Lieutenant Governor of California

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The Lieutenant Governor of California is a statewide constitutional officer elected separately from the Governor that serves as the "vice-executive" of California. The Lieutenant Governor of California is elected to serve a four year term and can serve a maximum of two terms. In addition to basically ceremonial roles, serving as Acting Governor in the absence of the Governor, and as President of the California State Senate, the Lieutenant Governor either sits on, or appoints representatives to, many of California's regulatory commissions and executive agencies. California has had 41 Lieutenant Governors and five Acting Lieutenant Governors since achieving statehood in 1850.

[edit] Responsibilities

The Lieutenant Governor sits on the UC Board of Regents, CSU Board of Trustees, Ocean Protection Council, the California Emergency Council, and the State Lands Commission. The Lieutenant Governor of California chairs the Commission for Economic Development which is responsible for fostering economic growth in California by developing and implementing strategies for attracting new business to the state, increasing state exports, creating new jobs, and stimulating industries statewide.

Many California projects created through gubernatorial executive orders, or through the initiative process, include a role for the Lieutenant Governor. For example, the Lieutenant Governor serves on the Agriculture-Water Transition Task Force (created by Governor Gray Davis), and five of the twenty-nine members of the oversight committee of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine are appointed by the Lieutenant Governor.

[edit] Criticism of the office

Some academics and scholars such as Roger E. Noll and Bruce Cain in Constitutional Reform in California have criticized constitutional offices like the Lieutenant Governor because of their low visibility among the electorate that can make it difficult for the electorate to hold constitutional officers like the Lieutenant Governor responsible for their actions [1]. The Lieutenant Governor of California has only few minor responsibilities and thus it might benefit California if the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor ran on the same ticket. The Lieutenant Governor position could potentially help the Governor implement his or her policies [2].

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Current lieutenant governors of states and overseas possessions of the United States

AL: Jim Folsom, Jr. (D)
AK: Sean Parnell (R)
AR: Bill Halter (D)
CA: John Garamendi (D)
CO: Barbara O'Brien (D)
CT: Michael Fedele (R)
DE: John C. Carney, Jr. (D)
FL: Jeff Kottkamp (R)
GA: Casey Cagle (R)
HI: James Aiona (R)

ID: Jim Risch (R)
IL: Pat Quinn (D)
IN: Becky Skillman (R)
IA: Patty Judge (D)
KS: Mark Parkinson (D)
KY: Daniel Mongiardo (D)
LA: Mitch Landrieu (D)
MD: Anthony G. Brown (D)
MA: Tim Murray (D)
MI: John D. Cherry (D)

MN: Carol Molnau (R)
MS: Phil Bryant (R)
MO: Peter Kinder (R)
MT: John Bohlinger (R)
NE: Rick Sheehy (R)
NV: Brian Krolicki (R)
NJ: Created as of 2010
NM: Diane Denish (D)
NY: vacant note
NC: Beverly Perdue (D)

ND: Jack Dalrymple (R)
OH: Lee Fisher (D)
OK: Jari Askins (D)
PA: Catherine Baker Knoll (D)
RI: Elizabeth H. Roberts (D)
SC: André Bauer (R)
SD: Dennis Daugaard (R)
TN: Ron Ramsey (R)
TX: David Dewhurst (R)
UT: Gary R. Herbert (R)

VT: Brian Dubie (R)
VA: Bill Bolling (R)
WA: Brad Owen (D)
WI: Barbara Lawton (D)
WV: Earl Ray Tomblin (D)
United States Possessions
AS: Ipulasi Aitofele Sunia (D)
GU: Michael W. Cruz (R)
NMI: Timothy P. Villagomez (R)
VI: Gregory R. Francis (D)