Unit Quiz 3
________ would be considered political patronage
A state representative hiring a campaign contributor to a job he knows nothing about??
A plural executive is
A fragmented system of authority under which most statewide, executive officeholders are elected independently of the governor.
Governor George W. Bush used a tactic that allowed him to gain the respect of members of the legislature and get many of his initiatives passed. How did he prefer to work out his differences with the legislature?
He met in private with legislative leaders to hash out differences and would refuse to leak any disagreements to the press
A governor can be removed from office through impeachment proceedings initiated in the
House and conviction by the Senate
In the early part of the twentieth century, ________ regarded bureaucracies as efficient means of organizing large numbers of people to accomplish a given task.
Max Weber, a german sociologist
The first woman elected governor in Texas was
Miriam A. "Ma" Ferguson
Most municipal courts and all justice of the peace courts are
Not courts of record
Justice of the peace courts have __________ Jurisdiction and function as __________ courts.
Original civil and criminal, as small claims
Most criminal activities are defined and their punishments established in the
Penal Code
is an example of licensing on the local level
Requiring contractors to meet building codes established by city councils
The top appointed official in the executive branch is the
Secretary of state???
What characterizes the governor's appointive powers?
The governor's powers are constrained because of staggered terms and the plural executive.
. ________ was an early step in restricting the revolving-door phenomenon
The law that created the Public Utility Commission and prohibited its employees from immediate employment in the utilities industry
The bureaucracy has the primary responsibility for carrying out the policies adopted by
The legislature
To run for governor, the constitution says a candidate must be
Thirty years old and a resident of Texas for five years.
The Texas Railroad Commission has ____ members and regulates ________ and has some oversight over_______
Three elected members, lignite mining, rail safety
How can the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) work to limit mismanagement and inefficiency of a state agency?
Through a performance review, the LBB can determine ways to increase efficiency and cut costs in an agency.
When a person in an agency reports an agency for costly mistakes or waste or an endangerment to the public, they are protected by the
Whistle Blower Protection Act.
A plea bargain results when the defendant negotiates
a reduction in his sentence with the prosecutors
A special session can be held
can be called any number of times by the governor and last for thirty days. need to confirm???
The commissioner of agriculture is responsible for
carrying out laws regulating and benefitting Texas agriculture
Texas retains ownership, including mineral rights, to approximately 22 million acres of land, which are managed by the
commissioner of the General Land Office.
Senatorial ________ is an unwritten norm that allows a senator to block the governor's nomination of an individual who lives in the senator's district.
courtesy
The Court of Criminal Appeals hears only
criminal cases
Despite overlapping jurisdictions, a district court judge would first hear a(n) ________ because of original jurisdiction.
divorce, slander, or election dispute case
Generally, the ________ broadly defines a program, and the ________ fills in the details of it.
legislature; bureaucracy ???
The Texas attorney general is
mainly a civil lawyer who defends state laws enacted by the legislature
The authority of a court to try or resolve a civil lawsuit or a felony prosecution being heard for the first time is known as
original jurisdiction
State agencies can
regulate the distribution and quality of natural resources, regulate companies for fairness and competition, and require licenses for certain professions.
The lieutenant governor of Texas is elected
separately from the governor and can be from a different party
The comptroller of public accounts is
the state's primary tax administrator and accounting officer, and is responsible for issuing revenue estimates
What is the primary purpose of the Texas Supreme Court?
to decide on civil appeals and develop administrative procedures for state courts
Grand juries are each made up of
twelve people selected by a district judge
To override a governor's veto requires a
two-thirds vote in both chambers
If lawmakers fail to approve a sunset bill by September 1 of the year the agency is scheduled for review, the agency will be phased out of existence over
1 year
The governor has the authority to veto a bill for up to _
10 days during a session and 20 days after adjournment.
Each agency is subject to sunset review every
12 years
Every ________ the legislature sets budgets for state agencies.
2 years
What effect has the increasing cost of campaigns had on the gubernatorial election?
It has prevented many good potential candidates from running because of the burden of raising funds
What is the purpose of writs of mandamus on which the Texas Supreme Court sometimes acts?
It is to remedy defects in justice by ordering lower courts or public officials to take a certain action.
Why is the revolving door viewed in a negative way?
It raised external questions about insider influence and regulatory decisions.
What is the primary responsibility of the secretary of state?
administering state election laws
The Texas Workforce Commission is responsible for
assisting agencies in recruiting by listing all state job openings
Civil lawsuits involve conflict
between two or more parties
The existence of two courts at the highest level of the state judiciary is referred to as a
bifurcated court system
The military authority given to the governor by the state constitution includes
his role as commander-in-chief of the military forces of the state, the ability to appoint an adjutant general and to mobilize the Texas National Guard to protect lives and property in the state
. Before becoming governor, Rick Perry served as
state representative, commissioner of agriculture, and lieutenant governor
State and local governments can regulate by offering operating subsidies to businesses, including
tax breaks that are subject to limitations imposed by the legislature.
Only two of the more than 200 state boards and commissions have elected members. Which boards or commissions have elected members?
the Railroad Commission and the State Board of Education
The two ways that the legislature can use budgetary control over bureaucracies are by
the amount of funds allotted and approval of line items in agency budgets.
