Deck 24: State Legislatures

Question 1

A meeting of the members of a party in a legislative chamber to select party leaders and develop party policy is called a party

A)delegation.
B)group.
C)platform.
D)convention.
E)caucus.

Answer 1

E

Question 2

The New Hampshire legislature has a House of Representatives and a Senate.Thus, it is an example of a _________________ legislature.

A)model
B)divided
C)bipartisan
D)unitary
E)bicameral

Answer 2

E

Question 3

A legislature with two chambers is called a bifurcated legislature.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Which of the following statements about state legislative committees is correct?

A)They vary in power from state to state
B)Their influence has decreased in all states in recent years
C)They encourage members to generalize their experience rather than specialize
D)They have few oversight responsibilities
E)They rarely screen legislation before legislation is considered by the floor of legislative chambers

Question 5

If state legislators have drawn a district in the city of Everytown such that 54% of the district residents are African-Americans, this is an example of a(n) _____________ district.

A)majority-minority
B)black power
C)Voting Rights Act
D)affirmative action
E)red

Question 6

The right to lobby is protected under

A)federal statutes.
B)local government charters.
C)state statutes.
D)the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the federal constitution and similar protections in state constitutions.
E)gubernatorial order.

Question 7

In Reynolds v.Sims (1964) the Supreme Court ruled that

A)districts for the U.S.House of Representatives were permitted to be malapportioned.
B)malapportionment was allowed if states did so to increase the likelihood of minorities getting elected to the legislature.
C)redistricting had to be conducted by independent commissions.
D)poll taxes could not be imposed for state legislative elections.
E)even state senates were subject to equal population requirements for their districts.

Question 8

A referendum that calls for a waiting period before legislation goes into effect and allows voters to sign a petition requesting that the act be referred to the voters prior to going into effect is call a(n) _______________ referendum.

A)optional
B)cooling-off
C)direct
D)deliberative
E)mandatory

Question 9

In Baker v.Carr (1962) the Supreme Court ruled that

A)state legislatures could be malapportioned as long as the most populous district had no more than twice as many residents as the least populous district.
B)voters have standing to challenge legislative apportionment.
C)majority-minority districts were unconstitutional.
D)apportionment cannot be on the basis of regions or geography in state legislatures.
E)it is legal to take race and ethnicity into consideration when redistricting.

Question 10

In most states, lobbyists must register annually with the state government.

Question 11

The most talked-about legislative "reform" in the 1990s was

A)longer terms for state representatives.
B)increased veto powers for governors.
C)term limits.
D)unicameralism.
E)gerrymandering.

Question 12

How many states do NOT have term limits for their members of the state legislature?

A)15
B)25
C)44
D)35
E)8

Question 13

Which of the following is true about interest groups in American states?

A)They have a significant and growing influence on state legislatures
B)They use bribery as their primary tool to influence legislators
C)Their influence is small and diminishing
D)They are illegal in most states
E)They do not ever get involved in elections

Question 14

The text cites two sources of lobbyists' influence.What are they?

A)Information and campaign support
B)Business experience and legal knowledge
C)Friendships and "the dirt" on opponents
D)Charm and personality
E)"Connections" and personality

Question 15

The committee system in state legislatures generally allows members to concentrate their energies on specific areas of governmental operations.

Question 16

Usually the greatest influence on legislators is

A)interest groups.
B)their constituents.
C)political parties.
D)governors.
E)delegates.

Question 17

Forms of direct democracy including initiatives and referendums are most common in which states?

A)New England states
B)Rural states
C)Southeastern states
D)Western states
E)Former Confederate states

Question 18

State senator Jane Doe votes in favor of allowing casinos in her state as a way to increase state revenues despite the fact that a majority of her constituents oppose allowing casinos.This is an example of what type of interpretation of her role as a legislator?

A)Delegate
B)Trustee
C)Ombudsmen
D)Lobbyist
E)Caucus

Question 19

What is the only state with a unicameral legislature?

A)Virginia
B)New Mexico
C)Massachusetts
D)Florida
E)Nebraska

Question 20

The primary source of campaign funds for incumbent state legislators is typically

A)their families.
B)national party organizations.
C)interest groups.
D)public funding.
E)governors.

Question 21

Which of the following is a strength for an incumbent running for reelection?

