Chapter 8

There are no limitations or restrictions on when the governor can use the line-item veto

False.

The ________ is the oldest state agency in Texas.

General Land Office

is the only Texas governor to be both impeached and convicted.

James Ferguson

Who was the first female governor of Texas?

Miriam Ferguson

The Railroad Commission of Texas's strategy of limited oil production to maintain prices was adopted by which organization?

OPEC

Who was the longest-serving governor in the history of Texas?

Rick Perry

The governor appoints people to office, but the Texas ________ must also confirm them.

Senate

Authority over railroads throughout Texas was given to the ________ in 2005.

Texas Department of Transportation

In Texas, the lieutenant governor is also the president of the Senate and may cast a vote to break a tie.

True

The Secretary of State in Texas works with organizations to increase the number of registered voters.

True

The governor makes approximately 3,000 appointments to various state posts during a single term in office.

True

Who was the first Republican governor of Texas following Reconstruction, and when was he or she elected?

William Clements in 1978

The chief lawyer for Texas is the

attorney general.

What is the ultimate check on the governor?

impeachment

The governor has some control over the final appropriations bill through the use of the ________ veto.

line-item

The Texas governor only has the ________ on appropriations bills.

line-item veto

The Texas Department of Insurance

regulates the insurance market in Texas under the guidance of an appointed commissioner who serves a two-year term.

Officially, who is the chief budget officer of Texas?

the Governor

Members of the State Board of Education (SBOE) are elected in single-member districts. Therefore,

voters in Texas have the ability to influence public education policy, such as high school graduation requirements and textbook adoptions.

What is the Texas governor's greatest judicial power?

the power to appoint judges to vacancies in the courts

Which of the following is one of the governor's legislative powers?

calling special sessions of the legislature

If a governor is impeached and convicted, he or she

cannot subsequently hold any other state office.

Only the Comptroller of Public Accounts has the ability to submit a budget to the legislature.

False

Texas has a plural executive, meaning that the governor has the ability to appoint many different people to fill executive positions.

False

The Texas Sunset Advisory Commission has mandated that no government official may serve in any single office for more than twelve years.

False

The Texas governor has many formal powers, making him or her one of the United States' strongest chief executives.

False

The Texas governor has strong powers for granting clemency.

False

The attorney general in Texas focuses primarily on criminal matters.

False

What do some argue is the one advantage of a plural executive in Texas?

It constrains the power of executive officials and makes them more accountable to the public.

In Texas, what is the primary effect of a plural executive?

It dilutes the power of the governor and fragments the executive branch.

The governor may be removed from office only by impeachment with conviction by the

Senate.

The Texas Constitution of ________ placed strict limits on the governor's ability to control the people appointed to office and almost eliminated the possibility that appointees to office could be removed.

1876

In order to serve as governor in Texas, you must be ______ years old.

30

In 2017, approximately how many people worked for the state bureaucracy in Texas?

330,000

While the governor's term in office used to be 2 years, it was changed to _____ years with a constitutional amendment adopted in _________.

4; 1972

Ann Richards was the first woman to serve as governor in Texas.

False

The governor of Texas currently serves a two-year term in office.

False

The legislature has the ability to declare martial law.

False

The structure of the Texas executive branch is centralized, with much formal authority allocated to the governor.

False

What is the purpose of the Sunset Advisory Commission in Texas?

It reviews state agencies every twelve years to see if they are still needed.

Which entity has the main responsibility for collecting child-support payments?

Texas attorney general

Which of the following is the best example of the Texas governor's military powers?

The governor can declare martial law during a natural disaster.

Which of the following is the best example of the Texas governor's exercise of senatorial courtesy?

The governor will not appoint someone to office unless that appointee's state senator agrees.

For a Texas governor, what is the benefit of a post-adjournment veto?

The legislature is prevented from overriding it.

What makes the greatest difference between strong and weak governors of Texas?

personality differences

Why is the Texas governor's power exceptionally weak as compared to that of the governors of some other states?

plural executive system

What is the Texas governor's most significant executive power?

the power of appointment

In Texas, which officer in the plural executive is NOT elected by voters?

the secretary of state

The elected members of the plural executive are ultimately accountable to

the voters.

What is the primary task of the Texas secretary of state?

to handle elections and voter registration

The lieutenant governor is the only member of the plural executive, other than the governor,

to have both executive and legislative powers.

The governor of Texas has

few formal powers, so the office is one of the weakest chief executives in the United States.

Why did the Texas Constitution establish a plural executive?

There was suspicion of a strong chief executive.

The Texas Constitution of 1876 placed strict limits on the governor's ability to control the people appointed to office and almost eliminated the possibility that appointees to office could be removed.

True

The attorney general's office offers advisory opinions to state agencies concerning the legality of actions.

True

In addition to meeting the age, citizenship, and residency requirements, which of the following would you need in order to be a viable candidate for governor in Texas?

access to wealth since campaigns have become very expensive

Constitutionally, a state-of-the-state message must be given by the governor

at the beginning of each regular session.

Executive power in Texas is

divided among multiple officials, each elected by the people, to ensure that no one person has too much power.

In Texas, what is the most important power of the state comptroller?

estimating state revenues for the legislature

Which state office was eliminated in 1996?

state treasurer

Which office is charged with ensuring the accuracy of official weights and measures?

the Department of Agriculture

The Texas governor was very powerful, and many regarded state government as oppressive and corrupt, under which constitution?

the Reconstruction Constitution of 1869

As part of his or her military and police power, the governor has responsibility for which of the following?

the Texas Rangers and the Texas State Guard

One type of appointment power often used by governors is called patronage, where

the governor rewards supporters by appointing them to office.

In Texas, if a sitting governor is unable to hold office due to impeachment and conviction, resignation, or death, who becomes governor?

the lieutenant governor