Deck 8: The Legislative Branch

Question 1

Which of the following is notlisted in the Texas Constitution as a qualification for membership in the Texas legislature?

A) U.S. citizenship
B) Residency in the district
C) College degree
D) Voter qualification

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Which statement about women in the Texas state legislature is true?

A) In recent elections, the number of women elected to the state legislature has increased.
B) The percentage of women in the state legislature is equal to the percentage of women in the general population.
C) In recent elections, the number of women elected to the state legislature has declined.
D) Female legislators have always been treated with respect and dignity by their male colleagues.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

The U.S. Supreme Court found in Reynolds v. Sims (1964) that

A) legislative districts of bicameral state legislatures must have substantially equal populations.
B) only the lower house of state legislatures must have substantially equal populations.
C) all states must have bicameral legislatures.
D) some term limits for members of Congress violates the U.S. Constitution.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

All Texas Senate seats are up for election every 10 years because

A) senators serve five-year terms.
B) senators are limited to two terms.
C) the number of senate seats may change.
D) Senate district lines are redrawn every 10 years.

Question 5

Under the Texas Constitution, those serving in the Texas legislature

A) cannot hold another government office.
B) are able to hold more than one government office.
C) can be paid by another governmental entity.
D) cannot earn money from private sector sources.

Question 6

Which of the following is true of members of the Texas Senate?

A) They usually serve terms of two years with no term limits.
B) They usually serve terms of two years with a limit of 3 terms.
C) They usually serve terms of four years with no term limits.
D) They usually serve terms of four years with a limit of 3 terms.

Question 7

The Texas House of Representatives consists of __________ members.

A) 31
B) 55
C) 150
D) 400

Question 8

Which of the following is true of members of the Texas House of Representatives?

A) They serve terms of four years and are limited to 3 terms.
B) They serve terms of four years with no term limits.
C) They serve terms of two years and are limited to 3 terms.
D) They serve terms of two year terms with no term limits.

Question 9

If a state legislator is a member of the National Guard and is called to active military duty for more than 30 days, what will happen?

A) The legislator appoints a qualified replacement who must be approved by the appropriate chamber.
B) The governor appoints a qualified replacement who must be approved by the appropriate chamber.
C) A special committee in the appropriate chamber appoints a qualified replacement.
D) Legislators cannot also be members of the National Guard or other military units.

Question 10

Which of the following groups dominates the membership of the Texas legislature?

A) Anglo Protestant men
B) Hispanic Catholic men
C) African American Protestant men
D) Anglo Catholic women

Question 11

Functions of the Texas legislature include all of the following, except

A) enacting legislation.
B) proposing constitutional amendments.
C) appointing state judges.
D) removing executive and judicial officials.

Question 12

The federal court case that applied the doctrine of "one-man, one-vote" to Texas was

A) Reynolds v. Sims (1964).
B) Lells v. Kavenaugh (1991).
C) Kilgarlin v. Martin (1965).
D) Ruiz v. Estelle (1980).

Question 13

The legislative redistricting maps approved by the 82nd Texas Legislature in 2011 were challenged because

A) they appeared to discriminate against the election of historical minority groups.
B) they appeared to favor the election of Republicans.
C) they appeared to favor the election of incumbents.
D) they appeared to discriminate against the election of Democrats.

Question 14

A vacancy in the Texas House or Senate arising during a term is filled by

A) the chamber's presiding officer.
B) the Legislative Redistricting Board.
C) a special election.
D) governor's appointment.

Question 15

The redistricting practice of drawing legislative districts to favor one group or party is called

A) electioneering.
B) packing.
C) gerrymandering.
D) filibustering.

Question 16

The number of senators in the Texas legislature is

A)31.
B)40.
C)150.
D)400.

Question 17

Regular sessions of the Texas legislature meet for

A) 140 days, in odd-numbered years.
B) 150 days, every single year.
C) 140 days in even-numbered years.
D) 150 days, every four years.

