What is one major responsibility of state legislatures?

One major responsibility of state legislatures is creating and amending laws. This fundamental function allows legislatures to address a wide variety of issues affecting their states, ranging from education and healthcare to transportation and public safety. Through the legislative process, state lawmakers introduce bills, debate their merits, make necessary amendments, and eventually pass laws that reflect the needs and values of their constituents. This authority to legislate is vital for the functioning of the state government, enabling it to respond to changing circumstances and public opinion.

The other options represent functions outside the primary role of state legislatures. For instance, determining cases in civil and criminal courts is primarily the responsibility of the judiciary. Directly managing state budgets and expenditures is more accurately the purview of the executive branch, although legislatures do play a role in budget approval. Enforcing federal immigration laws falls under federal jurisdiction and is typically handled by the federal government rather than state legislatures.