What are some of the informal ways in which governors exercise control over state legislature?

There are several ways a governor can informally influence the state legislature. One way is to threaten to veto a bill that crosses the Governor’s desk that the Governor doesn’t support. Sometimes the threat of veto will cause the state legislature to modify the legislation on which it is working to satisfy the Governor’s concerns or wishes.

The Governor can informally influence the state legislature by discussing ideas and projects in the State of the...

There are several ways a governor can informally influence the state legislature. One way is to threaten to veto a bill that crosses the Governor’s desk that the Governor doesn’t support. Sometimes the threat of veto will cause the state legislature to modify the legislation on which it is working to satisfy the Governor’s concerns or wishes.

The Governor can informally influence the state legislature by discussing ideas and projects in the State of the State address. If these ideas or projects are popular, there may be pressure on the state legislature to act upon these ideas.

The Governor can issue or threaten to issue an executive order to accomplish something if the legislature doesn’t act upon the issue. These orders can cover many situations. For example, the executive orders might help deal with emergencies, or they may focus on hiring or not hiring state workers.

Governors may use the line-item veto if they have that power. This power allows the Governor to strike words or sentences from proposed laws. The state legislature needs to consider the wishes of the Governor to avoid the broad use of the line-item veto. The use of the line-item veto can significantly alter the meaning of proposed laws.

The Governor could call a special session of the state legislature if the state legislature doesn’t act upon an issue that the Governor feels is important. This could put pressure on the state legislature to act upon an issue during its regularly scheduled session. Calling a special session is an added expense for the state. It may also be an inconvenience for the state legislators.

The Governor has many methods he can use or threaten to use to informally influence the legislative branch of the state government. Governors, in the past, have used many of these methods to get certain ideas and goals accomplished.