Question 18

The Texas legislature is ___________, meaning that it is composed of two chambers.

A) unicameral
B) bicameral
C) bilateral
D) unitary

Question 19

Legislative redistricting for both houses in Texas routinely occurs

A) every even-numbered years.
B) every odd-numbered years.
C) the first odd-numbered year in a decade.
D) the first even-numbered year in a decade.

Question 20

Which of the following is not true regarding special sessions of the Texas legislature?

A) They may only meet for 30 days.
B) They have their agenda set by the governor.
C) They may only be called by the governor.
D) They are limited to three per year.

Question 21

Turnover in the Texas legislature is most likely to be high in those

A) elections immediately before redistricting.
B) elections immediately after redistricting.
C) gubernatorial election years.
D) presidential election years.

Question 22

Educationally, most members of the Texas legislature have

A) attended institutions of higher learning.
B) only completed high school.
C) received post-graduate degrees.
D) attended private, not public school.

Question 23

Rules relating to the procedures for operation of the Texas Senate would be dealt with in a

A) simple resolution.
B) concurrent resolution.
C) joint resolution.
D) appropriations bill.

Question 24

The liberal ideological caucus in the Texas legislature is the

A) Legislative Black Caucus.
B) House and Senate Democratic caucuses.
C) Legislative Study Group.
D) Senate Hispanic Caucus.

Question 25

Compared to legislators in other states, those in Texas receive

A) low pay, low allowances, and meager retirements.
B) average pay, high allowances, and meager retirements.
C) low pay, reasonable allowances, and generous retirements.
D) high pay, low allowances, and generous retirements.

Question 26

Which of the following is nottrue regarding the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives?

A) He or she is selected by direct popular vote in a general election.
B) He or she may appoint all committee chairs.
C) He or she refers all bills to standing committees.
D) He or she is the joint chair of the Legislative Budget Board.

Question 27

The Mexican American Legislative Caucus played an important role in

A) the creation of an indigent housing system and education plan.
B) increasing funding from the lottery and gambling.
C) the establishment of a pharmacy college and health center.
D) electing district judges from single-member districts.

Question 28

Which of the following is not correct regarding the lieutenant governor of Texas?

A) He or she is chosen by direct popular vote.
B) He or she is the presiding officer of the Texas Senate.
C) He or she is first in line of succession to fill a governorship vacancy.
D) He or she receives a constitutional salary of $46,000 per year.

Question 29

Adopting the guitar as the state musical instrument required that the legislature uses ____________ to make the icon official.

A) a simple resolution
B) a concurrent resolution
C) a joint resolution
D) an appropriations bill

Question 30

The wiki site "The Texas Red Tape Challenge"resulted in

A) changes to almost 100 laws.
B) a report on the number of participants.
C) a new state agency to manage the site.
D) recommendations for new laws.

Question 31

The lieutenant governor also functions as the state's

A) Speaker of the House.
B) adjutant general.
C) president of the Senate.
D) attorney general.

Question 32

In the Texas House, a committee that considers legislation and recommends whether it should or should not pass is called a(n)

A) procedural committee.
B) substantive (standing) committee.
C) interim committee.
D) joint (two-house) committee.

Question 33

Republican membership in the Texas legislature has

A) remained at about the same level since 1961.
B) tended to be elected from major cities.
C) constituted a majority in both chambers since 2003.
D) been mainly due to the support of Latino voters.

Question 34

Changes in compensation for members of the Texas legislature are initiated by

A) the legislature itself.
B) an Ethics Commission recommendation.
C) the comptroller of public accounts.
D) an automatic cost of living adjustment.

Question 35

The Legislative Black Caucus has been most concerned about

A) highway construction.
B) hate crimes laws.
C) the state's general sales tax.
D) the issue of campaign financing.

Question 36

Which of the following is not a power accorded to the lieutenant governor by the Texas Constitution or Senate rules?

