Chapter 7: The Legislature

While the local and consent calendar 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

Match each characteristic of the Texas legislature with its best definition.

regular session: a 140-day period occurring only in odd-numbered years bicameral: composed of two chambers or houses special session: a 30-day legislative session focused on governor's agenda biennial: occurs every two years

How long is the regular session of the Texas legislative?

140 days, every odd-numbered year

The 181 members of the Texas legislature meet in regular session for 140 calendar days each odd-numbered year. In the 2021 legislative session, they successfully passed less than 20 percent of all proposed legislation.

181 140 calendar days less than 20 percent

Why would a veto threat from the governor be a very effective tool in getting the Texas legislature to compromise on a bill with the executive branch?

An actual Beto from the governor is nearly impossible to overcome by the legislature.

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.

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.

Select all of the following ways in which legislators can attempt to force negotiation on a bill by slowing down the legislative process.

Correct Answer(s) chubbing filibuster objecting to a local and consent bill Incorrect Answer(s) vetoing legislation amending legislation

During the redistricting process, gerrymandering is used to protect which groups?

Correct Answer(s) majority party incumbents Incorrect Answer(s) rural districts voters

Use the following chart on the change in population in Texas between 2000 and 2010 to answer the question below. 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.

What best explains why the filibuster in the Texas Senate is such a useful tool?

It creates greater pressure on the legislature to compromise because of time.

Analyze the passage to answer the question below it. The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic Violence. —Article IV, Section 4, U.S. Constitution 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

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?

claiming credit

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

The number of people in each legislative district must be roughly equal based on the total number of what?

residents

The state legislature is required to redistrict after every census.

state legislature census

Which of the following is the best way to understand the way Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick has run the Texas Senate since his election in 2015?

strict partisanship

Committee chairs will pigeonhole a bill by never putting it on the committee agenda to be considered.

true

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.

veto: rejection of legislation that can be overridden by a two-thirds vote of the legislature post-adjournment veto: cannot be overridden by the legislature line-item veto: used on select portions of omnibus spending bills