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You are here: Home / Pennsylvania Politics & Policy / CIVICS 101 / Civics 101 Videos On Demand

Executive Branch

The Governor serves as the Executive of Pennsylvania. He or she is responsible for approving or vetoing laws passed by the General Assembly, subject to a two-thirds override.

 Executive
img5729297326001Civics 101: Lt. Gov. Austin Davis
img5729297326001Civics 101: Gov. Mark Schweiker
img5729297326001Civics 101: Gov. Ed Rendell
img5729297326001Civics 101: Gov. Tom Wolf

To learn more about the Executive Branch, click here for Politics and Policy on PCN.

General Assembly

Pennsylvania's General Assembly consists of two bodies, the Senate and the House of Representatives. The main task of these two bodies is to make laws.

 Legislative
img5728575445001Civics 101: Sen. Jay Costa, D-Minority Leader
img5728575445001Civics 101: Sen. Scott Martin, Chair of the PA Senate Appropriations Committee
img5728575445001Civics 101: Sen. Vincent Hughes, D-Minority Appropriations Chair
img5728575445001Civics 101: Rep. Joanna McClinton, PA Speaker of the House
img5728575445001Civics 101: Rep. Matt Bradford, D-Majority Leader
img5728575445001Civics 101: Rep. Jesse Topper, R-Minority Leader
img5728575445001Civics 101: Rep. Jordan Harris, Majority Chair, Appropriations
img5728575445001Civics 101: How a Bill Becomes a Law
img5728575445001Civics 101: PCN Tours the Capitol

To learn more about the Legislative Branch, click here for Politics and Policy on PCN.
Find your local state legislators: https://www.legis.state.pa.us/

Judicial Branch

Pennsylvania's Judicial Branch is responsible for interpreting the state Constitution, and deciding cases.

 Judicial
img5729244912001Civics 101: PA Bar Association with Nancy Conrad
img5729244912001Civics 101: PA Supreme Court with Justice Kevin Brobson
img5729244912001Civics 101: PA Supreme Court Tour
img5729244912001Public Access to Court Proceedings 03/06/24
img5729244912001Civics 101: Remote Court Arguments
img5729244912001Civics 101: Judge Marjorie Rendell, U.S. Court of Appeals. Third Circuit
img5729244912001Civics 101: Jury Duty
img5729244912001Civics 101: Lower Courts

To learn more about the Judicial Branch, click here for PA Courts on PCN.

Elections

Pennsylvanians are called to vote as part of their civic duty in a democratic government. To register to vote in Pennsylvania, you must be 18 years of age and a resident of the district you wish to vote in for at least 30 days prior to the election.

 Elections
img5728839761001Citizenship Challenge 01/23/26
img5728839761001PA Judicial Elections and Merit Selection of Judges, Civics 101
img5728839761001Civics 101: Shariff Street, Democratic Party of PA Chair
img5728839761001Civics 101: Greg Rothman, Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chair
img5728839761001Civics 101: How to Fill out a Mail-in Ballot
img5728839761001How to Run for Office
img5728839761001Civics 101: How to be a Poll Worker in Pennsylvania
img5728839761001Civics 101: How to Volunteer for a Campaign
img5728839761001Civics 101: Why is it Important to Vote?

To learn more about PCN's coverage of politics and policy click here.
Register to vote: https://www.votespa.com/Pages/default.aspx

Media

The Media are responsible for covering events and reporting information to the public through various means, including print, electronic, and digital channels.

 Media
img5743853038001Civics 101: Freedom of the Press, Angela Couloumbis
img5743853038001Civics 101: Freedom of the Press, Dennis Owens
img5743853038001Public Access to Court Proceedings 03/06/24
img5743853038001Journalist Role in Democracy 09/20/23
img5743853038001Civics 101: The Role of the Media in Government

To learn more about the Media, click here for Journalists Roundtable on PCN.

Continuing Education

This section includes panels and forums centered on topics of interest to adults. Themes include voting, judicial independence, and the Constitution.

 Continuing Education
img5728924805001Citizens Law School: Criminal Law 201 Wrongful Convictions
img5728924805001Citizen’s Law School: Judicial Conduct and Misconduct
img5728924805001Citizens Law School: Why Has Public Confidence in the Courts & the Media Decreased?
img5728924805001Citizens Law School: Right-to-Know Law and Open Records
img5728924805001Citzens Law School: Protecting Journalists, First Amendment and Shield Law
img5728924805001Citizens Law School: The Lawyers Guide to Legalese and Covering Civil Litigation
img5728924805001Navigating and Understanding PA Courts and Judicial Elections
img5728924805001PA State 2023 National Civics Bee 2023-06-15
img5728924805001Civics 101: State of Civics Education in PA
img5728924805001Constitution 101, National Constitution Center
img5728924805001How Government Works
img5728924805001Judicial Independence, Widener University
img5728924805001Voting in America
img5728924805001Why Courts Matter, NAACP

To learn more about Continuing Education, click here for the PCN homepage.

More Civics 101

More Civics 101 includes a broader look at civics and civic engagement, aimed at the student level.

 More Civics 101
img1679356479080867593Civics 101: The Importance of Local Government
img1679356479080867593Civics 101: Civility in Politics
img1679356479080867593Civics 101: Local Governments - Boroughs

To learn more about More Civics 101, click here for the PCN homepage.

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