Texas Government- Vasquez Exam 3
Know the non legislative powers of the Texas legislature.
1. The power of impeachment 2. Investigative powers 3. To formally count the returns in the Texas Governor's races
For how long does the Texas legislature meet?
140 days every other year
In the Texas legislature, the House has ____ members and the senate has ____ members.
150; 31
Know the qualification a person would need to be a viable candidate for governor of Texas?
30 years of age, prior political experience, U.S. citizenship, access to money
Define simple resolutions:
A resolution that concerns only the Texas House or Senate, such as the adoption of a rule or the appointment of an employee; does not require the governor's signature
What is the primary task of the Texas secretary of state?
Administering elections and maintaining some financial records
In Texas, who can write a bill?
Anyone
In Texas, how is the plural executive is held accountable?
Appointment by the governor.
The requirements for holding office in the Texas legislature
Are the same as in the U.S. Constitution.
The chief lawyer for Texas is the
Attorney General
What is the most significant and far-reaching of the Texas governor's powers?
Being able to impeach people in the house or senate.
Almost one-half of the attorney general's employees are involved in what government task?
Collecting child-support payments
What is the Department of Public Safety responsible for?
DPS is responsible for statewide law enforcement and vehicle regulation.
In Texas, what is the most important power of the state comptroller?
Estimating tax revenues for the legislature
True or False: A special legislative session may last as long as it takes to complete the session's agenda.
False
True or False: Both the lieutenant governor and the secretary of state in Texas have the authority to call a special session of the legislature
False
True or False: George W. Bush was the first Republican governor of Texas since Reconstruction
False
True or False: If the Texas legislature fails to redistrict, the task of redistricting then falls to the federal district court.
False
True or False: In Texas, both the lieutenant governor and the Speaker of the House are elected in statewide elections.
False
True or False: Like the U.S. Supreme Court, the Texas Supreme Court has 9 justices, including 1 chief justice.
False
True or False: Like the U.S. president, the governor of Texas can kill a bill by refusing to sign it.
False
True or False: Members of the Texas House of Representatives are permitted to speak on the House floor for as long as they wish.
False
True or False: The Texas House of Representatives is responsible for both impeaching government officials and holding the trial after impeachment.
False
True or False: The Texas Sunset Advisory Commission has mandated that no government official may serve in any single office for more than 12 years
False
True or False: The Texas Supreme Court has jurisdiction over the automatic appeals in all death penalty cases.
False
True or False: The Texas constitution permits the election to the Texas legislature of persons who are not U.S. citizens but who have been legal residents of Texas for at least 10 years
False
True or False: The Texas governor has many formal powers, making him or her one the United States's strongest chief executives.
False
True or False: The Texas governor has strong powers for granting clemency
False
True or False: The attorney general in Texas is responsible for overseeing the registration of voters.
False
True or False: The governor makes approximately 3,000 appointments to executive boards and commissions during a single term in office.
False
True or False: The governor of Texas currently serves a two-year term in office
False
True or False: The lieutenant governor is also a member of the Texas House of Representatives.
False
True or False: The secretary of state in Texas is responsible for redrawing legislative districts every 10 years.
False
True or False: The structure of the Texas executive branch is centralized, with much formal authority allocated to the governor.
False
True or False: There are approximately 20 state boards and commissions within the Texas plural executive
False
True or False: Unlike the U.S. Senate, the Texas Senate does not permit filibusters.
False
The ____ is the oldest state agency in Texas.
General Land Office
The agenda for special sessions in the Texas legislature are set by the
Governor
What is the ultimate check on the governor?
Impeachment
In Texas, why is a governor's post-adjournment veto so powerful?
It cannot be overturned by the legislature
In Texas, what is the primary effect of a plural executive?
It dilutes the power of the governor and fragments the executive branch.
What is the importance of the Supreme court case Reynolds v. Sims?
It forced Texas to redraw boundary lines for districts to give equal representation to the people.
As in the U.S. Congress, what is the purpose of a conference committee in the Texas legislature?
It is a committee designed to make differing House and Senate versions of the same bill identical.
What is the function of the "local and consent" calendar?
It is the calendar for all private bills sponsored by members of the legislature.
What unconventional action did the Texas legislature take in 2003?
It redistricted a second time in a single decade.
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.
What is the function of the lieutenant governor in Texas?
Its occupant controls the work of the Texas Senate and controls the budgeting process as a leader of the Legislative Budget Board.
____ is the the only Texas governor to be both impeached and convicted.
James Ferguson
A bill in the Texas legislature that would allow a county to establish a new community college would be classified as a?