A)Name recognition
B)Better access to campaign funds
C)Experience in campaigning
D)All of the above
E)None of the above

Question 22

According to Figure 24-1, what percentage of state legislators are teachers (in addition to being legislators)?

A)6
B)8
C)12
D)14
E)16

Question 23

Gerrymandering is the drawing of legislative district boundaries to benefit a party, group, or incumbent.

Question 24

What functions do state legislatures perform within the larger federal system?

A)Ratifying proposed U.S.Constitutional amendments
B)Calling for constitutional conventions to amend the U.S.Constitution
C)Approving interstate compacts
D)All of the above
E)None of the above

Question 25

To illustrate the varied ways in which state legislators interact and conduct politics, the text cites an example that compares New York and Virginia.The New York legislature is characterized as one in which "political wheeling and dealing and frantic activity" are common.Virginia is described as one in which

A)things are "intensely partisan."
B)things are "mainly individualistic."
C)you get "a sense of tradition, conservatism, and gentility."
D)one experiences "tough ethnic politics."
E)"the Irish dominate."

Question 26

Generally, the court system has reversed part or all of discriminatory direct-democracy initiatives that were voted in by the electorate, but this puts the courts in the odd position of actually opposing a majority vote.

Question 27

Thirty-five states have instituted term limits for state legislators.

Question 28

On average, how many state legislative elections are uncontested?

A)One-fourth
B)One-third
C)One-half
D)One-fifth
E)Two-thirds

Question 29

What percentage of the U.S.Congress (in 2008) were former state legislators?

A)25%
B)30%
C)35%
D)45%
E)50%

Question 30

Which state's larger chamber of the legislature (house of representatives, assembly, or house of delegates, depending upon the state) has the most members?

A)Alaska
B)New Hampshire
C)Alabama
D)Louisiana
E)Nebraska

Question 31

How many of the nation's state legislators (after the 2008 elections) consider themselves Independents?

A)49
B)70
C)73
D)81
E)111

Question 32

In 2008, what is the national average percentage of women in state legislatures?

A)5%
B)12%
C)14%
D)24%
E)33%

Question 33

Which state does NOT have a bicameral legislature?

A)Alaska
B)New Hampshire
C)Alabama
D)Louisiana
E)Nebraska

Question 34

In some states, the directive initiative applies only to constitutional amendments.

Question 35

Despite attempts to make the redistricting process more fair and equitable, no one doubts that incumbents in the majority can control the election process through reapportionment.

Question 36

What is the job that most state legislators hold (in addition to their jobs as legislators)?

A)Attorney
B)Business owner
C)Farmer/rancher
D)Teacher
E)"Other or none reported"

Question 37

Term limits have NOT changed the general profile of state legislators.

Question 38

Every state legislature has committees on

A)rules.
B)appropriations.
C)taxes.
D)education.
E)None of the above

Question 39

The two sources of influence lobbyists have are information and campaign support.

Question 40

Which of the following states has a relatively powerful speaker?

A)Alaska
B)Mississippi
C)Arizona
D)Wyoming
E)Hawaii

Question 41

The most common profession of members of state legislatures is

A)farmer/rancher.
B)attorney.
C)teacher.
D)business owner or manager.
E)minister.

Question 42

The typical state senate has about _________ members.

A)40
B)200
C)100
D)10
E)535

Question 43

One of the major advantages of the committee system is that it

A)brokers power between the governor and the legislature.
B)balances the interests of political parties.
C)allows members to concentrate their energies on particular areas of governmental activities.
D)allows legislators to ignore the preferences of their constituents.
E)None of the above

Question 44

In 2008, what percentage of state legislators was Hispanic?

A)23.1%
B)8.2%
C)3.3%
D)9.4%
E)11.5%

Question 45

As of 2008, approximately what percent of state legislators were women?

A)62%
B)24%
C)5%
D)38%
E)12%

Question 46

Which of the following is NOT a function or activity of state legislatures?

A)Modifying and approving budgets
B)Representing local views at the state level
C)Performing constituency service
D)Making laws
E)Altering the U.S.Constitution

Question 47

As of 2011, the Republican party dominated which of the following states?

A)California
B)Georgia
C)Nevada
D)Nebraska
E)Alabama

Question 48

In comparison with the U.S.Congress, the

A)speakers in many state legislatures have more power.
B)seniority systems in state legislatures are more closely followed.
C)committees in state legislatures have greater power over bills.
D)state legislatures have more professional staff.
E)state legislatures have almost no role for partisanship.

