Deck 6: The Legislature

Question 1

With the exception of Nebraska, all of the state legislatures in the United States have bicamerial legislatures.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Regular session of the Texas legislature are limited to 140 days every two years.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Special sessions of the Texas legislature may be called by the governor or by a majority of the members of the legislature.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

The process of redrawing legislative and congressional districts is done by a non-partisan board called the Legislative Redistricting Board.

Question 5

Both the Texas House of Representatives and the Texas Senate utilize single-member districts.

Question 6

If the legislature fails to redistrict itself, or the redistricting is declared illegal, the Legislative Redistricting Board does the redistricting.

Question 7

Gerrymandering is the drawing of legislative districts to favor one party over another.

Question 8

The base salary of Texas legislators is the lowest of the ten largest states in the union.

Question 9

In addition to the salary, members of the legislature receive a daily per diem expense allowance.

Question 10

All former members of the Texas legislature are entitled to a pension.

Question 11

In general, Texas legislators are middle-aged males who are either lawyers or businessmen.

Question 12

Women hold an equal number of seats in the Texas legislature with men.

Question 13

Lawyers make up about one-third of the membership of the Texas legislature.

Question 14

The most recent data suggests that members of the Texas legislature are over-whelming Roman Catholic in religious preference.

Question 15

Seniority in the Texas legislature is less important than seniority in the U.S. Congress.

Question 16

The lieutenant governor of Texas is elected by the members of the Texas Senate.

Question 17

The Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives is selected by the majority party caucus of the House.

Question 18

The powers of the lieutenant governor of Texas over the Texas Senate are prescribed in the Texas Constitution.

Question 19

The positions of the speaker pro tempore of the Texas House and president pro tempore of the Texas Senate are stepping stones for becoming the leadership of the their respective chambers.

Question 20

Committee chairmanships in the Texas House and Texas Senate are assigned solely on the basis of seniority.

Question 21

A conference committee is composed of five members from each chamber appointed by the presiding officers of those chambers.

Question 22

Bills are referred to committee in both chambers by the parliamentarian.

Question 23

In the Texas Senate, bills are taken up on the floor as they come out of committee.

Question 24

The main sources of information for members of the legislature are the lobbyists, the state bureaucrats, and the staff agencies of the legislature.

Question 25

Vetoes by the governor are seldom over-ridden by the legislature.

Question 26

Among the suggested reforms of the Texas legislature is increasing the number of standing committees.

Question 27

Among the suggested reforms of the Texas legislature are annual sessions.

Question 28

Among the suggested reforms of the Texas legislature is a higher salary for members.

Question 29

The Texas Legislature differs from other large urban states in which way?

A) Texas uses a bicameral legislature
B) The Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives is elected by the membership of the House
C) Members receive a salary and daily expense allowance
D) Texas restricts the length of regular sessions and holds the sessions every other year

Question 30

Which of the following states has a unicameral legislative body?

A) Texas
B) California
C) Nebraska
D) New York

Question 31

The Texas Constitution set limits on regular legislative sessions of the Texas Legislature to

A) 140 days every two years
B) 140 days on an annual basis
C) sessions every two years with no limit as to length
D) 30 days when called by the Governor

Question 32

Which is not true of special sessions of the Texas Legislature?

A) it can only be called by the Governor
B) it is limited to a maximum of 30 days
C) it can only be called in odd numbered years
D) it can only consider items that have been submitted by the Governor

Question 33

Special legislative sessions of the Texas Legislature are limited to

A) 140 days every two years
B) 140 days every year
C) 2 days every 140 years
D) 30 days when called by the Governor

Question 34

Which of the following legal principles must be followed in redistricting legislative districts?

