Comparison of U.S. state and territory governments

In the United States, the government of each of the 50 states is structured in accordance with its individual constitution. In turn, each state constitution must be grounded in republican principles. Article IV, Section 4, Clause 1 of the United States Constitution tasks the federal government with assuring that each state's government is so organized.

All state governments are modeled after the federal government and consist of three branches (although the three-branch structure is not Constitutionally required): executive, legislative, and judicial. All state governments are also organized as presidential systems where the governor is both head of government and head of state (even though this too is not required). The government of each of the five permanently inhabited U.S. territories is modeled and organized in a like fashion.

Each state is itself a sovereign entity, and as such, reserves the right to organize in any way (within the above stated parameter) deemed appropriate by its people. As a result, while the governments of the various states share many similar features, they often vary greatly with regard to form and substance. No two state governments are identical. The following tables compare and contrast some of the features of U.S. state governments.

Legislative

With the exception of Nebraska, all American state legislatures are bicameral, meaning there is one legislative body separated into two units. Nebraska eliminated its lower house with a referendum during the 1936 elections. Also, some systems, such as the New York State Legislature, have two legislative bodies while never technically referring to them in the state constitution as a single body. These dual systems are generally considered bicameral.

State legislative branchLower houseUpper house Ratio Total size NameSizeTerm length (years) Term limit NameSizeTerm length (years) Term limitFilibuster possibleLower to Upper house size Alabama Legislature Alabama House of Representatives 105 4 None Alabama Senate 35 4 None 3 140 Alaska Legislature Alaska House of Representatives 40 2 None Alaska Senate 20 4 None 2 60 Arizona Legislature Arizona House of Representatives 60 2 Four consecutive terms Arizona Senate 30 2 Four consecutive terms 2 90 Arkansas General Assembly Arkansas House of Representatives 100 2 Three terms Arkansas Senate 35 2 or 4 Two 4 year terms 2.857143 135 California State Legislature California State Assembly 80 2 12 years in either house, combinedThe new limit was decided by referendum as Proposition 28, in June 2012. Between 1990 and that date, one could serve 3 terms in the House and 2 in the Senate, which means the new limit is globally earlier but roughly doubles in each body. California State Senate 40 4 12 years in either house, combined 2 120 Colorado General Assembly Colorado House of Representatives 65 2 Four consecutive terms Colorado Senate 35 4 Two consecutive terms 1.857143 100 Connecticut General Assembly Connecticut House of Representatives 151 2 None Connecticut Senate 36 2 None 4.194444 187 Delaware General Assembly Delaware House of Representatives 41 2 None Delaware Senate 21 2 or 4 None 1.952381 62 Florida Legislature Florida House of Representatives 120 2 Four terms Florida Senate 40 2 or 4 Two terms 3 160 Georgia General Assembly Georgia House of Representatives 180 2 None Georgia Senate 56 2 None 3.214286 236 Hawaii State Legislature Hawaii House of Representatives 51 2 None Hawaii Senate 25 4 None 2.04 76 Idaho Legislature Idaho House of Representatives 70 2 None Idaho Senate 35 2 None 2 105 Illinois General Assembly Illinois House of Representatives 118 2 None Illinois Senate 59 2 or 4 None 2 177 Indiana General Assembly Indiana House of Representatives 100 2 None Indiana Senate 50 4 None 2 150 Iowa General Assembly Iowa House of Representatives 100 2 None Iowa Senate 50 4 None 2 150 Kansas Legislature Kansas House of Representatives 125 2 None Kansas Senate 40 4 None 3.125 165 Kentucky General Assembly Kentucky House of Representatives 100 2 None Kentucky Senate 38 4 None 2.631579 138 Louisiana State Legislature Louisiana House of Representatives 105 4 Three terms Louisiana State Senate 39 4 Three terms 2.692308 144 Maine Legislature Maine House of Representatives 153 2 Four terms Maine Senate 35 2 Four terms 4.371429 188 Maryland General Assembly Maryland House of Delegates 141 4 None Maryland State Senate 47 4 None 3 188 General Court of Massachusetts Massachusetts House of Representatives 160 2 None Massachusetts Senate 40 2 None 4 200 Michigan Legislature Michigan House of Representatives 110 2 12 years in either house, combined Michigan Senate 