A 2017 image of state governors.
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NOTE: In place of our regular “Daily News Article” we have provided information on the annual “State of the State” addresses, and included questions below.
The State of the State Address is a speech given once each year by the governors of most states.
The speech is customarily delivered before both houses of the state legislature sitting in joint session, with the exception of the Nebraska legislature, which is a unicameral body.
This address is also known by other names. In Iowa, the speech is called the Condidion of the State Address. In Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia it is called the State of the Commonwealth Address.
The speech is given to satisfy a constitutional stipulation that a governor must report annually, or in older constitutions described as being “from time to time,” on the state or condition of a U.S. state.
There are also many cities in the United States in which the mayor gives a State of the City address.
The address given by the President of the United States is known as the State of the Union address. President Trump will give this year’s State of the Union on Tuesday, January 29 at 9 p.m. EST.
Questions
1. What is the purpose of the “State of the State” address?
2. Many State of the State addresses are given during the day. The President gives the State of the Union address in the evening. What time of day is best for a State of the State address? Explain your answer.
3. On what date will/did your governor give the 2019 State of the State?
4. Watch your governor’s State of the State address and answer the following questions. (If the address has already taken place, watch it online by visiting your governor’s website or youtube page, or by doing an internet search for “2019 state of the state+your state/governor’s name”)
OR
Watch last year’s State of the State address by your governor and answer the following questions (as well as adding this extra question: How many of your governor’s promises/proposals did he/she fulfill in 2018?):
- Tone is the attitude a speaker takes towards a subject. What was the tone of your governor’s state of the state address?
- List some of the things the governor promised to do to improve the economy in your state.
- What new initiatives did your governor propose in his/her State of the State?
- Which issues did the Governor bypass altogether, or just mention briefly?
- Do you think the Governor is focusing on the correct issues? Explain your answer.
Ask a parent the same question. - What issue presented by your governor was the most important to you or inspired you? Explain your answer.
- Did any aspect of the speech disappoint you? Explain your answer.
- IF WATCHING LAST YEAR’S ADDRESS: How many of your governor’s promises/proposals did he/she fulfill in 2018?
Resources
The National Governors Association (NGA) is the bipartisan organization of the nation’s governors:
- For a list of governors, visit the website at: nga.org/cms/governors/bios
- For a chart of past State of the State addresses by state: nasbo.org/resources/stateofthestates
For a chart of 2019 governors and legislatures: wikipedia
Daily “Answers” emails are provided for Daily News Articles, Tuesday’s World Events and Friday’s News Quiz.
