State government

State government, body that administers laws and regulations within a state. Under the U.S. federal system, each state government has its own constitution and consists of an executive branch headed by a governor, a legislative branch, and a judicial branch. State governments have powers that are independent from those of the federal government and can set policy as long as there is no breach of constitutional law. Powers overlap in some areas, however, and it becomes necessary for the state and federal governments to work closely together.