Insurance Commissioner

Overview: What are the roles and responsibilities of Washington’s Insurance Commissioner? Learn about this statewide elected office with former WA Insurance Commissioner Deborah Senn. This video examines the role of the Insurance Commissioner, the person who runs the department that regulates insurance coverage sold to citizens ‘from cradle to grave’ in Washington State. By focusing on the consumer protection responsibilities of the department, the viewer examines the merits of this being an elected position. Essential Questions: Objectives:

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State Treasurer

Overview: What are the roles and responsibilities of Washington’s State Treasurer? Learn about this statewide elected office with former WA State Treasurer Jim McIntire. By examining the issues that the State Treasurer deals with, students will understand the importance of maintaining a fiscally responsible government for the citizens of Washington State. Essential Questions: Objectives:

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Commissioner of Public Lands

Overview: What are the roles and responsibilities of Washington’s Commissioner of Public Lands? Learn about this statewide elected office with former WA Commissioner of Public Lands, Peter Goldmark. This video examines the role of the Commissioner of Public Lands, the person who runs the Department of Natural Resources in Washington State. By focusing on the responsibilities that the Commissioner has over the millions of acres of public lands, viewers will understand the importance the state of Washington puts upon the management of our natural resources. Essential Questions: Objectives:

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State Auditor

Overview: What are the roles and responsibilities of Washington’s State Auditor? Learn about this statewide elected office with former WA Auditor Brian Sonntag. This video examines the role of the State Auditor, a position established to hold the state agencies accountable to the citizens of Washington state. By focusing on the responsibilities of the Auditor, viewers see how budget audits provide oversight and a check on state government. Essential Questions: Objectives:

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 Secretary of State

Overview: It’s not about foreign relations or trade, but rather, elections are perhaps the most important job of Washington’s Secretary of State. What are the roles and responsibilities of Washington’s Secretary of State? Learn about this statewide elected office with former WA Secretary of State Sam Reed.By focusing on the responsibilities that the Secretary of State has in Washington State, viewers will understand what part the Secretary of State plays among the other elected officials and with matters of the government. Essential Questions Objectives:

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Attorney General

Overview: What are the roles and responsibilities of Washington’s Attorney General? Learn about this statewide elected office with former WA Attorney General Bob McKenna. By focusing on the responsibilities that the Attorney General has in Washington State, viewers will understand what part the Attorney General plays among the other elected officials and with matters of the Essential Questions: Objectives:

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Superintendent of Public Instruction

Overview: What are the roles and responsibilities of Washington’s Superintendent of Public Instruction? Learn about this statewide elected office with former WA State Superintendent Randy Dorn. By focusing on how the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) works with the state’s public school districts and 6 state-tribal education compact schools, students will understand how the office funds the public school system for the betterment of all Washingtonians. Essential Questions: Objectives:

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The Lieutenant Governor

Overview: Contrary to what you might think, in Washington State, the Lieutenant Governor and the Governor don’t run as a team but rather, run independently of each other. What are the roles and responsibilities of Washington’s Lieutenant Governor? Learn about this statewide elected office with former WA Lieutenant Governor Brad Owen. By focusing on the responsibilities that the Lieutenant Governor has in Washington State, viewers will understand what part the Lieutenant Governor plays among the other elected officials and with matters of the government. Essential Questions: Objectives:

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The Governor

Overview What are the roles and responsibilities of Washington’s Governor? Learn about this statewide elected office with former WA Governor Christine Gregoire. As the top elected official of the State of Washington, the Governor is essentially the commander in chief. By focusing on the responsibilities that the Governor has over the state of Washington, viewers will understand how the Governor works with the other statewide elected officials and the other branches of government. Essential Questions: Objectives:

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The Governor’s Desk

What power does the governor have in the Legislative Process? In the United States and in Washington State, we pride ourselves on our system of representative democracy and the checks and balances that help keep this system in place. With Sine Die, the bulk of the legislative branch’s work is finished for the year, and now the Executive Branch’s role in the legislative process begins in earnest. Legislation that passed both the House and the Senate is sent to the Governor for approval. The Governor’s signature acts as a check on the legislature; the governor will have 20 days after Sine Die to either sign or veto the proposed legislation. If they choose to do neither, the bills will become law without a signature. Of course the Legislature can override vetos with a 2/3 vote of both the House and Senate, but this check on the Executive Branch can be hard to achieve in a divided Legislative Body. Hear from former Governor Gregoire and former Governor Inslee explain how the governor is involved during the session, how they come to the decisions they do, as well as the bill signing powers they have. Essential Questions:

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