States of Jersey
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States of Jersey |
The States of Jersey (French: États de Jersey) is the parliament and government of Jersey.
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Composition
The Queen as head of state appoints the Lieutenant Governor, who serves as the Queen's representative and as commander of the Armed Forces, for such a term as she pleases. The Lieutenant Governor serves a ceremonial role and may attend and address the States Assembly, but usually does so only on taking and leaving office.
The legislative power of the Bailiwick rests with the Assembly of the States, of which the Bailiff is the President, or presiding officer. However, the Bailiff may cast no vote except for the casting, or tie-breaking, vote. In the absence of the Bailiff, the Deputy Bailiff or an individual chosen by the Assembly presides.
The Assembly's voting members comprise Senators, Deputies, and Connétables. Twelve Senators are chosen by the whole Bailiwick for six-year terms; terms are staggered so that six senators are chosen every three years. Additionally, twenty-nine Deputies are elected for a three-year term by single- or multi-member electoral districts. Finally, each of the Bailiwick's twelve parishes elects one Connétable. The Connétable is actually the head of the parish who sits ex-officio in the Assembly; he is not directly elected to the Assembly. Connétables also serve three-year terms.
In addition to voting members, the Assembly also includes three members who may speak but not vote. The Attorney General and Solicitor General are appointed by the Queen as officers of the state and serve in the Assembly ex-officio. They may address the Assembly on matters of legal interpretation. Also, the Dean of Jersey, the senior Jersey clergyman of the Church of England, has a seat in the Assembly ex-officio, and may addres the Assembly on any issue. He also acts as chaplain of the States, conducting the opening prayers in French at every sitting.
Legislation
The Assembly's passage of a law is generally not subject to any veto. However, any law that concerns the "special interest" of the Queen may be vetoed by the Lieutenant Governor. Additionally, if he feels that the Assembly does not have the authority to pass a law, the Bailiff may declare his dissent to that law. The bill is then submitted to the Queen, and has no effect until her consent is obtained.
A 1966 law known as the States of Jersey Law outlines the general procedures of government.
A piece of legislation passed by the States is known in English simply as a 'Law', and in French as a Loi, not as an 'Act' as in the UK. An Act or Acte of the States is an administrative enactment and may be in the nature of secondary legislation.
History
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The legislature derives its name from the estates (French: états) of the Crown (represented by the Bailiff and Jurats), the Church (the rectors of the Parishes) and the people (represented by the Connétables) from whom the assembly was originally summoned.
As the urban population of St. Helier grew in the 19th century, Deputies were added to counterbalance the mismatch of population and voting power between town and country.
Until the constitutional reforms brought in in the 1940s to separate legislature and judiciary, Jurats were the senior politicians, elected for life by islandwide suffrage, and were the presidents of committees. In 1948 the Jurats were replaced in the legislature by directly-elected Senators, who at first were elected for mandates of 9 years (subsequently reduced to 6 years).
The rectors were also removed from the States in 1948 (with the exception of the Dean as Rector of St. Helier, who remained but lost his vote), and replaced by an increased number of Deputies.
States Chamber
The States sat in the Royal Court until 1887 when the States Chamber was constructed adjacent to the Royal Court. The chamber is in Jacobean style, with the benches arranged in horseshoe form around the twin seats of the Bailiff and Lieutenant Governor. The Bailiff's seat is raised slightly higher than that of the Lieutenant Governor to demonstrate his precedence.
Senators sit to the left of the bailiff, then the Connétables, and then the Deputies filling up the benches to the right.