Government of Florida
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The State of Florida is a member of the United States of America, and is a U.S. state. The United States is a federation, and as such it retains exclusive authority over legal and law enforcement matters that lie within the states borders, except as limited by the Constitution of the United States.
Power in Florida is divided among three branches of government: executive, legislative, and judicial. The state delegates non-exclusive power to local municipal and county governments. However, home-rule charters can be established which provide significant local autonomy over the structure and operation of those governments.
The state capital of Florida is Tallahassee. In the downtown area of the city is located the Florida State Capitol building, which houses the executive and legislative offices as well as the state's legislative chambers.
Legislative Branch
The Florida Constitution mandates a bicameral state legislature, consisting of a Florida Senate of 40 members and a Florida House of Representatives of 120 members. The two bodies meet in the Florida State Capitol.
Florida's legislature is a part-time legislature, meeting only 60 day regular sessions annually with the possibility of special sessions as needed. Outside of these regular sessions, the members of both houses participate in hearing, town hall meetings and legislative discussions throughout the year.
The Florida House of Representative members serve for 2 year terms, while Florida Senate members serve for 4 year terms. Members of both houses are term limited to serve a maximum of 8 years.
Executive Branch
The Executive Branch of the Government of the State of Florida consists of the Florida Cabinet (which includes the Governor, the Attorney General, the Commissioner of Agriculture and the Chief Financial Officer), the Lieutenant Governor, and several Executive Departments, among which are alloted the functions of the Executive Branch.
Governor
The Governor of Florida is the chief executive of the Government of Florida, and serves as chairman of the Florida Cabinet. The Governor has the power to execute Florida's laws and to call out the state militia to preserve the public peace, being Commander-in-Chief of the state's military forces that not in active service of the United States. At least once every legislative session, the Governor is required to deliver an address to the Florida Legislature, referred to as the "State of the State Address", regarding the condition and operation of the state government and to suggest new legislation. The Governor is elected by popular election every four years, and may serve a maximum of two terms. The 43rd (and current) Governor of Florida is Jeb Bush, who was elected first on November 5, 1998, and again on November 5, 2002.
Cabinet
Florida is unique among U.S. states in having a strong cabinet-style government. Members of the Cabinet are independently elected, and have equal footing with the Governor on issues under the Cabinet's jurisdiction. Each member carries one vote in the decision making process. In the event of a tie, the side of the governor is the prevailing side. Cabinet elections are held every four years, on even numbered years (such as 2002, 2006, etc.).
Attorney General
The Attorney General is the state's chief legal officer. As defined in the Florida Constitution, the Attorney General appoints a statewide prosecutor who may prosecute violations of criminal law occurring in or affecting two or more judicial circuits. The current Attorney General of Florida is Charlie Crist. He was elected to the position on November 5, 2002, and is the first Republican Attorney General of Florida.
Chief Financial Officer
The duties as defined under the Constitution of Florida of the Chief Financial Officer include monitoring the states finances and fiscal well being, auditing and assuring that state programs are properly spending money and overseeing the proper management of the revenue and spending of the state. The current Chief Financial Officer is Tom Gallagher.
Commissioner of Agriculture
The current Commissioner of Agriculture is Charles H. Bronson.
Judicial Branch
The Judicial Branch consists of the Florida Supreme Court, five district courts of appeal, twenty circuit courts, and sixty-seven county courts. The Florida State Courts System was unified by a constitutional amendment effective in early 1973. The state's Chief Justice has served as chief administrative officer since that time. The Office of the State Courts Administrator in the capital, Tallahassee, assists the Chief Justice in administering the courts.
However, the chief judges of the district courts of appeal and of the circuit courts retain substantial authority over the day-to-day operation of their courts. The chief judges of the twenty circuit courts also supervise the judges of the county courts within their jurisdictions. The circuit and county courts are where trials occur. The right to a single appeal to one of the district courts of appeal is guaranteed in most circumstances. Further appeals to the Florida Supreme Court are available only in limited circumstances.
Local governments
Local governments are established the by Government of the State of Florida and are given varying amounts of non-exclusive authority over their jurisdictions. The law governing the creation of these governments is contained both within the Florida Constitution and the Florida Statutes. Local governments are incorporated in Florida by special acts of the Florida Legislature.
Local governments in Florida fall into two general categories: the county governments and the municipal governments. In some cases, such as Jacksonville, the municipal and county governments have merged into a consolidated government. In Jacksonville, the municipal government has taken over the responsibilities normally given to the county government, Duval County in this case. However, other municipal governments can be created inside of the joined city/county, as which has happened in Jacksonville.
Although municipal governments in Florida may be called towns, cities, or villages, there is no legal distinction between the different terms. All municipal governments are located within a county and the county jurisdiction overlays the municipal jurisdiction to a degree. All areas of Florida are located within a county, but only some areas have been incorporated into cities. Counties and municipal governments may pass laws, called ordininaces. Usually, if there is a conflict between a county and a city ordinance, the city ordinance has precedence within the cities borders, unless otherwise specified.
Cities in Florida often have police, fire departments, provide essential services such as water and waste collection, and so on. In unincorporated areas of a county, areas not located within a city, the county may provide these services. Cities may also enter agreements with the county to have the county provide certain services.
Each county has a sherriff who also tends to have concurrent jurisdiction inside the cities as well along with city police departments.
Local governments in Florida may have both a legislative branch (commissions or councils) and executive (police, fire, parks, code enforcement, etc.), however, only the counties have a court system.
History
Native American government
Native American peoples first entered Florida around 12,000 years ago. Thereafter, many civilisations arose in Florida, such as the Timucua, Tequesta, and Apalachee. Many of the civilisations were ruled by a chief, who would oversee the settlement. The Timucua consisted of many independent villages which were ruled over by a chief.
European colonial government
A colony was briefly established at Pensacola by the Spanish in 1559 but was abandoned after a hurricane in 1561. The French also established a brief colony at Fort Caroline in 1564 near the mouth of the St. Johns River, near present day Jacksonville.
The first permanent colonial government of Spanish Florida was established on August 28th, 1565 by Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, who became the first Governor of Florida , with the founding of the first permanent Spanish settlement in Florida at St. Augustine, the capital of Spanish Florida, although Florida was originally claimed by Spain by Juan Ponce de León on April 2nd, 1513. This began a continuous line of established government which extends up until present day.
Florida was ceded to the United Kingdom between 1763 and 1784, later returning to Spain. During the British period, Florida was subdivided into two colonies, West Florida, the capital of which was Pensacola, and East Florida, the capital of which was St. Augustine. Florida was returned to Spain in 1784, beginning the second Spanish Florida period.
United States membership
On July 10, 1821, as a part of the Adams-Onís Treaty of 1819, signed on February 22, 1819, Florida was ceded to the United States. Florida became a Territory of the United States until 1845. The capital of Florida was moved from St. Augustine to Tallahassee in 1824, by the Territory Legislature, which was chosen partly for its location between Pensacola and St. Augustine, as a compromise between them. The first constitution implemented as a U.S. territory was written in 1838, and Florida was granted admission into the union as a state on March 3, 1845.
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