the various levels of law are referred to the Illinois courts in suits for application of common law. The states administrative law is published in codified form in the Illinois Administrative Code. Local ordinances are published by the respective local authorities, which are granted that authority under state law.

The judiciary of Illinois is the unified court system of Illinois primarily responsible for applying the Constitution and law of Illinois. It consists of the Supreme Court, the Appellate Court, and circuit courts. The Supreme Court oversees the administration of the court system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Illinois Freedom of Information Act</span> Public records law in Illinois

The Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140/1 et seq., is an Illinois statute that grants to all persons the right to copy and inspect public records in the state. The law applies to executive and legislative bodies of state government, units of local government, and other entities defined as "public bodies". All records related to governmental business are presumed to be open for inspection by the public, except for information specifically exempted from disclosure by law. The statute is modeled after the federal Freedom of Information Act and serves a similar purpose as freedom of information legislation in the other U.S. states.

The Office of the Illinois State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor (ILSAAP) is a State agency that organizes a corps of experienced trial attorneys who assist in the prosecutions of criminal cases, especially on the appellate level.

References

  1. 1 2 Uphoff, Judy Lee (2012). "The Governor and the Executive Branch". In Lind, Nancy S.; Rankin, Erik (eds.). Governing Illinois: Your Connection to State and Local Government (PDF) (4th ed.). Center Publications, Center for State Policy and Leadership, University of Illinois Springfield. pp. 77–79. ISBN   978-0-938943-28-0. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-06-22. Retrieved 2013-11-30.
  2. "Methods of Election | National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA)" . Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  3. 20 ILCS5
  4. 1 2 3 Smith, Lori L.; Barkley, Daniel C.; Cornwall, Daniel C.; Johnson, Eric W.; Malcomb, J. Louise (2003). Tapping State Government Information Sources. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 126. ISBN   1-57356-387-0. LCCN   2002044846.
  5. "Illinois Legal Research Guide". University of Chicago Library . Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  6. 1 2 Decker, John F.; Kopacz, Christopher (2012). Illinois Criminal Law: A Survey of Crimes and Defenses (5th ed.). LexisNexis. § 1.01. ISBN   978-0-7698-5284-3.
  7. Wojcik, Mark E. (2003). Illinois Legal Research. Carolina Academic Press. p.  38. ISBN   0-89089-339-X. LCCN   2003110318. OCLC   52972867.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Gauen, Pat. "Illinois corruption explained: the capital is too far from Chicago " (Archive). St. Louis Post-Dispatch . Retrieved on May 26, 2016.
  9. 1 2 3 Reeder, Scott. "What does it cost taxpayers to pay for lawmakers’ empty Springfield residences?" (Archive). Illinois News Network. September 11, 2014. Retrieved on May 26, 2016.
  10. "Committee votes to cut off funds for agency chiefs traveling here / Poe says capital is where they're supposed to be" Archived 2016-08-09 at the Wayback Machine . The State Journal-Register . March 15, 2007. Retrieved on May 26, 2016. Available on NewsBank, accessible from the newspaper archives.
  11. Individual State Descriptions: 2007 (PDF), 2007 Census of Governments, United States Census Bureau, November 2012, pp. 89–97
  12. 1 2 3 Census 2007, p. 89.
  13. Gove, Samuel Kimball (1996). Illinois Politics and Government: The Expanding Metropolitan Frontier . Politics and Governments of the American States. University of Nebraska Press. pp.  155–156. ISBN   0-8032-7014-3. LCCN   95-46017.
  14. Gaylord, Tom (March 2007). "Finding Illinois Municipal Ordinances Online". Illinois Bar Journal . 95 (3): 156.