Chapter 7
For a law to pass in the Texas legislature it must be voted on by
two deliberative bodies representing different constituencies.
In even-numbered years, Texas representatives receive a salary of only ________ per year, not including a per diem.
$7,200
Each member of the Texas Senate represents about ___________ people, while each member of the Texas House represents about_________ people.
811,000; 168,000
________ is a kind of talking that is used to stall legislation.
Chubbing
The Texas House of Representatives is responsible for both impeaching government officials and holding the trials after impeachment.
FAsle
In the Senate, the Speaker controls legislative debate by selecting who speaks and how long the debate will last.
False
Members of the Texas House have a larger constituency than members of the Texas Senate.
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
The legislature can overturn a post-adjournment veto.
False
In Texas, both the lieutenant governor and the Speaker of the House are elected in statewide elections.
Fasle
Like the U.S. president, the governor of Texas can kill a bill by refusing to sign it.
Fasle
Members of the Texas House of Representatives are permitted to speak on the House floor for as long as they wish.
Fasle
Regular sessions of the Texas legislature last for 200 days.
Fasle
Special sessions last 30 days, and there is a limit to the number of special sessions a governor can call.
Fasle
Which of the following statements about partisanship in the Texas legislature is correct?
Historically, partisanship has been rather low, but in recent years the legislature has moved into a more partisan era.
In Texas, why is a governor's post-adjournment veto so powerful?
It cannot be overturned by the legislature.
What is the importance of the Supreme Court case Reynolds v. Sims and Baker v. Carr?
It declared the constitutional principle of "one person, one vote."
As in the U.S. Congress, the purpose of a conference committee in the Texas legislature is to do what?
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 reserved for uncontroversial bills or bills limited to a localized problem.
Senators and House members take office in______________ of odd-numbered years.
January
must begin in the House of Representatives.
Revenue bills
How is the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives chosen?
The Speaker is elected by members of the House.
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.
Why did 51 Democratic members of the Texas legislature go to Oklahoma in 2003?
To protest a second redistricting effort that was intended to further only political goals rather than to meet the one-person, one-vote requirement after a decennial census.
Bicameralism creates an interesting dynamic in a legislature because it means that before a law is passed, it will be voted on by two deliberative bodies representing different constituencies.
True
By focusing on some things and not others, the media can shape the legislative agenda and what becomes legal or illegal in Texas.
True
Conference committees are designed to make Texas House and Senate bills identical to each other.
True
Revenue bills must begin in the House of Representatives.
True
Since the lieutenant governor is elected in a statewide election, he or she represents the interests of the whole state rather than a smaller geographic constituency
True
Special bills are used to grant specific individuals or corporations exemptions from state law.
True
The Texas Constitution forbids the legislature to borrow money to conduct the daily operations of government.
True
The Texas legislature meets in regular session once every two years.
True
The governor of Texas has the authority to exercise a line-item veto.
True
While bills must be introduced by a member of the legislature, ______________ can write a bill.
anyone
After a bill is referred by a committee, the next step in the process is
floor action.
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.
Who has responsibility for redistricting the Texas delegation to the U.S. Congress?
the Texas legislature
The governor often uses the State of the State address to do which of the following?
to describe his or her legislative priorities and agenda
In order to be eligible to serve in the Texas House, you must be ______ years old; in order to be eligible to serve in the Texas Senate, you must be ______ years old.
21; 26
Special sessions last ________, but there is no limit to the number of special sessions a governor can call.
30 days
Legislative districts in the Texas House and Senate are
single-member districts
Which committee acts as a screening mechanism to filter out bad bills or bills that have little or no political support?
standing
In the Texas legislature, the House has ________ members and the Senate has ________ members.
150; 31
In the Texas legislature, the referral of a bill to a standing committee in the House and the Senate is the job of the
Speaker of the House and lieutenant governor.
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.
For how long does the Texas legislature meet
The regular legislative session lasts 140 days in odd-numbered years.
Which of the following rules applies to the filibuster in the Texas Senate?
The senator who has control of the floor must always speak in an audible voice, so that he or she can be heard and understood.
Which of the following statements about simple resolutions is correct?
They do not require the signature of the governor.
If the legislature grants a particular corporation an exception from a state law, it is called
a special bill.
Special sessions of the legislature
are called frequently because the legislature is unable to complete all of its required business in the allotted 140 days of its regular sessions
Constituent service can play an important role in
creating a personal relationship between the legislator and the individual constituent, which will give the legislator an advantage when running for reelection.
The power of recognition allows the Speaker of the House to
determine who will get to speak and how long a legislative debate will last.
Texas senators serve ________-year terms and House members serve ________-year terms.
four; two
Which is the most important bill that applies to all people and property throughout the state?
general bill
The agenda for special sessions in the Texas legislature is set by the
governor.
Rules of the legislature require that the bill be read
on three separate occasions.
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
What types of resolutions are acted on without debate and without requiring members to read the resolution?
resolutions of honor or recognition
The legislature has "directive and supervisory powers" that include the ability to
review each state agency every twelve years.
In addition to the legislators and the governor, there are others involved in the lawmaking process during both regular and special sessions. Which one official has direct involvement in the legislative process, while other players are involved indirectly?
the comptroller of public accounts
The Legislative Redistricting Board has the authority to draw new districts if
the legislature fails to redistrict at the first regular session after the census.
When the governor strikes out specific spending provisions in large appropriations bills it is called
the line-item veto.
The Texas Legislature has many powers that are not related to legislation, including which of the following?
the power to formally count returns for the governor's and lieutenant governor's elections.
The Speaker of the House and the lieutenant governor are viewed as among the most powerful actors in Texas government because
they have enough institutional powers to be able to influence which legislation passes and which legislation is killed.
