UT Austin Texas Government Credit Exam
True or False: The Texas Legislative Branch is the least weak of the three branches
True
How senators are in the Texas Senate?
31
How many representatives are in the Texas House of Rep. ?
150
Connecticut Compromise
Proposed two chambers for legislative branch: one with the number of representatives based on state population and the other with fixed number of senators per state.
Different for Texas legislature: Senate represents larger districts and more broad concerns for state (have longer terms than House of Rep. reps). Representatives in the House have shorter terms and represent smaller districts. They are more in tune with the ever changing needs of the people.
How often does the Texas Legislature hold its regular session?
For 140 days every other year.
What happens to a bill at the end of the regular sessions if it hasn’t been passed or denied?
It dies
What are Special Sessions
Special sessions are legislative sessions that the governor can call for after the regular session is over. He can call for as many as he or she wants and the governor dictates the content of the session.
True or False: Texas legislatures are elected in single-member districts and districts are redrawn ever 10 years
true
Who is given the position of President of the Senate
The Lieutenant Governor is given this position by the Texas Constitution. The Lt. Gov. is an elected via a statewide election.
T or F: The Texas House has always had single-member districts
False, up until a Supreme Court decision in 1972, House reps where elected in multi-member districts
How long are the terms of office for legislative positions?
The house have elections every two years where all seats are up for grabs
The senate has elections every two years where only half the members are up for re-election. Which half is up for election is rotated every two years. Each term is four years long. This staggering restarted after re-redistricting. Senators draw straws for who gets a four-year or two-year term.
Requirements to run for the Texas House of Reps.
- must be at least 21
- legal resident of the state for the past two years
- resident of their district for at least one year
- US citizen
Requirements to run for the Texas Senate
- must be at least 26
- legal resident of the state for the past 5 years
- resident of their district for at least one year
- US citizen
private interest group
groups that seek to influence public policy for the specific and often exclusive benefit of their members or people with similar interests
public interest group
groups that seek influence public policy for the benefit of the general population
in-house lobbyist
employed directly by the interest groups themselves (e.g. Vice President of Legislative Affairs
Contract Lobbyist
independent professionals who are hired to represent an interest group for a fixed period of time. Often represent multiple interest groups at the same time
public advocacy firm lobbyist
hybrid of the other two types. work for law firms or public advocacy firms that businesses and interest groups can hire.
Political Action Committee (PAC)
An entity other than a political party that raises and sends money to elect or defeat candidates. PACs are regulated under both federal and state law.
Interest Group scorecards
Interest groups create scorecards ranking how well candidates align with there interests
bracket bills
legislation or proposed legislation intended to benefit a relatively narrow class of beneficiaries without directly naming them.
a legislative resolution
a formal statement of opinion or a specific decision. can be issue by either chamber
joint resolution
the mechanism used to propose amendments to the Texas Constitution. passed by both chambers of the legislature
Three types of resolutions
simple resolution
joint resolution
concurrent resolution (a formal statement of opinion but does not carry the force of law)
Legislature Administrative Power
Ratify gubernatorial appointments
Create, abolish and redefine state agencies
Require report and special reporting from state agencies
Approve state agency budgets
Ratify gubernatorial appointments
The appointments made by the governor must have two-thirds approval vote in the senate
Name the three types of bills that can be introduced in the legislature
general, special and local
Who impeaches and who tries the case?
The house impeaches and the senate tries the case
gerrymandering
the manipulation of political boundaries and/or electoral constituencies to favor one party over another
Senatorial Standing Committees
chair and members are appointed by the lieutenant governor
deal with public policy
Senatorial Special Committees
essentially subcommittees of permanent committees
created to study important issues
House Substantive Committee
similar to senatorial Standing Committees; deal with issues of public policy
House Procedural Committees
dedicated to regulating the functioning and operations of the house itself
Example: Calendar Committee – decides when bills are heard on the floor
Conference Committee
include members of both chambers and are formed to resolve differences in bills that passed by each house that deal with same issue. Consists of five members from both chambers.
interim committee
formed to consider bills when the legislature is not in session
- can be formed to study a particular issue that arose at the end of the previous session
Ad hoc committees
used to study specific issues, problems or questions
line-item veto
the governor may veto certain items in an appropriations bill.