A) the population of the districts must be as equal as is possible
B) the district lines must be redrawn after each census to reflect the election returns
C) districts may not be gerrymandered to assist one political party's efforts to win election
D) districts may not be changed except with court permission

Question 35

The type of representational system which is currently used for the election of members to the Texas House of Representatives is:

A) multi-member, at-large, by-place districts
B) single-member districts
C) multi-member, proportional representation districts
D) combination: multi-member districts in urban counties, single-member districts for the rest

Question 36

Gerrymandering is a term used to describe

A) the practice of legislative delay by debating bills to death
B) the practice of drawing the lines of legislative districts to achieve a predetermined result
C) a process by which the governor reviews legislative redistricting plans
D) the meetings of the Legislative Redistricting Board

Question 37

If the Legislature fails to redistrict the state after the census, which of the following is required by the Texas Constitution?

A) The federal courts will automatically step in and redistrict the state
B) The state Supreme Court convenes to automatically redistrict the state
C) A Legislative Redistricting Board will be created to redistrict the Legislature
D) Nothing until the next session of the Legislature convenes

Question 38

Concerning the pay (salary) of members of the Texas Legislature:

A) It is better than the average for other large urban states
B) It is totally based on the number of days the Legislature meets
C) Members will receive a per diem allowance, along with a $600/month salary
D) It has not been changed since the Constitution was written in 1876

Question 39

The annual salary of member of the Texas Legislature is established by:

A) a majority vote of the membership of the Texas Legislature
B) a provision in the Texas Constitution
C) the presiding officers of each house
D) the Texas Ethics Commission

Question 40

In order to be eligible to draw a legislative retirement, a member must fulfill all except which of the following requirements?

A) have at least 12 years combined service in the House or Senate
B) be at least 50 years of age
C) have served as a committee chairperson
D) have contributed to the Legislative Retirement System

Question 41

Which of the following is a not a requirement for members of the Texas House of Representatives?

A) U S Citizen
B) at least 21 years of age
C) a resident of the State of Texas for at least two years prior to election
D) all of the above are true statements

Question 42

Which of the following is not a requirement to be a member of the Texas Senate?

A) U S Citizen
B) at least 25 years of age
C) a qualified voter of Texas for at least five years prior to their election
D) all of the above are true

Question 43

Which of the following occupational groups are least likely to be represented in the Texas Legislature?

A) lawyers
B) farmers
C) self-employed businessman
D) factory worker

Question 44

Members of the Texas legislature are limited in the number of terms that they may serve to

A) two terms (four years in the House, eight years in the Senate)
B) no more than ten years of cumulative service in either chamber
C) no more than twenty years of cumulative service in either chamber
D) there are no term limits in Texas

Question 45

Which of the following statements concerning the powers of the Lt. Governor is correct?

A) the constitutional powers of the Lt. Governor are extremely limited
B) the constitutional powers of the Lt. Governor include appointing the committees of the Senate and designating the chairs of the committees
C) the constitutional powers of the Governor allow him/her to vote on any bill pending before the Senate
D) the constitutional powers of the Lt. Governor give him the right to recognize speakers and organize the calendar of the Senate

Question 46

The Lieutenant Governor of the State of Texas is selected by which method

A) by a majority of the members of the Texas Senate
B) by the majority party in the Texas Senate
C) by the voters of the State of Texas in a state-wide election
D) appointment by the Governor

Question 47

The Speaker of the House of Representatives is selected in which manner?

A) by the voters of the state of Texas in a state-wide election
B) by a majority of the members of the House
C) by the majority party caucus in the House
D) by appointment of the Governor

Question 48

Which of the following is not a constitutional power of the Speaker of the House?

A) the power to refer bills to committee
B) the power to bring bills to the floor of the House of Representatives
C) the power to appoint members of committees
D) none of the above are powers granted by the Texas Constitution

Question 49

Which of the following statements about Speaker Pro-tem of the House is untrue?

A) the job is a training ground for future Speaker of the House candidates
B) generally held by a person classified as a minority
C) appointed (selected) by the Speaker
D) the job is a respected position, but carries little or no power

Question 50

In the House of Representatives, bills are referred to the standing committees by

A) the Governor of Texas
B) the Lt Governor of the State
C) the Speaker of the House
D) the sponsor of the bill

Question 51

Committee chairs are selected in what manner in the Texas Senate?

