Civil Government for Common Schools Part 10

Kings has twelve districts.

New York has twenty-four districts, or nearly one-fifth of the entire a.s.sembly.

In all, there are one hundred and twenty-eight a.s.sembly districts, each electing one member of the a.s.sembly.

Q. What must be done in those counties that are ent.i.tled to two or more members?

A. The "boards of supervisors" of such counties, except the city and county of New York, must divide their respective counties into a.s.sembly districts; the number of districts being equal to the number of members heretofore apportioned by the Legislature to these several counties; the territory must be contiguous, and no town can be divided in the formation of districts.

Q. By whom is the city and county of New York divided into districts?

A. By the "board of aldermen"; they meet for that purpose at such time as the Legislature shall designate.

ELIGIBILITY.

Q. Who are eligible to the Legislature?

A. The requirements are these.

I. The candidate must be twenty-one years of age.

II. He must not at the time of election, nor within one-hundred days previous thereto, have been a member of congress, a civil or military officer under the United States, or any officer under any city government.

III. Should any person after his election to the Legislature be elected or appointed to any of the offices just named, his acceptance thereof will vacate his seat in the Legislature.

DUTIES.

Q. What are some of the duties of the members of the a.s.sembly?

I. To take the oath of office. Art. XII., Sec. I Const.

II. To organize by electing their presiding officer, who is called the speaker; and who must be one of their number.

III. To elect also the other officers, viz: a Clerk, Sergeant-at- Arms, Door-Keeper, and two a.s.sistant Door-Keepers; persons not members of their body.

IV. To have co-ordinate jurisdiction with the Senate in the enactment of laws.

V. To prefer charges against officers for misconduct in office; which is called impeachment.

ORGANIZATION.

Q. Who calls the a.s.sembly to order for the purpose of organization?

A. The Clerk of the last a.s.sembly.

Q. Who furnishes the Clerk with an official list of the members elect?

A. The Secretary of State

Q. By whom is the oath of office administered?

A Usually by the Secretary of State. The oath may, however, be taken previously, before any Justice of the Supreme Court, Attorney-General, the Lieutenant Governor, any Judge of a County Court, the Mayor or Recorder of any city, or the Clerk of any county or Court of Record. The oath whenever taken must be duly subscribed, certified, and filed in the office of the Secretary of State. Members who are absent at the organization, may be sworn by the Speaker, if they have not previously taken the oath.

Q. By whom are the other officers appointed?

A. By the Speaker, except those in the department of the Clerk; he having power to appoint his own deputies.

THE SENATE.

Q. Who is the presiding officer in the Senate?

A. The Lieutenant-Governor, and he is called the President of the Senate.

DUTIES.

Q. What are some of the duties of the State Senate?

I. To elect the remaining officers, whose names and duties are about the same as in the a.s.sembly.

II. To have co-ordinate jurisdiction with the a.s.sembly in enacting laws

III. To act as a court for the trial of impeachments, a.s.sociated with the judges of the Court of Appeals, and the President of the Senate.

IV. To confirm or reject appointments made by the Governor.

V. To elect a temporary president when the Lieutenant-Governor shall not attend as president, or shall be called to act as Governor.

Q. How many members must be present in each house to do business?

A. A majority, which is called a quorum.

BILLS.

Q. Where may bills originate?

A. Any bill may originate in either house of the Legislature.

Q. What is the difference between the Legislature of this state and Congress in this respect?

A. In Congress all bills for raising revenues MUST originate in the House of Representatives.

Q. What may either house do with bills originating in the other house?

A. Amend them; but both houses must agree to the amendment or amendments, before they can become a law.

Q. What is required in order that a bill may become a law?

I. The a.s.sent of a majority of all the members elected to each branch of the Legislature, together with the approval of the Governor;