Texas Government - Chapter 7 : The Legislature
The _ members of the Texas legislature meet in regular session for _ each odd - numbered year. In the 2019 legislative session, they successfully passed _ of all proposed legislation.
- 181 - 140 calendar days - less than 20 percent
Starting in the _ legislative session, committee chair appointment decisions became _ partisan. Lieutenant Governor _ ended his predecessor's practice of awarding committee chairs to Democrats in _ proportion to their numbers in the Senate.
- 2015 - more - Patrick - equal
Texas legislators have power beyond passing laws. Match each power to its best definition.
- direct and supervisory powers : the legislature's power over the executive branch, most commonly through appropriations - constituent service : work on behalf of specific problems citizens face in a representative's district - judicial powers : the power of the legislature to impeach and convict members of the executive and judicial branches of the state government - electoral powers : the legislature's mandated role in counting returns in the election for governor and lieutenant governor - investigative powers : the ability of the Texas House, Senate, or both working together to examine problems facing the state
Leaders of the two chambers of the legislature are selected in different ways. The _ is elected statewide, while the _ is selected by members of their chamber.
- lieutenant governor - Speaker of the House
The _ was eliminated by _ in 2015 when Republicans could not collect enough votes to overcome Democratic objection to bills in the Texas Senate.
- two thirds rule - Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick
How long is the regular session of the Texas legislative?
140 days, every odd - numbered year
The lieutenant governor is not formally a senator and cannot vote except to break a tie, yet he or she has great powers over the Senate. Why?
Correct - Senate rules - powers similar to those of the Speaker of the House Incorrect - a close relationship with the governor - a popular sovereignty mandate
Select all of the following ways in which legislators can attempt to force negotiation on a bill by slowing down the legislative process.
Correct - objecting to a local and consent bill - filibuster - chubbing Incorrect - vetoing legislation - amending legislation
How does an increase in education level affect political participation?
Increases in education create significantly more political participation.
Which of the following is the best description of a legislator's constituent?
any person who is represented by the legislator
Both the Speaker of the House and the lieutenant governor help ensure that allies on committees are able to carry out their agendas. This is best known as which power?
appointment power
What is the first step a person can take if they want to begin to have an impact on what state legislators do?
identify who represents them and what they believe
This excerpt details the exercise of which powers of the Texas legislature?
judicial powers
Which of the following is the power of the executive to veto specific provisions of an appropriations bill passed by the legislature?
line item veto
In what way has Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick most significantly differed from his predecessors in the office of lieutenant governor?
party polarization
Which of the following is the most important responsibility of a member of the legislature?
to promote the issues and interests of constituents
What is perhaps the most fundamental form of political participation in democracy?
voting
If a review of a legislator's record shows that they sponsor over 400 bills during any given legislative session, it may be a sign that the legislator is engaged in what activity to help their chances for re - election?
credit claiming
The suggestion by state senator Carlos Uresti in the quote is an example of the exercise of which type of powers that are held by the legislature.
investigative powers
The _ must recommend any changes to the salary or retirement benefits of the members of the state legislature, which must then be approved by the _ .
- Texas Ethics Commission - voters
_ Texans are overrepresented in both the House and the Senate. _ Texans are somewhat underrepresented in the Senate, but proportionately represented in the House. _ Texans are underrepresented in both the House and the Senate.
- White - African American - Latino
The Texas Constitution mandates that the _ provides a(n) _ that limits how much the legislature may spend in a biennium.
- comptroller of public accounts - revenue estimate
Match each type of resolution with its correct definition.
- concurrent resolution : a resolution of interest to both chambers of the legislature and which must pass both the state House and the state Senate and be signed by the governor - joint resolution : a resolution that requires passage in both the state House and the state Senate but does not require the governor's signature - simple resolution : a resolution that concerns only the Texas House or Texas Senate and does not require the governor's signature
A _ is a temporary committee that has ten members, with five representatives appointed by the _ and five senators appointed by the _ .
- conference committee - Speaker of the House - lieutenant governor
Place in order the following steps a bill must take before it becomes law.
- introduction - referral - consideration by a standing committee - floor action - conference committee between House and Senate - signature by the governor
Study the graph, and then decide which claims are accurate.
Correct - Texas has a lower percentage of women in the legislature than the other states shown. - Texas has a higher percentage of Latino representatives than any of the other states shown. Incorrect - Texas has a higher percentage of African American representatives than any of the other states shown.
Study the following infographic on the educational levels and common occupations of members of the Texas legislature to determine which of the following statements are accurate.
Correct - The majority of lawmakers are either lawyers or people with a business background. - The majority of lawmakers have at least a college education. Incorrect - The educational levels of lawmakers are pretty similar to the general education levels of Texans.
In which of the following ways can the media influence the legislature?
Correct - The media help set the legislative agenda by focusing on certain stories. - The media help constituents learn more about actions by the legislature. - Social media let legislators communicate directly with their constituents. Incorrect - The media intentionally disseminate misleading information to push their agendas with the public.
Which of the following do critics argue are the effects of Texas part-time legislature's biennial 140-day session.
