<P> Prior to United States Supreme Court decisions Reynolds v. Sims and Baker v. Carr in the 1960s, the basis of representation in most state legislatures was modeled on that of the U.S. Congress: the state senators represented geographical units while members of the larger chamber represented population . In 1964, the United States Supreme Court announced the one man, one vote standard and invalidated state legislative representation based on geography . (The ruling does not affect the U.S. Senate because that chamber's makeup is prescribed by the U.S. Constitution .) </P> <P> Nebraska originally had a bicameral legislature like the other states, but the lower house was abolished following a referendum, effective with the 1936 elections . The remaining unicameral (one - chamber) legislature is called the Nebraska Legislature, but its members continue to be called senators . </P> <P> As a legislative branch of government, a legislature generally performs state duties for a state in the same way that the United States Congress performs national duties at the national level . Generally, the same system of checks and balances that exists at the Federal level also exists between the state legislature, the state executive officer (governor) and the state judiciary, though the degree to which this is so varies from one state to the next . </P> <P> During a legislative session, the legislature considers matters introduced by its members or submitted by the governor . Businesses and other special interest organizations often lobby the legislature to obtain beneficial legislation, defeat unfavorably perceived measures, or influence other legislative action . A legislature also approves the state's operating and capital budgets, which may begin as a legislative proposal or a submission by the governor . </P>

What are laws passed by the us congress and state legislatures