Texas Govt 2306: Chapter 4
When was the office of commissioner for health and human services created?
the early 1990s
In 2011, voters voted against recalling the governor of what state?
Wisconsin
Today, governors' staffs typically
Work to keep track of state agencies over which governors have little control. Gather information and make recommendations on policy changes.
Fill in the blanks to complete the sentence. Having control over how money is spent, otherwise known as ___________ powers, allows the governor to exert influence over state policy
budgetary
The term ______ implies a hierarchy of offices with levels of power leading to a centralized controlling authority.
bureaucracy
In Texas, the legislature cannot ______, which increases the the governor's power to veto bills.
call special sessions
In giving commencement speeches, making presentations, and cutting ribbons, governors are performing their ______ duties.
ceremonial
The comptroller of public accounts currently functions as the
chief fiscal and revenue forecasting office
In the role of __________ ___________, governors spend time and energy presenting an active agenda of legislation to the legislature and working to pass that agenda.
chief legislator
The best approach for a governor to leverage ceremonial duties to pursue his or her agenda is to
choose carefully.
Most of the work of the attorney general involves _________ law rather than criminal law.
civil
The Texas governor's military powers come into play in which of the following circumstances?
civil unrest natural disasters
Which of the following is an informal power of the governor that can have an impact on the direction of the state government's legislative agenda and the perception of the public?
command of the news media
Which elected position has the dual roles of promoting agricultural products while protecting the public health from unsafe agricultural practices?
commissioner of agriculture
Which of the following best describes Texas state government?
decentralized authority residing within many independent state agencies
The main responsibility of the adjutant general of the National Guard is to
direct the state military under the direction of the governor.
In which of the following situations can the governor exert control over the budget as part of the Budget Execution Committee?
during a fiscal crisis, such as a revenue shortfall
Who creates the rules and regulations regarding personnel practices and procedures for Texas state employees?
each individual agency
When was the Office of Federal-State Relations created?
early 1970s
The makeup of a multi-appointment board is designed to
ensure that no single individual dominates the selection process.
A(n) ______ board or commission is one whose membership is completely or partially made up of designated state officials who are members because of the position they hold.
ex officio
Compared with members of the state legislature, the Texas governor is
extremely well paid.
Governor Bush was a good example of a Texas governor in terms of background, in that he had both a ______ and ______.
famous name; family wealth
In order to qualify as governor in Texas, how long does one have to live in the state preceding the election?
five years
The Legislative Budget Board is made up of which of the following?
four senators four representatives the speaker of the house the lieutenant governor
The Texas land commissioner is not only responsible for leasing and managing state lands but also for
generating funds from oil and gas production.
The commissioner for Health and Human Services ______ for eight separate health and welfare programs.
has oversight and review functions
Which of the following is an important informal qualification for becoming governor?
having previously held elected office
In the role of party chief, the governor must
help other politicians in reelection efforts. raise money for the party. create a favorable image of the party in the state.
What are the five major functional areas of state government?
higher education highways hospitals public welfare corrections
The process for removing elected officials, including governors, is generally called
impeachment
One benefit resulting from establishment of the Sunset Advisory Commission is
improved efficiency in the state government.
Recently, the power and prestige of the office of governor of Texas has been
increasing.
More important than the express qualifications that are required for election to governor are a person's _______ qualifications, like previously holding statewide elected office.
informal
What are the duties of the Texas Department of Agriculture?
inspection and certification of measuring devices marketing Texas agricultural products pest management
In the role of ______ coordinator, governors coordinate activities with other state and federal officials.
intergovernmental
The ______ powers of governors include the ability to issue pardons, executive clemency, and parole for citizens convicted of a crime.
judicial
What are the functions of the Texas secretary of state?
keeper of state records international protocol chief election official
Governors' formal powers to force the legislature to enact legislation, especially the veto authority and the power to call special sessions, are referred to as ___________ powers.
legislative
Which elected officials appoint members to the Texas Ethics Commission?
lieutenant governor speaker of the house governor
What constraints undercut the governor's budgetary authority?
limits on the governor's line-item veto the fact that funds are already earmarked for certain expenditures the sharing of budget formation and execution with other entities
What tool can governors utilize if they do not like a portion of a proposed bill but generally approve of the bill overall?
line-item veto
While serving as governor, Ann Richards used her appointive powers to appoint more
minorities. women.