Local Bill
In Texas, the governor's State of the State address is an example of the ____ power.
Message
One of the most notable effects of bicameralism in the Texas legislature is that it
Permits more opportunities to kill or significantly modify a bill
What are constituency services provided by Texas Representatives may include all of the following EXCEPT
Providing legal services in court.
Setting local telephone and electric rates is the responsibility of the
Public Utilities Commission(PUC)
The Texas State Board of Education is responsible for?
Public education
Which of the following is NOT a legislative power of the Texas Governor?
Removing, for suitable cause, the Speaker or lieutenant governor
In 2004 and 2005, three special sessions were called in the Texas legislature to deal with
School Finance
How is the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives chosen?
Selected by a majority vote of his fellow representatives.
Legislative districts in the Texas House and Senate are
Single-member districts.
In the Texas legislature, the referral of a bill to a standing committee in the House and the senate is the job of whom?
Speaker of the House and Lieutenant Governor.
If the legislature grants a particular corporation an exception from a state law, it is called
Special Bill
Which of the following statements about special sessions of the Texas legislature is true?
Special sessions are common, held an average of once a year since 1876.
In the Texas legislature, all bills with state revenue must
Start in the House of Representatives.
Which state office was eliminated in 1996?
State Treasurer
Authority over railroads throughout Texas was given to the ______ in 2005.
Texas Department of Transportation
Which office is charged with ensuring the accuracy of official weights and measures?
The Department of Agriculture
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
In the Texas House of Representatives, who has the power to allow members to speak in floor debates?
The Speaker of the House
Who has responsibility for redistricting the Texas delegation to the U.S. Congress?
The Texas legislature
Which of the following is NEITHER a duty NOR a power of the lieutenant governor in Texas?
The ability to call the Texas Senate into special session.
In the Texas legislature, when a committee chair "pigeonholes" a bill, what happens?
The bill is set aside before it is ever discussed in committee.
Why is the comptroller of public accounts so important to the legislature?
The comptroller informs the legislature how much money it has to spend on the budget.
What makes the greatest difference between strong and weak governors of Texas?
The differences in personality
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.
What are the legislative powers of the Texas governor?
The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Texas Legislature, and to convene the legislature.
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.
True or False: Conference committees are designed to make Texas House and Senate bills identical to each other.
True
True or False: In Texas, the lieutenant governor is also the president of the senate and may cast a vote to break a tie
True
True or False: Texas has a plural executive made up of multiple popularly elected offices
True
True or False: The Texas Supreme Court and the court of criminal appeals have appellate jurisdiction.
True
True or False: The Texas constitution forbids the legislature to borrow money to conduct the daily operations of government.
True
True or False: The Texas legislature meets in regular session once every 2 years
True
True or False: The attorney general's office offers advisory opinions to state agencies concerning the legality of actions.
True
True or False: The comptroller of public accounts directs the collection of taxes for the state of Texas.
True
True or False: The governor has the ability to declare martial law in Texas
True
True or False: The governor of Texas has the authority to exercise a line-item veto.
True
True or False: The typical Texas legislator is a white, upper-class, male Protestant
True
What is the main difference between a bill and a resolution?
Unlike a bill, a resolution, if passed, lacks the force of a public law.
When does the Legislative Redistricting Board have the authority to draw new districts?
When the legislature fails to redraw districts at the first regular session after the census.
A typical Texas legislator is most likely to be a
White, affluent businessman
Who was the first Republican governor of Texas since Reconstruction, and when was he or she elected?
William Clements; 1978
When the governor strikes out specific spending provisions in large appropriations bills, it is called
The line-item veto
When the Texas governor strikes out particular spending provisions in an appropriations bill, it is called
The line-item veto.
What is the Texas governor's greatest judicial power?
The power to appoint judges to vacancies in the courts
In Texas, which officer in the plural executive is NOT elected by voters?
The secretary of state
Why did the Texas constitution establish a plural executive?
There was suspicion of a strong chief executive
What type of powers does the governor of Texas have?
They may either approve or veto bills passed by the Texas Legislature, and to convene the legislature.
What is the most important function of the Texas governor's staff?
To keep the governor informed about problems and issues
In Texas, why are gubernatorial elections held in off years?
To minimize the effect of presidential elections on the selection of the Texas Governor.
What is the Texas Department of Insurance and its function?
To protect insurance consumers by: Regulating the insurance industry fairly and diligently. Promoting a stable and competitive market. Providing information that makes a difference.
