Practicing Texas Politics Chapter 9

the lieutenant governor

Should a governor die, resign, or be removed from office, or should a governor-elect refuse to take office or be permanently unable to fill the office, who would be the first to succeed him or her?

parole

Supervised release from prison before completion of a sentence, on condition of good behavior.

martial law

Temporary rule by military authorities when civil authorities are unable to handle a riot or other civil disorder.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Texas agency that runs state parks and regulates hunting, fishing, and boating.

regulating the oil and gas industry

The Railroad Commission of Texas is responsible for

appointive power

The Texas governor's __________ allows him or her to nominate friends and political supporters for political positions.

Commissioner of Education

The official who heads the TEA.

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)

The state agency that coordinates Texas's environmental regulation efforts.

secretary of state

The state's chief elections officer, with other administrative duties, who is appointed by the governor for a term concurrent with that of the governor.

family members

The text describes which of the following as an important source of support for governors, particularly when it comes to influencing public opinion?

proclamation

A governor's official public announcement (such as calling a special election or declaring a disaster area).

pork-barrel politics

A legislator's tactic to obtain funding for a pet project, usually designed to be of special benefit for the legislator's district.

State Board of Education (SBOE)

A popularly elected 15-member body with limited authority over Texas's K-12 education system.

Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC)

A popularly elected, three-member commission primarily engaged in regulating natural gas and petroleum production.

legislative power

A power of the governor exercised through messages delivered to the Texas legislature, vetoes of bills and concurrent resolutions, and calls for special sessions of the legislature.

Texas Workforce Commission (TWC)

A state agency headed by three salaried commissioners that oversees job training and unemployment compensation programs.

public utility commission of Texas (PUC)

A three-member appointed body with regulatory power over electric and telephone companies.

line-item veto

Action by the governor to eliminate an individual budget item while permitting enactment of other parts of an appropriation bill.

Texas Education Agency (TEA)

Administers the state's public school system of more than 1,200 school districts and charter schools.

20 days

After the legislature adjourns, how long does the governor have to veto pending bills and concurrent resolutions?

full pardon

An act of executive clemency, on recommendation of the Board of Pardons and Paroles, that releases a convicted person from all consequences of a criminal act and restores the same rights enjoyed by others who have not been convicted of a crime.

true

True or False: A vacancy on a Texas district court or higher appellate court is filled by gubernatorial appointment.

true

True or False: During a session, the governor's veto can be overridden by a two-thirds majority vote in the House and in the Senate.

True. Major donors to gubernatorial campaigns re frequently appointed to government posts

True or False: Governors often reward campaign donors with appointments to government position.

conditional pardon

An act of executive clemency, on recommendation of the Board of Pardons and Paroles, that releases a convicted person from the consequences of his or her crime but does not restore all rights, as in the case of a full pardon.

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB)

An agency that provides some coordination for the state's public community colleges and universities.

recess appointment

An appointment made by the governor when the Texas legislature is not in session.

Comptroller of Public Accounts

An elected constitutional officer responsible for collecting taxes, keeping accounts, estimating revenue, and serving as treasurer for the state.

reprieve

an act of executive clemency that temporarily suspends execution of a sentence

commissioner of insurance

Appointed by the governor, the commissioner heads the Texas Department of Insurance, which is responsible for ensuring the industry's financial soundness, protecting policyholders, and overseeing insurance rates.

governor

Article 4, Section 7 of the Texas constitution states that the _____________ is the Commander-in-Chief of the state's military forces.

Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)

Headed by a five-member appointed commission, the department maintains almost 80,000 miles of roads and highways and promotes highway safety.

patronage system

Hiring friends and supporters of elected officials as government employees without regard to their abilities.

merit system

Hiring, promoting, and firing on the basis of objective criteria such as tests, degrees, experience, and performance.

the governor can call a special session

How can the legislature be convened for a special session?

one

How many 30-day reprieves is the governor of Texas allowed to grant independently in a death sentence case?

Executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission

appointed by the governor with Senate approval, the executive commissioner administrators the HHSC, develops policies, and make rules

commutation of sentence

On the recommendation of the Board of Pardons and Paroles, the reduction of a sentence by the governor.

Lieutenant governor

Popularly elected constitutional official who serves as president of the Senate and is first in the line of succession if the office of governor becomes vacant before the end of a term.

postadjournment veto

Rejection by the governor of a pending bill or concurrent resolution during the 20 days after a legislative session ends.

bureaucrat

public employees

Commission of Agriculture

the elected official, whose position is created by statue, who heads Texas's Department of Agriculture, which promotes the sale of agricultural commodities and regulates pesticides, aquaculture, egg quality, weights and measures, and grain warehouses

message power

the governor's effectiveness in communicating with legislators via the State of the State address at the commencement of a legislative session and other gubernatorial messages delivered in person or in writing

Commissioner of the General Land Office

As head of Texas's General Land Office, this elected constitutional officer oversees the state's extensive landholdings and related mineral interests, especially oil and gas leasing, for the benefit of the Permanent School Fund.

veto power

Authority of the governor to reject a bill or concurrent resolution passed by the legislature.

removal power

Authority to remove an official from office. In Texas, the governor's removal power is limited to staff members, some agency heads, and his or her appointees with the consent of the Senate.

contingency rider

Authorization for spending state money to finance provisions of a bill if the bill becomes law.

pork-barrel politics.