The commissioner of education is
nominated by the board and submitted to the governor.
How many Asian Americans currently (2018) serve as governor in the U.S.?
one
The main purpose guiding the Sunset Advisory Commission is to provide ______ to government operations.
oversight
When they held the office of governor in Texas, the Fergusons were accused of misusing which power?
pardons and paroles
Fill in the blanks to complete the sentence. Unlike 40 other states, Texas does not have a formal __________ veto process.
partial
In the role of ________ __________ , governors lead their party and aid its development and growth.
party chief
What describes a structure in which governors share power with many other elected officials?
plural executive
At what point in Texas history was the idea of electing almost all officeholders reintroduced?
post-Reconstruction
In Texas, who follows the the lieutenant governor in the order of succession?
president pro tempore of the Texas Senate
Which of the following is the chief duty of the Legislative Budget Board?
producing the state budget
In performing ceremonial duties, governors
promote their programs. can be distracted from other duties. generate favorable media coverage.
Which of the following was added as a primary activity of the Texas Railroad Commission in the 1920s?
regulation of the oil and gas industry
The Texas Legislative Council is made up of which of the following?
the lieutenant governor four senators the speaker of the house four representatives
For most Texas governors, the gubernatorial office is ______ of their political career, after which they ______.
the peak; retire from public life
If a Texas governor were impeached, he or she would be convicted where?
the senate
When used by the governor, which of the following wields the most influence?
threat of a veto
Nationwide, _______ African Americans have been elected as governor.
three
The Texas Railroad Commission is comprised of ______ members.
three
In 1966, Texas abolished the office of ______ and gave the comptroller the responsibility of investing state funds.
treasurer
The state legislature can override a line-item veto by a ______ vote of each house.
two-thirds
The commissioner for Health and Human Services is appointed by the governor for a ______ term
two-year
In order to control budget execution, the governor may
use his or her administrative discretion in deciding how money is spent.
The role of the Texas governor in budgeting is
very limited
The Texas governor has ______ veto authority.
very strong
What one thing have the men who have served as the governor of Texas generally had in common?
wealth
When acting as intergovernmental coordinator, governors must
work with federal officials to promote state interests.
What best describes Governor George W. Bush's relationship with the state party?
He was largely uninvolved.
How can an attorney general's opinion on pending legislation affect that legislation?
If it's negative, it can kill the legislation.
Which of the following is true about the Legislative Reference Library?
It is open to members of the public. It serves as a depository of records.
How important is a governor's popularity in public opinion to his or her informal leadership?
It is very important.
The Texas _________ Council is a highly professional agency that produces information for the legislature that is made available to the public.
Legislative
What is an example of an ex officio board or commission?
Legislative Redistricting Board Bond Review Board Budget Execution Committee
Which of the following assists the legislature in doing research and serves as a depository of records for the legislature?
Legislative Reference Library
Which of the following women served as governor of Texas?
Miriam A. Ferguson Ann Richards
Which of the following accurately describe the process of recalling the governor?
Only nine states allow it. It is extremely rare.
Which of the following is true of governors' crisis manager role?
Public perceptions of a governor's leadership are affected by this role. In this role, governors deal with natural or man-made disasters.
The relatively weak executive authority in Texas was established in reaction to what historical event or era?
Reconstruction
What former Texas governor served in the Trump administration as secretary of energy?
Rick Perry
The Legislative Budget Board is governed by
Speaker of the House and lieutenant governor.
Which of the following best describes the concept of democratic control among state agencies?
State agencies must be responsible to the people.
An example of a multi-appointment board is the
Texas Ethics Commission
The secretary of state's office publishes the ______, the source of official notices or rules, meetings, executive orders, and opinions of the attorney general that are required to be filed by state agencies.