Correct - The short sessions prevent the legislature from responding in a timely fashion to breaking issues. - The low pay for legislators means they must keep outside jobs while in office. - A biennial session was better suited to Texas's agricultural past, not to its urbanized present. Incorrect - It requires too many formal qualifications to be a member.
Match each formal requirement to be a member with either the Texas Senate, Texas House of Representatives, or both.
Texas House of Representatives - resident of Texas for at least two year - at least 21 years old Texas Senate - resident of Texas for at least five years - at least 26 years old both - resident of the district for at least one year - U.S. citizen - qualified voter
Why are delay tactics like chubbing and the filibuster effective tools for forcing compromise or killing a bill?
They use up critical limited time in the legislative session.
Committee chairs will pigeonhole a bill by never putting it on the committee agenda to be considered.
True
While a veto threat is not a formal power of the governor, it is an important negotiating tool between the governor and the legislature for which reason?
Vetoes are notoriously difficult for the legislature to overcome when in session and impossible to overcome when out of session.
In this passage, the term Republican most likely has which of the following meanings?
a system in which individuals are elected to make decisions on behalf of constituents
By creating a bicameral legislature, what outcome did the framers of the Texas Constitution hope to achieve?
to force compromise between competing ideas
Looking closely at the chart below, which statement about women in the Texas legislature is accurate?
Women have a higher percentage of representation in the state Senate than in the state House.
The number of people in each legislative district must be roughly equal based on the total number of what?
residents
After the 2010 Census, Texas received four additional seats in Congress. After legislative redistricting, three of these seats were won by Republicans and one was won by a Democrat. Using your knowledge of Texas government and the information in the chart, which statement offers an accurate observation about redistricting in Texas in 2011?
Gerrymandering created different political outcomes than the population change would have suggested.
Why are members of the Texas legislature hesitant to exercise their power to remove a member of the legislature even if that member is overwhelmingly controversial or associated with scandal?
Legislators do not want to be seen as overriding the will of the voters.
Which of the following is a significant reason why much of the membership in the state legislature is made up of individuals who are attorneys or other professional or business occupations?
The time demands for campaigning and the legislative session prevent most people from being able to hold legislative office.
Which of the following is the best description of what it means for a public official to have been impeached?
when a majority in the Texas House of Representatives brings charges against an elected official.
The governor of Texas can use the veto in various ways to reject acts by the legislature, and different types of vetoes have specific features. Label each description with the type of veto that it best and most closely describes.
- post adjournment veto : cannot be overridden by the legislature - line item veto : used on select portions of omnibus spending bills - veto : rejection of legislation that can be overridden by a two thirds vote of the legislature
Match each characteristic of the Texas legislature with its best definition.
- regular session : a 140 day period occurring only in odd numbered years - biennial : occurs every two years - bicameral : composed of two chambers or houses - special session : a 30 day legislative session focused on governor's agenda
The Texas Constitution creates a _ form of government with a _ legislature made up of officials elected in _ to serve during regular legislative sessions that last for _ .
- republican - bicameral - November of even numbered years - 140 calendar days
If the _ adjourns the regular session after the census without redrawing district maps, the _ is responsible for completing the task.
- state legislature - Legislative Redistricting Board
The _ is required to redistrict after every _ .
- state legislature - census
Which of the following are actions of standing committees in the Texas legislature?
Correct - They review, hold hearings on, and amend bills to make them more acceptable to the entire legislature. - In the Senate, they accept bills referred to them by the lieutenant governor. - In the House, they accept bills referred to them by the Speaker. Incorrect - They ensure that every bill submitted is brought to a vote before the full House or Senate. - They determine the schedule for a bill's debate.
Which of the following are arguments that being a member of the legislature is a full-time job even if it is technically considered par-time/
Correct - constituent service - special service - interim committee meetings Incorrect - meeting with media
Which of the following are the most significant effects that bicameralism has on the legislative process?
Correct - increases compromise - lessens the chances of bad laws getting passed - creates more access for interest groups Incorrect - increases the speed at which bills are passed
Which of the following scenarios are good examples of constituent services?
Correct - introducing a special resolution to honor the service of a citizen in the district - intervening with the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife to get an appointment for a constituent - writing a letter of recommendation for entry into a state university - delivering the keynote address for the annual Chamber of Commerce banquet Incorrect - steering state contracts to companies in their district
Select all the individuals who are part of the Legislative Redistricting Board.
Correct - lieutenant governor - Speaker of the House - attorney general - commissioner of the General Land Office Incorrect - governor - secretary of state
In what ways can a member of the public act as a lobbyist?
Correct - writing letters or emails - making phone calls - scheduling a meeting Incorrect - introducing legislation
Where do most bills die during each legislative session?
committee action
Because saving time during the legislative session is critical, it is common practice to file what kind of bill, which allows for simultaneous consideration of legislation in both chambers of the legislature?
companion bill
While the _ is normally a way to save time by fast tracking noncontroversial bills, legislators may also use it to retaliate for perceived or real slights from other legislators by challenging bills that have been fast tracked.
local and consent calendar
In his exhortation of legislators to provide more funding for the Enterprise Fund, Governor Abbott is exercising which method of influencing the legislative process?
message power