A) chairs are elected by the members of the committee
B) chairs are selected by the party caucus
C) chairs are appointed on the basis of seniority
D) chairs are appointed by the Lt. Governor

Question 52

Which of the following is used to work out differences between different House and Senate versions of legislation?

A) subcommittee
B) conference committee
C) standing committee
D) statutory committee

Question 53

Members of conference committee are selected by

A) the Speaker in the House and the Lt Governor in the Senate
B) the members of the standing committee that reported the bill
C) the chairpersons of the standing committees that considered the bills
D) The Staff Director of the Legislative Council

Question 54

Bills are scheduled to come to the floor of the House of Representatives

A) by the Speaker of the House
B) by the leadership of the majority party in the House
C) by the Calendar Committee
D) by the standing committee which reported the bill to the floor of the House

Question 55

A parliamentary procedure under which a member of the Texas Senate can delay floor debate on a bill through "extended debate" is know as

A) tagging the bill
B) amending the bill
C) filibustering the bill
D) dogging the bill

Question 56

The normal method by which bills come to the floor of the Senate for a vote is

A) The Lt. Governor calls the bill up for a vote
B) Suspension of the Rules by a 2/3 vote of the members of the Senate
C) The bill is scheduled by the Calendar Committee
D) Bills are placed on the Senate Calendar by bill number and come up in numerical sequence

Question 57

The Legislative Audit Committee is an example of which type of committee?

A) Standing Committee
B) statutory Committee
C) Conference Committee
D) Interim Committee

Question 58

Bill drafting and policy research is done by the staff of the

A) Legislative Budget Board
B) Legislative Council
C) Legislative Audit Committee
D) none of the above do bill drafting and policy research

Question 59

If the Governor vetoes a proposed piece of legislation, it can become law only if

A) it is repassed in different session of the legislature
B) it is repassed in the chamber which originated it by a 2/3 vote
C) it is repassed in both houses by a majority vote
D) it is repassed in both houses by a 2/3 vote during the same session in which it was vetoed

Question 60

Which of the following reforms in the committee process was not suggested by the authors?

A) reducing the number of committees
B) additional and more independent committee staffing
C) increased use of joint committees
D) all of the above have been suggested

Question 61

For members of the legislature to be able to become independent of all but the public's interests, they would have to be able to do the following:

A) impose significant restrictions on allowing lawyer-legislators to represent clients before state agencies
B) adopt rules which would prohibit members of the legislature from accepting fees from persons who appear before them to ask for special consideration for legislation
C) development significant sources of information independent of the executive branch and the lobby
D) all of the above are necessary

Question 62

What are the formal functions of the legislature? How do the constitutional limitations on the legislature affect how it is able to perform those functions?

Question 63

How are the legislative districts for members of the Texas legislature decided? What is the role of the Legislative Redistricting Board, who is on it, and when do they act?

Question 64

Discuss the redistricting of congressional districts in 2003? What was the outcome of this effort?

Question 65

How have factionalism and party identification affected the operation and leadership of the Texas legislature?

Question 66

What is the compensation of members of the Texas legislature? How does this compare with other urban states?

Question 67

What are the formal qualifications for members of the Texas legislature? What are the personal characteristics of the typical member of the Texas Legislature?

Question 68

How does the tenure and turnover of the Texas legislature affect how the institution performs its role?

Question 69

Outline the selection, powers, duties, and roles of the presiding officers of the Texas legislature.

Question 70

Discuss the basic steps of the legislative process in Texas? How do bills normally come to the floor of the House of Representatives? How does the procedure differ in the Senate?

Question 71

What are the three statutory committees of the Texas legislature? Select one of these and discuss its membership, function, and importance.

Question 72

What are three of the handicaps faced by members of the Texas legislature? Select one of these and discuss it.

Question 73

What are three of the procedural reforms suggested to improve the legislative process in Texas?