Don is governor of Texas, and he decides to strike a bargain with a senator in which he promises not to deny funding for the senator's pet project. In return, the senator agrees to support a bill Don favors. This scenario is an example of

Sunset Review Process

During a cycle of 12 years, each state agency is studied at least once to see if it is needed and efficient, and then the legislature decides whether to abolish, merge, reorganize, or retain that agency.

informal powers

Governor Rick Perry recognized and made full use of social media to connect with constituents, including providing links to podcasts of his speeches and to flattering news stories. Governor Perry was using social media to enhance his

governor's office

The administrative organization through which the governor of Texas makes appointments, prepares a biennial budget recommendation, administers federal and state grants for crime prevention and law enforcement, and confers full and conditional pardons on recommendation of the Board of Pardons and Paroles.

appointive power

The authority to name a person to a government office. Most gubernatorial appointments require Senate approval by two-thirds of the members present.

attorney general

The constitutional official elected to head the Office of the Attorney General, which represents the state government in lawsuits and provides legal advice to state and local officials.

budgetary power

The governor is supposed to submit a state budget to the legislature at the beginning of each regular session. When an appropriation bill is enacted by the legislature and certified by the comptroller of public accounts, the governor may veto the whole document or individual items.

executive order

The governor issues to set policy within the executive branch and to create task forces, councils, and other bodies.

recommended by the Board of Pardons and Paroles.

The governor of Texas can only grant a full pardon or a conditional pardon for convicted criminals if it is

on the third Tuesday in January of every fourth year.

The governor of Texas is inaugurated

plural executive

The governor, elected department heads, and the secretary of state, as provided by the Texas Constitution and statutes.

Public Administration

The implementation of public policy by government employees.

false. the heads of state agencies, along with the governor and even local government officials, may request opinions from the attorney general on the scope of their jurisdiction

True or False: Heads of state agencies may not request opinions from the attorney general concerning the scope of their jurisdiction

False. Most gubernatorial appointments must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the Senate

True or False: Most gubernatorial appointments must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the House of Representatives.

True

True or False: Public involvement of family members may be a source of support for the governor

false, they can recommend the abolition of an agency but only the legislature can eliminate

True or False: The Sunset Advisory Commission has the authority to abolish state agencies.

False. although the staff has shrunk in recent years, it is much larger now than earlier in history

True or False: The Texas governor's staff is smaller today than ever before.

True

True or False: The governor's informal powers are not based on law.

conditional pardon

Under a ___________ , the governor may withhold certain rights, such as being licensed to practice a selected occupation or profession.

Governors of Texas are constitutionally required to be U.S. citizens, to be Texas residents for 5 years immediately preceding the gubernatorial election, and to acknowledge the existence of a Supreme Being

What are the constitutional requirements for gubernatorial candidate?

The governor may veto an entire appropriation bill or use the line-item veto to eliminate individual budget items

What constitutional power allows the governor to exercise control over state spending?

grants charter

What is one important power of the secretary of state for persons desiring to establish a Texas corporation?

by limiting the governor's independent removal power

What is one way the legislature limits the governor's control over the state bureaucracy?

30

What is the age prerequisite for becoming governor?

$153,750

What is the annual salary of the governor of Texas for fiscal years 2016-2017?

The Texas Constitution provides for impeachment by a simple majority vote of the House and conviction by a two-thirds majority vote of the Senate

What is the constitutional procedure for removing a governor from office?

impeachment by the House of Representatives and conviction by the Senate

What is the only constitutionally prescribed method of forcing a Texas governor from office before the end of a term?

The length of a special session is limited to 30 days.

What restriction is placed on the Texas governor's special session power?

gubernatorial appointment.

When a state judge dies, resigns, or is removed from office, the vacancy is filled through

message power

When the governor delivers a State of the State address at the commencement of each regular session of the legislature, he or she is using ____________ to promote a harmonious relationship with the legislature.

the governor's power to veto an entire appropriations bill

Where does the Texas governor's principal control over state spending come from?

the governor

Which Texas official has power to independently grant one 30-day reprieve in a death sentence case?

the commissioner of the General Land Office

Which executive official's duties include awarding oil, gas, and sulfur leases for lands owned by the state?

William P. ("Bill") Clements Jr.

Who became the first Republican governor in Texas since E. J. Davis?

Commissioner of Education

Who has more control over public education in Texas: the commissioner of education or the State Board of Education?

city police departments and county sheriffs' departments

Who is primarily responsible for law enforcement in the state of Texas?

the comptroller of public accounts

Who is the state's chief accounting officer and tax collector?

attorney general

With more than 4,000 employees, the Office of the ___________ gives advice concerning the constitutionality of many pending bills.