A) Voting on all bills before the Senate
B) Recognizing senators who wish to speak
C) Appointing the chairs of all Senate committees
D) Referring all bills to standing committees

Question 37

The "farm-to-table"caucus is described as a bipartisan caucus because its members include legislators

A) from both the Democratic and Republican Parties.
B) with both conservative and libertarian ideologies.
C) from different racial and ethnic groups.
D) from both rural and urban areas.

Question 38

When an amendment to the U.S. Constitution is proposed by Congress, the Texas legislature may vote for ratification using

A) simple resolution passed by a two-thirds vote in both chambers.
B) joint resolution requiring a simple majority vote in each body.
C) joint resolution passed by both houses and a popular referendum.
D) concurrent resolution passed by a three-fifths vote and signed by the governor.

Question 39

Which of the following statements is true regarding the Texas legislature?

A) It does not recognize the party affiliation of its members.
B) It has no party organization-not even informal caucuses.
C) It is dominated by the Democratic Party, with no Republican influence.
D) It has Democratic and Republican caucuses that are increasingly important.

Question 40

The religious denominations most represented in the Texas legislature are

A) Methodist and Church of Christ.
B) Jewish and Presbyterian.
C) Catholic and Episcopalian.
D) Catholic and Baptist.

Question 41

After a bill passes both houses of the Texas legislature, it then

A) must be reviewed by the courts before becoming law.
B) automatically dies if vetoed by the governor.
C) becomes law only with the governor's signature.
D) becomes law with or without a governor's signature.

Question 42

If a governor or other elected executive official is suspected of criminal activity,

A) the Texas House may bring charges through impeachment, after which the Texas Senate would render judgment.
B) the Texas Senate may bring charges through impeachment, after which the Texas House would render judgment.
C) the Texas Rangers may bring charges through impeachment, after which the Texas Supreme Court would render judgment.
D) the Texas Ethics Commission may bring charges through impeachment, after which the Texas Senate would render judgment.

Question 43

A member of the Texas legislature would be immune from adverse judicial action if he

A) libels a citizen during a speech at his hometown Rotary Club.
B) is arrested for intoxicated driving while the legislature is in session.
C) is arrested for causing an automobile accident during the session.
D) slanders in a speech during a legislative proceeding.

Question 44

To enact a law applying specifically to Collin county, the Texas legislature would pass a

A) special bill.
B) local bill.
C) joint resolution.
D) concurrent resolution.

Question 45

A senator can attempt to delay or impede a bill's passage by speaking on the floor as long as physically possible, which is called

A) filibustering.
B) gerrymandering.
C) invoking cloture.
D) senatorial privilege.

Question 46

When the House and Senate pass a bill with different language in each version,

A) the bill will die because further action cannot occur until the two agree.
B) the bill will go to a House-Senate conference committee.
C) one chamber will have to accept the language of the other.
D) the governor will indicate a preference for one chamber's bill.

Question 47

The primary function of the state auditor is to

A) determine if there are sufficient funds to pay legislative appropriations.
B) determine if state funds have been spent by the state agencies in accordance with law.
C) determine how state revenues are to be invested.
D) authorize the payment from the Treasury to all persons with claims against the state.

Question 48

How long does the governor have following the adjournment of the legislature in which to act on bills?

A) Ten working days
B) Twenty calendar days
C) One month
D) Ninety days

Question 49

Before making an appointment, the governor is expected to consult with the senator of an affected district, a process called senatorial

A) filibuster.
B) privilege.
C) immunity.
D) courtesy.

Question 50

Representatives occasionally engage in lengthy debates on bills, including bills that they do not oppose. This delaying action is called

A) a filibuster.
B) cloture.
C) chubbing.
D) politics as usual.

Question 51

The lieutenant governor, Speaker of the House, and other members of the legislature authorize special research projects to help in the drafting of bills through the

A) Legislative Budget Board.
B) Senate Research Center.
C) House Research Organization.
D) Texas Legislative Council.

Question 52

House rules prohibit ghost voting, a practice which involves representatives

A) scaring another representative into voting their way.
B) pressing the voting button for another representative.
C) having a senator vote for them.
D) not voting when present in the chamber.

