Similar to the Congress of the United States, state legislatures can impeach state officials, including governors and judicial officers in every state. In addition, the legislatures of the territories of American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, and Puerto Rico have impeachment powers. Impeachment describes the process through which the legislature may bring charges and hold a trial with a penalty including removal from office.
Some aspects of how impeachment is conducted in different states and territories different, however they all commonly follow the two-stage model used by the federal government of having a legislative chamber first vote to impeach an official before then holding an impeachment trial to determine whether to convict and remove that official.
Impeachment processes by state/territory Some aspects of how impeachment is conducted in different states and territories different, however they all commonly follow the two-stage model used by the federal government of having a legislative chamber first vote to impeach an official before then holding an impeachment trial to determine whether to convict and remove that official. This takes cues from the practice of impeachment in England. Like the federal government, most have their lower chamber of their legislatures hold the vote to impeach, and have the subsequent impeachment trial take place in the upper chamber of their legislatures. However, several states do differ from the convention of holding the impeachment trial in their upper chamber. In a reverse, in Alaska it is the upper chamber of the legislature that votes to impeach while the lower chamber acts as the court of impeachment. In Missouri, after the lower chamber votes to impeach, an impeachment trial is held before the Supreme Court of Missouri, except for members of that court or for governors, whose impeachments are to be tried by a panel of seven judges (requiring a vote of five judges to convict), with the members of the panel being selected by the upper legislative chamber, the Missouri State Senate. In Nebraska, which has a unicameral legislature, after the Nebraska Legislature votes to impeach, an impeachment trial takes place before the Nebraska Supreme Court. In addition to all the members of its upper chamber, the state of New York's Court of the Trial of Impeachments also includes all seven members of the state's highest court, the New York Court of Appeals.
Before the 2024 ratification of an amendment adding an impeachment clause to its state constitution, Oregon was the only state without impeachment.
+ Current impeachment procedure by state/territory/federal districtState/territory/fed. district Body which impeaches Body which holds trial/convicts Offices subject to impeachment by state/territorial government Presiding officer specifications for trials Specified reasons for which officials can be impeached Notes AlabamaHouse of Representatives(majority vote needed)Senate(two-thirds vote needed to convict)Governor Lieutenant governor Attorney general State auditor Secretary of state State treasurer Commissioner of agriculture and industries Justices of the Supreme Court Appellate court judges Members of the Board of Education County officers Officers of incorporated cities and towns Trustees of the Alabama Trust FundChief Justice or associate justice of the Supreme Court (Governor and Lieutenant governor) "Willful neglect of duty, corruption in office, incompetency, or intemperance in the use of intoxicating liquors or narcotics to such an extent, in view of the dignity of the office and importance of its duties, as unfits the officer for the discharge of such duties for any offense involving moral turpitude while in office, or committed under color thereof, or connected therewith" House of Representatives rules currently require a several-step process before a vote on impeachment can be held, including a requirement that 63 members of the House (equivalent to three-fifths of its membership) vote to permit articles of impeachment to be considered by the HouseAlabama Constitution of 2022 Article V sections 138 and 158; Article VII (all sections); Article IX 219.02 (d)AlaskaSenate(two-thirds vote needed)House of Representatives(support of two-thirds of the membership needed to convict) "All civil officers of the State" A justice of the Supreme Court (all trials) None specified, but motion for impeachments are required to list fully the basis for the proceeding Judgement is limited to removal from office (no ability to bar future eligibility to hold office) Alabama Constitution Article 2American Samoa (territory)House of Representatives(support of two-thirds of the membership needed)Senate(support of two-thirds of the membership needed to convict) Governor; lieutenant Governor; chief justice and associate justices of the High Court of American Samoa; associate judges; district court judges Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of American Samoa None specified, but Legislature is to provide the causes for impeachment ArizonaHouse of Representatives(majority of the entire membership needed)Senate(two-thirds vote needed to convict)"Every public officer in the state of Arizona, holding an elective office, either by election or appointment" Chief justice of Arizona (all trials except for trials of the chief justice) "High crimes, misdemeanors, or malfeasance in office"ArkansasHouse of Representatives(majority vote needed)Senate(support of two-thirds of the membership needed) All state officers (including the governor), judges of the Supreme and Circuit Courts, chancellors, prosecuting attorneysChief justice of the Supreme Court of Arkansas (all trials