T or F: The legislature can override the governor’s veto with a 2/3 vote in both chambers
true
Committees in the House and Senate that deal with taxes and appropriations
House:
Ways and Means Committee
Appropriations Committee
Senate:
Finance Committee
Business and Commerce Committee
State Affairs Committee
Prestigious committee that deals with operation of the state government
How long is the waiting period that members must wait in before acting on legislation
60 days
Lieutenant Governer
- four year terms
- appoints members to committees
- assigns bills to committees
- the tie breaker
- chair the legislative budget board and Legislative council
- vice-chair of Leg. Audit committee and Education board
- member of the LRB
Attorney General
- opinions on public policy has the force of law
- “the state’s lawyer”
- generally doesn’t work on criminal cases; mainly advises when asked
Comptroller of Public Accounts
- in charge of tax collection, accounting, estimating revenue for the state, and acts as custodian of state funds and investments
Texas Secretary of State
- in charge of voter registration
- keeping records of all debt and Uniform Commercial Code fillings
- appointed by the governor and approved by the senate
Public Utilities Commission
- oversees rates and enforces rules and laws related to electricity and telecommunications
No Child Left Behind
2001; national education standards for schools in all states passed by Bush
1/3
fraction of state revenue from federal grants
conservative
hostility to government activity, especially in the economic sphere, and a complementary faith in the judgment of businesspeople
C
In which of the following areas would Texas have the least influence?
a. Determining how it will tax its citizens.
b. Enforcing laws and administering justice.
c. Controlling its border with Mexico.
d. Setting educational standards.
e. Regulating industry within the state.
C
Which of the following groups has not changed appreciably, as a percent of the Texas population, since 1980?
a. Anglo (non-Hispanic)
b. Native American Indian
c. African American
d. Asian
e. Hispanic
constitution purposes
give legitimacy, organize government, grant specific powers, limit government powers
1876
date of ratification of the 6th texas constitution (6th)
constitution of 1845
statehood constitution; bsed on Jacksonianism
Grange
farmer’s organization; white supremacy; influenced current constitution of 1876
lieutenant governor
presides over Texas Senate; elected by people
comptroller of public accounts
collects state’s taxes and determines whether enough revenue exists to fund state budget; keeps state money; elected by people
attorney general
state lawyer; elected by people
commissioner of General land Office
protects state environment and administers public lands; elected by people
Texas Railroad Commission
regulate intrastate transportation and oil/gas industry; elected by people
local governments
counties, municipalities, special districts
counties
most restricted; administrative and judicial; commission form of government that combined executive and legislative authority and is headed by a judge; fragmented
home rule
allows a city to write its own charter and make changes in it without legislative approval; population over 5,000
general-law
cities must operate under statewide statutes
special districts
limited-purpose local governments that have taxing authority; e.g. school districts
legislature
location of initiation for amendment proposal (regular or special session)
2/3
majority of House/Senate (100/21) required to submit proposed constitutional amendments to voters
simpole majority
majority of citizens needed for ratification of constitutional amendments
C
Which of the following is not a purpose of the U.S. constitution?
a. legitimize government
b. grant powers to government
c. establish local units of government
d. organize government
e. limit government
D
Which of the following Texas Constitutions established the Republic of Texas, where Texas was a free, sovereign, and independent nation?
a. 1836
b. 1866
c. 1861
d. 1845
e. 1869
Jacksonian democracy
Short terms of office for public officials.
An expansion of individual participation in government.
The spoils system of appointing the victor’s supporters to office.
Long ballots with most offices up for popular vote.
Ethics Commission
Which Texas government agency was created in 1991 and given the power of recommending legislative salaries
Terrell Election Law
1903; forbid corporations to contribute money directly to candidates for public office
Texas Campaign Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1973
- every candidate and political committee must appoint treasurer before accepting contributions or expenditures
- contributions >500 out-of-state permitted onlu if names are disclosed
- detailed financial reports required including all contributions and expenditures over 50
- violators face civil/criminal penalties
no enforcement and no limit
1991 Texas Ethics Law
created ethics commission that could hold hearings on public complaints, levy fines, and report violations to Austin distric attorney; no limits on campaign contributions; required super majority for actions
20
percentage cut off for primary election requirement (smaller can choose by nominating convention)
primary election
held within a party to nominate candidates for general election or choose presidential nominating convention delegates
general election
choose state and national executives and legislators; even-numbered years on tuesday after first monday in november
special elections
fill vacancies; nonpartisan
Article IIIq
stipulates that Texas legislature composed of Senate (31) and HofRep (150)
electing legislators
- November general elctions in even-numbered yrs
- election form single-memeber districts
- 2-yr term for house and 4-yr term for senators
- special elections called by governor fill vacancies
regular session
biennial; 140 calendar days
special sessions
called by governor; max 30 days; governor determines schedule
Download the full exam pdf here https://learnexams.com/search/study?query=