38 4 12 years in either house, combined 2.894737 148 Minnesota Legislature Minnesota House of Representatives 134 2 None Minnesota Senate 67 2 or 4 None 2 201 Mississippi Legislature Mississippi House of Representatives 122 4 None Mississippi State Senate 52 4 None 2.346154 174 Missouri General Assembly Missouri House of Representatives 163 2 Four termsMissouri Constitution, Art. III, Sec. 8 Missouri Senate 34 4 Eight years (Two terms) 4.794118 197 Montana State Legislature Montana House of Representatives 100 2 Four terms Montana Senate 50 4 Two terms 2 150 Nebraska Legislature Nebraska Legislature 49 4 Two terms 49 Nevada Legislature Nevada Assembly 42 2 Six terms Nevada Senate 21 4 Three terms 2 63 New Hampshire General Court New Hampshire House of Representatives 400 2 None New Hampshire Senate 24 2 None 16.66667 424 New Jersey Legislature New Jersey General Assembly 80 2 None New Jersey Senate 40 2 or 4 None 2 120 New Mexico Legislature New Mexico House of Representatives 70 2 None New Mexico Senate 42 4 None 1.666667 112 New York State Legislature New York State Assembly 150 2 None New York State Senate 63 2 None 2.380952 213 North Carolina General Assembly North Carolina House of Representatives 120 2 None North Carolina Senate 50 2 None 2.4 170 North Dakota Legislative Assembly North Dakota House of Representatives 94 4 Two terms North Dakota Senate 47 4 Two terms 2 141 Ohio General Assembly Ohio House of Representatives 99 2 Four terms Ohio Senate 33 4 Two terms 3 132 Oklahoma Legislature Oklahoma House of Representatives 101 2 12 years in either house, combined Oklahoma Senate 48 4 12 years in either house, combined 2.104167 149 Oregon Legislative Assembly Oregon House of Representatives 60 2 NoneState representatives were limited to three terms (6 years) until term limits were repealed by Oregon Ballot Measure 3 (1992). Oregon State Senate 30 4 NoneState senators were limited to two terms (8 years) until term limits were repealed by Oregon Ballot Measure 3 (1992). 2 90 Pennsylvania General Assembly Pennsylvania House of Representatives 203 2 None Pennsylvania State Senate 50 4 None 4.06 253 Rhode Island General Assembly Rhode Island House of Representatives 75 2 None Rhode Island Senate 38 2 None 1.973684 113 South Carolina General Assembly South Carolina House of Representatives 124 2 None South Carolina Senate 46 4 None 2.695652 170 South Dakota State Legislature South Dakota House of Representatives 70 2 Four terms South Dakota Senate 35 4 Two terms 2 105 Tennessee General Assembly Tennessee House of Representatives 99 2 None Tennessee Senate 33 4 None 3 132 Texas Legislature Texas House of Representatives 150 2 None Texas Senate 31 2 or 4 None 4.83871 181 Utah State Legislature Utah House of Representatives 75 2 None Utah State Senate 29 4 None 2.586207 104 Vermont General Assembly Vermont House of Representatives 150 2 None Vermont Senate 30 2 None 5 180 Virginia General Assembly Virginia House of Delegates 100 2 None Senate of Virginia 40 4 None 2.5 140 Washington State Legislature Washington House of Representatives 98 2 None Washington State Senate 49 4 None 2 147 West Virginia Legislature West Virginia House of Delegates 100 2 None West Virginia Senate 34 4 None 2.941176 134 Wisconsin Legislature Wisconsin State Assembly 99 2 None Wisconsin Senate 33 4 None 3 132 Wyoming Legislature Wyoming House of Representatives 62 2 None Wyoming Senate 31 4 None 2 90

Supermajority requirements While only 13 states have a filibuster, there are often restrictions on the majority a state needs to raise taxes.

Key State NotesAlabamaThe Alabama State Senate allows a filibuster, and has a general three-fifths requirement to enact cloture. A simple majority of 18 is acceptable when dealing with the budget and redistricting.ArkansasArkansas, along with Rhode Island, is one of the only states that requires a supermajority to pass a budget. A three-fourths majority is required for appropriations, except for education, highways, and paying down the state debt, which require a simple majority.Fiscal Policy, State Budgets and Tax Actions | News and InformationCaliforniaFrom 1933 to 2011 there was a two-thirds requirement for general fund appropriations for purposes other than public schools (Const., Art. IV, Sec. 12). Because the Legislature typically passes one main budget bill, the requirement effectively applied to the whole budget bill. There has been a two-thirds requirement for tax increases since Proposition 13 in 1978. In 2010, voters approved Proposition 25, eliminating the 2/3 requirement for the budget, but keeping it for tax increases.

Executive

The governor is the chief executive official in each state.