Texas Register
What happens if the governor of Texas dies or leaves office during his or her term?
The lieutenant governor becomes governor.
In which of the following situations can the Budget Execution Committee exercise restraint over the state budget?
When there is a shortfall in projected revenue
Why did the state legislature remove responsibilities from the State Board of Education?
because of an influx of social conservatives to the board and public infighting among members over core curriculum issues
The Legislative Audit Committee consists of the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house, and
the chairs of two committees from each chamber.
What is the amount of the Texas governor's annual salary?
$150,000
The first woman to serve as governor of Texas was elected in the
1920s.
The Texas constitution was amended in ______ to allow governors to remove some appointees.
1981
Currently, the Texas governor's staff numbers approximately
200.
As of 2018, how many states have elected women as governors?
28
In Texas, the governor appoints approximately how many governing and policy-making positions?
3,000
Members of state boards and commissions are
Appointed by the governor
A candidate must be at least _____ years old to run for governor in the state of Texas.
30
Texas has approximately how many state boards and commissions?
300
The term _________ _________ refers to the role of the lieutenant governor when he or she takes over the gubernatorial office in the governor's absence.
Acting Governor
What are the main functions of the state auditor?
Auditing state agencies Assisting the legislature in oversight
Who was the first Texas governor to be elected to two consecutive four-year terms?
George W. Bush
Which of the following best describes governors' roles with respect to their political party in Texas?
Governors can influence the choice of party leadership but do not control the party.
True or false: The adjutant general of the National Guard is appointed and can be removed by the governor.
False
What is the tenure of the Texas governor?
Four-year term, no limit of terms
What former Texas governor became president of the U.S.?
George W. Bush
True or false: Term limits weaken the power and influence of a governor.
True
True or false: The Legislative Redistricting Board is an ex officio board.
True
When the governor leaves the state, the lieutenant governor serves as ______, performing the function of the gubernatorial office.
acting governor
How does the secretary of state assume office?
appointed by the governor and approved by the state senate
The governor's ability to hire and remove heads of state agencies is known as the ______ power.
appointive
The primary role of Office of State-Federal Relations is
as a liaison between the governor's office and federal officials.
What are the functions of the Texas Legislative Council?
assisting the legislature in drafting bills producing publications conducting research
In order to be elected governor in the state of Texas you must be
at least 30 years old. a resident of Texas for 5 years before election. a citizen of the United States.
In the past, Texas governors have appointed individuals to their staff
based on political loyalty rather than professionalism.
What is the most significant appointment for the Texas governor?
secretary of state
What is Jacksonian statehouse democracy?
selecting the heads of state agencies by election
The process known as _________ _________ limits the discretion of governors by forcing them to clear their appointments with the state senator from the appointee's home district.
senatorial courtesy
Which of the following is a limit on the discretion of the Texas governor to make various appointments?
senatorial courtesy political pressure by interest groups specific requirements like geographical representation or a specified professional background
In Texas, the governor and lieutenant governor are elected
separately.
The purpose of the office of the attorney general is to
serve as legal counsel to the governor, the legislature, and state agencies.
The Texas governor's role in the budgetary process is ______ compared to other states.
smaller
Governor Perry claimed what kind of economic background?
son of a sharecropper
The Legislative Audit Committee appoints the
state auditor.
Which judicial agency licenses attorneys?
state bar
Most of the work of state government is carried out by
state boards and commissions.
Judicial agencies are under the supervision of the
state supreme court.
Compared to other states, the tenure of the Texas governor is
strong.
In 2010, Governor Perry became involved in the removal of a member of the Texas Tech Board of Regents because the member was
supporting his rival in the Republican primary.
Both the legal ability of governors to succeed themselves in office and the length of a governor's term are known as __________ of office.
tenure
Compared with governors of other states, Texas governors are weak in formal powers, although they have a few key strengths. These strengths are seen in which of the following areas?
tenure of office veto authority
States in what region of the country were the last to move to longer terms for governors?
the South