except for trials of the chief justice) "High crimes and misdemeanors and gross misconduct in office"California State Assembly State Senate(support of two-thirds of the membership needed to convict) "State officers elected on a statewide basis, members of the State Board of Equalization, and judges of state courts" "Misconduct in office" Impeached officials are suspended from practicing the functions their office until the judgement of the trial; convictions can result in removal from office and disqualification or alternative in temporary suspension from office; trials are required to be prosecuted by impeachment managers elected by the State Assembly. The impeachment managers author the articles of impeachment on which the officer is to be tried by the Senate.California Constitution Article IV, Section 18California Government Code Title 1, Division 4, Chapter 7, Article 2, Section 3020, Section 3022, Section 3032, Section 3035, Section 3037ColoradoHouse of Representatives(support of a majority of the membership needed)Senate(support of two-thirds of the membership needed to convict)"Governor and other state and judicial officers"Chief justice of the Supreme Court (gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial trials)"High crimes or misdemeanors or malfeasance in office"General Assembly has the power to also suspend "any officer in his functions pending impeachment...for misconduct in office."Colorado Constitution Articles 12 and 13ConnecticutHouse of RepresentativesSenate (two-thirds vote needed to convict)"Governor, and all other executive and judicial officers"Chief justice of the Supreme Court (gubernatorial trials)none specifiedDelawareHouse of Representatives(support of two-thirds of the membership needed)Senate(support of two-thirds of the membership needed to convict)"Governor and all other civil officers"Chief justice of the Supreme Court (gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial trials) President of the Senate (all other trials)"Treason, bribery, or any high crime or misdemeanor in office"District of Columbia (federal district)(no impeachment clause)FloridaHouse of Representatives(two-thirds vote needed) Senate(two-thirds vote needed to convict) Governor, administrative officers of the Executive Department, justices of the Supreme Court of Florida, and judges of the Circuit Court Chief justice of the Supreme Court of Florida (all trials, except trials of themselves) Governor (trials of the chief justice of the Supreme Court)"Misdemeanor in office"The Constitution of Florida requires that impeachment trials be concluded within six months of the impeachment vote. Additionally, the Constitution of Florida explicitly permits the speaker of the House to committees to conduct impeachment inquiries. GeorgiaHouse of RepresentativesSenate(support of two-thirds of the membership needed to convict)"Any executive or judicial officer" of Georgia or "any member of the General Assembly"Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia None specifiedGeorgia Constitution, Article III Guam (territory)(no impeachment clause)HawaiiHouse of RepresentativesSenate(support of two-thirds of the membership needed to convict) Governor, lieutenant governor, and "any appointive officer for whose removal the consent of the senate is required" Chief justice of the Supreme Court of Hawaii "For causes that may be provided by law"Constitution of Hawaii, Article 3IdahoHouse of RepresentativesSenate(two-thirds vote with a majority quorum needed to convict) None specifiedChief justice of the Supreme Court of Idaho (gubernatorial trials)After articles of impeachment against them are presented to the Senate, officers are temporarily suspended from their office and prohibited from acting in their official capacity until the judgement of the trial. Upon such suspension of any state officer, the office "must at once be temporarily filled by an appointment made by the governor, with the advice and consent of the senate" until the impeached officer is acquitted or (in case of removal) until the vacancy is permanently filled as required by law."IllinoisHouse(majority vote needed)Senate(support of two-thirds of the membership needed to convict)"Executive and Judicial officers" Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (gubernatorial trials)none, but legislative investigations are required to determine a causeIndianaHouse of RepresentativesSenate(support of two-thirds of the membership needed to convict)"All state officers" (except justices of the Supreme Court of Indiana; judges of the Court of Appeals of Indiana; judges of the Indiana tax court; all other judges; prosecuting attorneys; and all county, city, town, and township officers)Chief justice of the Supreme Court of Indiana (gubernatorial trials)"Crime, incapacity, or negligence"Trials required to be prosecuted by impeachment managers that are elected by the House of Representatives. Impeachment managers are also to author the articles of impeachment.2012 Indiana Code Title 5. State and Local Administration Article 8. Officers' Impeachment, Removal, Resignation, and Disqualification Chapter 1. Impeachment and Removal From OfficeIowaHouseSenate(two-thirds vote needed to convict)Governor, judges of the Supreme Court of Iowa and Iowa District Courts, and other state officers"Misdemeanor or malfeasance in office"KansasHouseSenate(support of two-thirds of the membership needed to convict)Governor and all other state constitutional officers"Treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors"KentuckyHouseSenate (two-thirds vote needed to convict)Governor and all civil officersChief justice of the Kentucky Court of Appeals (gubernatorial impeachments)