Question 53

A two-thirds vote on the floor of the Texas Senate is required for any bill to be considered due to the use of a

A) blocking bill.
B) discharge petition.
C) super quorum.
D) friendly filibuster.

Question 54

In Texas, the second 30 days of the legislative session are mainly reserved for

A) any non-legislative duties.
B) introduction of new legislation.
C) action on concurrent resolutions.
D) standing committee action on bills.

Question 55

The Texas Senate has __________ to control the flow of bills from standing committees to the floor.

A) one calendar committee
B) no calendar committees
C) two calendar committees
D) four blocker committees

Question 56

After its first reading in the House of Representatives, a bill is

A) debated and voted upon.
B) referred to the appropriate committee.
C) forwarded to the Senate for its action.
D) referred to the House Rules Committee.

Question 57

A bill making exception to general law for a named individual is known as a

A) concurrent resolution.
B) special bill.
C) general bill.
D) local bill.

Question 58

Most of the governor's board and commission appointments to head state agencies must be submitted and approved by

A) at least two-thirds of the Senate.
B) the relevant Senate committee.
C) a majority of the House of Representatives.
D) at least a simple majority vote of the senators.

Question 59

The legislature may require reports from state agencies under a procedure known as

A) auditing.
B) consultation.
C) oversight.
D) gerrymandering.

Question 60

If the governor vetoes a bill after the legislature has adjourned,

A) the bill will die and cannot be overridden.
B) the bill may go to a House-Senate conference committee.
C) the legislature will call itself into an override session.
D) the bill will go on a referendum override ballot.

Question 61

Identify the term of office for members of the Texas legislature and their compensation for serving. Explain whether or not you think the compensation is fair.

Question 62

Describe the structure of the bicameral Texas legislature. Identify the number of seats for each chamber and explain how and when re-districting occurs.

Question 63

Describe the constitutional checks held by the Texas legislature over the executive branch. How does the legislative branch exercise control over the executive branch?

Question 64

Compare the structure, membership, and sessions of the Texas legislature with those of other large states, or those of states bordering Texas. What similarities or differences stand out as significant?

Question 65

What are caucuses and what functions do they serve? Do you think they help or hinder the work of the legislature?

Question 66

Describe the selection, duties, title, and tools of influence of the lieutenant governor in the legislative process. Explain why this position possesses considerable legislative power.

Question 67

Explain who the most influential people are in the passage of a bill, and what powers they have in the process. Include a discussion of the leaders of both chambers, committees, the governor, and any influences from outside the government.

Question 68

Describe the selection, duties, and tools of influence of the "Speaker" of the House of Representatives. Explain why this position possesses considerable legislative power.

Question 69

Explain what gerrymandering is and how it occurs. Do you think steps should be taken to end the practice? Explain why or why not.

Question 70

Describe the committee system in use in the Texas legislature. What are committees and why are they important to the legislative process? What functions do they serve beyond making legislation? Explain why committee chairs are considered powerful in the process of governing.

Question 71

Describe the process a bill must go through to become a law in the Texas legislature. Include a discussion of both the formal procedures, and the strategies legislators may use to promote or block a bill.

Question 72

Describe how representative of the Texas legislature is of Texas public in demographic terms. Does it matter whether different groups in society are represented in proportion to their numbers in the population? Why or why not?

Question 73

How often and for how long does the Texas legislature meet? What are the benefits and drawbacks of having a legislature that has short and infrequent sessions? Explain how often and for how long you think the legislature should be in session and why. If you think the current system is ideal, explain why you think it is better than other options.

Question 74

Describe the formal qualifications of members of the Texas legislature. Explain why actual members of the legislature fail to represent a representative cross section of Texas society. What changes would you make to the formal qualifications required of members and why?

Question 75

Describe the various functions and duties of the Texas legislature. Identify those responsibilities that are unique to each chamber of the body. Identify any actions that must be initiated in one particular chamber.