There are many steps that one must go through if they are arrested for breaking a law. In this video, Deputy Prosecutor Kelly Harris walks you through those steps from arraignment to sentencing.
Courts of Limited Jurisdiction and Superior Courts hear both criminal and civil cases. Various people on the street had a clear understanding of the differences between the two. Scholars, however, add to the narrative by explaining the reasoning why some offenses are part of the criminal code and why some are civil matters.
“What does the judicial branch do” seems like an easy question to answer. But, because the judicial branch has many responsibilities, it can be challenging to sum up with a single answer. Check out how some of Washington’s judges clarify the public’s perception of their jobs.
Washington State has a tripartite system of government; our three branches of government check and balance one another. Theoretically no branch of government is more powerful than the others, however it can be a delicate balance. Check out how people answer the question “What is the most powerful branch? Essential Questions: Objectives:
The Constitution is the highest law in the state, and no law can go against the Constitution. One of the jobs the Supreme Court is tasked with is deciding whether specific laws that are brought before them are Constitutional or not. Hear from Chief Justice Debra Stephens as she explains when the State Supreme Court has the final say on the interpretation of laws and what role the Legislature has when a law is deemed to be unconstitutional. Essential Questions: Objectives:
What happens after a bill finally passes both the House and Senate? In this episode of Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish), Mike Hoover explains the final stage of the legislative process: the governor’s desk. After surviving committees, floor debates, amendments, concurrence, and compromise, a bill reaches the governor for one final decision. Mike breaks down the governor’s options, including signing a bill into law, vetoing it, allowing it to become law without a signature, or issuing a partial veto on specific sections of legislation. Viewers also learn how veto overrides work, why governors are often involved in negotiations long before a bill reaches their desk, and how laws are officially added to Washington’s legal code once the process is complete.
What happens when the House and Senate pass different versions of the same bill? In this episode of Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish), Mike Hoover explains the legislative process of concurrence and dispute — the final negotiations that determine whether a bill actually makes it to the governor’s desk. After a bill passes through committees and floor votes in one chamber, it must go through the entire process again in the other chamber. But because lawmakers often amend bills along the way, the House and Senate frequently end up with different versions of the same legislation. Mike breaks down how lawmakers resolve those disagreements through concurrence, dispute, and conference committees. Viewers learn how chambers negotiate changes, why bills sometimes “ping pong” back and forth between the House and Senate, and how conference committees work to hammer out final compromises when disputes become too large to resolve easily.
Where does state money come from, and how does the government decide how to spend it? In this episode of Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish), Mike Hoover breaks down the basics of Washington State’s budgeting process and explains why the legislature’s most important constitutional responsibility is passing a balanced budget. Viewers learn that Washington does not just have one budget — it has three. Mike walks through the operating budget, capital budget, and transportation budget, explaining how each one funds different parts of state government, from schools and healthcare to roads, ferries, and construction projects. The episode also explores how lawmakers forecast revenue and spending needs using economic and caseload forecasts, why state budgets are planned in two-year cycles called bienniums, and how budgeting involves balancing public needs with available revenue.
Think a bill is basically finished once it reaches the floor? Think again. In this episode of Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish), Mike Hoover explains why some of the biggest and most dramatic changes to legislation can happen at the very last stage before final passage. After surviving policy committees, fiscal committees, and countless procedural hurdles, bills arriving on the House or Senate floor may still face major amendments, substitute language, and intense negotiations. Mike walks viewers through the fast-moving world of floor action, where lawmakers negotiate votes, trade amendments, and sometimes completely reshape a bill in order to keep it alive. The episode explores how legislative compromise works in practice, why lawmakers sometimes accept changes they do not fully like, and how political realities, time pressure, and competing priorities influence final outcomes.
What happens during all those long pauses and delays on the legislative floor? In this episode of Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish), Mike Hoover explains the purpose of caucus and why so much of the real negotiation in government happens away from the cameras. Viewers learn how lawmakers break into party caucuses — separate meetings where Democrats and Republicans discuss strategy, debate bills, negotiate amendments, and prepare for upcoming floor votes. Mike explains why legislative leaders try to avoid surprises during floor debate and how behind-the-scenes conversations help legislation move more smoothly through the process. The episode also explores the role of bipartisan negotiation, why compromise is often worked out before public debate begins, and how the public perception of constant political conflict does not always reflect the day-to-day reality of state legislatures.