<P> Every state except Nebraska has a bicameral legislature, meaning that the legislature consists of two separate legislative chambers or houses . In each case the smaller chamber is called the Senate and is usually referred to as the upper house . This chamber typically, but not always, has the exclusive power to confirm appointments made by the governor and to try articles of impeachment . (In a few states, a separate Executive Council, composed of members elected from large districts, performs the confirmation function .) Members of the smaller chamber represent more citizens and usually serve for longer terms than members of the larger chamber, generally four years . In 41 states, the larger chamber is called the House of Representatives . Five states designate the larger chamber the Assembly and three states call it the House of Delegates . Members of the larger chamber usually serve for terms of two years . The larger chamber customarily has the exclusive power to initiate taxing legislation and articles of impeachment . </P> <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>

All state legislatures throughout the united states are bicameral except this state