How Does The Governor Influence The Policy Making Process

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Throughout state government, the governor plays a vital role in the process of policymaking in the legislature, and the implementation of policy making through the bureaucracy. Not only do the roles of the governor include signing bills into law, convening special sessions of the state legislature, and appointing judicial and state officers. The governor influences the state legislative bodies through persuading and proposing certain bills and laws that they are working to implement during their term. Although governors are not technically a part of the legislative branch, because of their ability to veto a bill once it has already been passed, they play a large role in the formation and implementation of policy and lawmaking.

The Governor influences the policy making process amongst the legislature in several ways. One of these includes message power. This allows for the governor to focus the attention of the legislators, citizens, and press on legislative proposals that they personally consider to be important. Such as found in an article published by Rutgers University “State of the state addresses, therefore, offers a critical opportunity for governors to set the legislative agenda for the states. Legislators look to
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In result, the threat of a special session can then encourage action from legislators, thus becoming an advantageous tool for the governor.

Also, the governor has the ability to influence policy making in the legislature through their right to practice the power to veto, especially after post-adjournment. The power to veto allows the governors to nullify bills, concurrent resolutions, and appropriation items. The governor can then use the threat of the veto in order to influence legislation during the session. This can then also be used as a form of intervention in the legislative budget process to affect spending