Words To Know

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Amendment
a change or addition to a law

Assembly
part of the state legislature made up of elected representatives from 80 local districts in California

Audit
a review or inspection

Bond
a type of long term borrowing governments use to raise money for big projects. The government sells bonds but also has to pay interest on them

Commission
a group of people appointed, or chosen, to do a certain task

Congress
the part of our national, or federal, government that makes laws. It has two parts: the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate

Constitution
the document that lays out the basic structure of a government.
We have a U.S. constitution and a state constitution

Corruption
dishonest and unlawful behavior, often tied to bribery and special favors

Democracy
a type of government where all citizens are represented

Initiative
a measure that is put on the ballot by the people, not the legislature

Legislature
the branch of our state government that makes laws. It has two groups of elected people: the State Assembly and the State Senate

Participation
to be involved or active

Preempt
to overrule or take the place of an existing law

Priorities
choices about what is most important

Propositions
proposed laws that the public votes on; they can be for state or
local laws

Regulation
a rule or law that requires things to be done a certain way

Verify
to check out or confirm that something is true

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