Whois & Analysis for openstates.org

A state legislature in the United States is the legislative body of any of the 50 U.S. states.

The formal name varies from state to state.

In 25 states, the legislature is simply called the Legislature, or the State Legislature, while in 19 states, the legislature is called the General Assembly.

In Massachusetts and New Hampshire, the legislature is called the General Court, while North Dakota and Oregon designate the legislature the Legislative Assembly.

A legislature is a deliberative assembly with the authority to make laws for a political entity such as a country or city.

Legislatures form important parts of most governments; in the separation of powers model, they are often contrasted with the executive and judicial branches of government.

Voting is a method for a group such as a meeting or an electorate to make a decision or express an opinion, usually following discussions, debates or election campaigns.

Democracies elect holders of high office by voting.

Residents of a place represented by an elected official are called "constituents", and those constituents who cast a ballot for their chosen candidate are called "voters".

A bill is proposed legislation under consideration by a legislature.

A bill does not become law until it is passed by the legislature and, in most cases, approved by the executive.

Once a bill has been enacted into law, it is called an Act or a statute.

A committee (or "commission") is a body of one or more persons that is subordinate to a deliberative assembly.

Usually, the assembly sends matters into a committee as a way to explore them more fully than would be possible if the assembly itself were considering them.

Committees may have different functions and the type of work that each committee does would depend on the type of organization and its needs.