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Maryland State Constitution

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Maryland State Constitution

Maryland State is found on the East Coast of the United States, in the Mid-Atlantic region, among the great commercial and population complex that stretches from Maine to Virginia (History Channel, 2011). It was the seventh state to ratify the United States Constitution.Maryland has had four constitutions the first was adopted in November 1776. In June 15, 1851 there was a second Constitution adopted and the third in October 1864 finally the fourth and last was adopted in September 1867 (Archives of Maryland, 2009). The Maryland Constitution consists of amendments projected by the general assembly and ratified by the voters. Responsibility for promoting the public interest is assigned to specific officers and agencies of State government and actual governing authority remains with the registered voters of Maryland. To vote, a citizen must register with the local board of elections. A registered voter must be eighteen years of age or older, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Maryland thirty days prior to the date of an election (Archives of Maryland, 2009).
One of the most important articles in the Maryland State Constitution is the Declaration of rights, which shows the rights and laws that were put in place to protect the residents of Maryland. This Declaration gives the people an explanation of the laws and rules put in place to work for the people of Maryland. “The key source of power and authority for governing the State of Maryland lies with its residents (Archives of Maryland, 2009).” The Constitution's Declaration of Rights states that all Government originates from the people and instituted solely for the good of the whole and they have, at all times, the inalienable right to alter, reform or abolish their form of government (Archives of Maryland, 2009).
The four branches of the Maryland State Constitution are state government executive, legislative, and judicial. Each of these branches plays a major role within the Maryland State Constitution. These four branches show the interest of the residents of Maryland while showing how they compare and relate to other states. Each of these branches works hand in hand with services of the county. The Maryland Constitution has ensured that each of these branches has been cross checked and agrees with each other. During the period of 1969 and 1972, the executive branch of government was reconstructed to bring agencies with related functions together under a new departmental structure. The General Assembly created twelve cabinet-level departments, encompassing nearly 250 separate governmental entities. In order of their creation, the twelve departments were: Health and Mental Hygiene, Budget and Fiscal Planning, Natural Resources, State Planning, Personnel, General Services, Human Resources, Public Safety and Correctional Services, Licensing and Regulation, Economic and Community Development, Transportation, and Agriculture (Archives of Maryland, 2009).
A second major reorganization of government was enacted by the General Assembly in 1987. The Department of Economic and Community Development, and the Department of Employment and Training were abolished. Their functions were reorganized under the Department of Economic and Employment Development, and the Department of Housing and Community Development. In the same year, the Department of the Environment was created to assume those environmental responsibilities previously overseen by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and the Department of Natural Resources. In 1989, the General Assembly transferred duties of the Department of State Planning to other agencies and formed a new Department of Juvenile Services“Believing that it would be cumbersome for all persons to participate directly in the operation of government.
The Maryland State government also used separate powers of government to distinct branches which exercise positive checks and balances on each other.” The three major systems in which a particular set of rules and laws may fall under, depending on the nature of the service needed (Archives of Maryland, 2009). According to the Maryland Judiciary system (2006), the Maryland court system has four levels: two trial courts and two appellate courts. The judicial system is responsible for court matters, such as the court of appeals and other issues pertaining to matters of the court acting a lawful manner. Throughout the Maryland court systems have four levels two trial and two appellate courts. Trial courtsreview and discuss evidence presented in a case while only making judgments based on facts about this case base on the legal precedent (Maryland Judiciary, 2006). The appellate court‘s job is to review trial court actions and decisions in order to ensure the judge has followed all rules and regulations of the law. It is important understand the difference between the two since their jobs are so familiar but based on different rules and regulations that are meant for the one particular court.
Maryland, the Family Investment Administration and the Social Services Administration of the Department of Human Resources oversee social services programs administered in each county and Baltimore City through local departments of social services (Maryland Judiciary, 2006).Maryland, social servicesoversees adoption; foster care; protective services to children, adults, and families; public assistance; and services to families with children. This department is one of the most important since it is responsible for the overall health and welfare of the Maryland residences. Maryland has a unique, unified Transportation Trust Fund. The TTF was intended to support state operating and capital expenditures in key areas such as, roads, highways and bridges major mass-transit systems as well as the major airports in the DMV area (Maryland Judiciary, 2006). Public schools also receive a great deal of the funding received. Maryland’s public schools received 5.7 million dollars in the year 2011 for educational programs. This has been made possible through taxes and other funds like the fishing and gaming fees. The State of Maryland Constitution is well written and reliable to anyone who wishes to gain a quick and confident knowledge base of how the Maryland Constitution works for the people. The Legislative Branch consists of the Maryland General Assembly and its supporting agencies. The General Assembly is the Maryland legislature. Sometimes, the General Assembly is considered the"popular"branch of government, because its members more directly represent the electorate than do officials of either the executive or judiciary. Legislators are elected to both houses of the General Assembly from legislative election districts redrawn every ten years after the federal census to ensure equal representation, based on the concept of"one person, one vote."Geographical size of the districts varies according to population density. TheJudicial Branch is responsible for the resolution of all matters involving civil and criminal law in the State of Maryland. Judges base their decisions on statutory law, common law, or equity. Maryland has a four-tiered court system consisting of the District Court of Maryland, Circuit Courts, the Court of Special Appeals, and the Court of Appeals. TheExecutive Branch implements and enforces Maryland's laws and provides executive direction to government. It consists of various officers and agencies authorized by the Maryland Constitution and State laws.Maryland has 23 counties, the State Constitution charters the City of Baltimore as an Independent city, which is the functional equivalent of a county, and is separate from any county, for example there is also a Baltimore County, but its county seat is in Towson, not in the City of Baltimore. Other than Baltimore, all cities are the same, and there is no difference between a municipality called a city or a town. Cities and towns are chartered by the legislature.

References
Maryland State Archives. (July, 2009). Comptroller of the treasury: The early years. Retrieved from http://www.msa.md.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc2900/sc2908/html/ comptrollers.html Maryland Judiciary. (2006). About the maryland judiciary. Retrieved from http://mdcourts.gov/about.html

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