Government of Massachusetts

Government of Massachusetts
Great Seal of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Polity type	Presidential republic Federated state
Constitution	Constitution of Massachusetts
Legislative branch
Name	General Court
Type	Bicameral
Meeting place	Massachusetts State House
Upper house
Name	Senate
Presiding officer	Karen Spilka, President
Lower house
Name	House of Representatives
Presiding officer	Ronald Mariano, Speaker
Executive branch
Head of State and Government
Title	Governor
Currently	Maura Healey
Appointer	Election
Cabinet
Name	9 Executive Agencies
Leader	Governor
Deputy leader	Lieutenant Governor
Headquarters	State House
Judicial branch
Name	Judiciary of Massachusetts
Courts	Courts of Massachusetts
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Chief judge	Kimberly S. Budd
Seat	Suffolk County Courthouse, Boston

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is governed by a set of political tenets laid down in its state constitution. Legislative power is held by the bicameral General Court, which is composed of the Senate and House of Representatives. The governor exercises executive power with other independently elected officers: the Attorney General, Secretary of the Commonwealth, and Auditor. The state's judicial power rests in the Supreme Judicial Court, which manages its court system. Cities and towns act through local governmental bodies to the extent that they are authorized by the Commonwealth on local issues, including limited home-rule authority. Although most county governments were abolished during the 1990s and 2000s, a handful remain.

Massachusetts' capital city is Boston. The seat of power is in Beacon Hill, home of the legislative and executive branches. The Supreme Judicial Court is in nearby Pemberton Hill.