From Ballotpedia Show
A state constitution is the governing document of a U.S. state, comparable to the United States Constitution which is the governing document of the United States. Some states have had multiple constitutions and since each state drafts its own, there is great diversity between them, though all have some basic concepts in common.[1] The average length of a state constitution is about 39,000 words (compared to 7,591 words for the U.S. Constitution including its amendments). The longest state governing document is that of Alabama, which has approximately 389,000 words. That document is also the most amended state constitution in the Union, with nearly 950 amendments as. The average state constitution has been amended about 115 times. The oldest state constitution still in effect is that of Massachusetts, which took effect in 1780. The newest is the Rhode Island Constitution, which was ratified by voters in 1986 after a constitutional convention was held which proposed deleting superseded language and reorganizing the state's 1843 Constitution. The Georgia Constitution is the next youngest and was ratified in 1983.[2][3] List of state constitutions
External links
Additional reading
Footnotes
Why do state constitutions tend to be longer than the U.S. Constitution?In the United States, each state has its own written constitution. They are much longer than the United States Constitution, which only contains 4,543 words. State constitutions are all longer than 8,000 words because they are more detailed regarding the day-to-day relationships between government and the people.
Are state constitutions longer than the U.S. Constitution?The average length for state constitutions is approximately 39,000 words. By comparison, the U.S. Constitution weighs in at a relatively brief 7,591 words, including the 27 amendments.
Why do state constitutions tend to be longer than the U.S. Constitution quizlet?Why do state constitutions tend to be longer than the U.S. Constitution? They blur constitutional law and legislative law. A state's Bill of Rights protects __________. Legislative law, in Texas, refers to __________.
What is the most important difference between the U.S. Constitution and state constitutions?From a state legislator's perspective, what may be the most important difference between state constitutions and the federal one, Tarr says, “is that, while the federal Constitution grants various powers to the legislative branch, state constitutions tend to restrict legislative powers.”
|