Question 49

In every state EXCEPT _____, candidates for the state legislature are nominated in primaries or caucuses.

A)Montana
B)Massachusetts
C)Nebraska
D)Utah
E)Idaho

Question 50

How often does a state legislative body adopt a bill that a committee has not screened and favorably reported on?

A)Rarely
B)Most of the time
C)Never
D)Occasionally
E)About half the time

Question 51

As of 2011, the Democratic party dominated which of the following states?

A)Georgia
B)Oklahoma
C)Arizona
D)Alabama
E)Pennsylvania

Question 52

A _________________ legislature has only one chamber.

A)unicameral
B)universal
C)uniform
D)united
E)unitary

Question 53

Which of the following is true about state legislatures?

A)They did not exist prior to the ratification of the U.S.Constitution
B)They generally had very little power in the 1770s
C)They no longer play a meaningful role in state politics
D)They existed well before the creation of the Continental Congress
E)They are all appointed by the U.S.Congress

Question 54

A legislature with two chambers is said to be

A)bifurcated.
B)divided.
C)bicameral.
D)bipartisan.
E)binary.

Question 55

Which of the following is NOT a typical role or function of state legislatures?

A)Passing laws
B)Approving state appropriations
C)Impeaching and trying state officials
D)Proposing amendments to state constitutions
E)Enforcing national regulations

Question 56

All of the following are true EXCEPT

A)most state legislators are white males, businessmen, or lawyers.
B)most state legislators have previous political experience.
C)state legislators tend to have more education and higher incomes.
D)there has been an increase in the percentage of teachers, retirees, and students serving in state legislatures.
E)most state legislators are full-time legislators.

Question 57

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a typical state legislator?

A)White
B)Previous political experience
C)Lower than average education
D)Higher than average income
E)Male

Question 58

The smaller chamber of state legislatures is generally called the

A)lower chamber.
B)House of Lords.
C)House of Representatives.
D)bigger body.
E)Senate.

Question 59

When is a conference committee appointed in the legislative process?

A)When a bill is referred to committee by Senate leadership
B)After public hearings but before committee approval
C)After a bill is amended but before preliminary approval in the House
D)When one chamber will not accept the other chamber's version when the two versions differ
E)Before the third reading of a bill in the Senate

Question 60

In most states, the leader of the lower house of the state legislature is

A)from the minority party.
B)chosen by the governor.
C)voted on by the public directly.
D)called the speaker.
E)the lieutenant governor.

Question 61

The _____________________ interpretation of the role of legislators suggests that legislators should vote independently, based on their judgment of the circumstances.

A)maverick
B)delegate
C)opinion slave
D)leadership
E)trustee

Question 62

If you were a typical lobbyist, which of the following would you be most unlikely to do as part of your job?

A)Testify in committees
B)Meet with lawmakers one-on-one
C)Organize meetings with legislators
D)Stage rallies
E)Determine the kinds of gifts you can give particular legislators to secure their support

Question 63

The _____________________ interpretation of the role of legislators suggests that legislators should represent the views of their constituents even when they personally hold divergent views.

A)delegate
B)spineless
C)follower
D)trustee
E)lobbyist

Question 64

What is a pay-to-play law?

A)One that prohibits company representatives from contributing to officials who could influence state contracts that would be important to the company
B)One that limits the value of gifts to legislators to less than $200 per year
C)One that requires lobbyists to pay an annual registration fee to gain access to legislators
D)One that requires lobbyists to disclose who has contributed to their operation (in effect, who "paid" to "play")
E)None of the above

Question 65

In about how many states is the party caucus NOT a principal instrument for legislative decision making?

A)5
B)15
C)25
D)35
E)45

Question 66

What is the purpose of the National Conference of State Legislatures?

A)To lobby for state legislatures at the national level
B)To act as a sort of clearinghouse for new ideas to be shared between state legislators
C)To determine which political spin will work best for election strategies
D)To assist in organizing grassroots campaigns
E)To coordinate lobbying efforts between state and federal legislators

Question 67

Who or what usually has the greatest influence on legislators?

A)Lobbyists
B)PACs
C)Special-interest groups
D)Constituents
E)Their party

Question 68

Which of the following is one of the two rules by which lobbyists live?

A)Better to support the loser than the wrong winner
B)Misleading information is the best kind
C)Always create permanent allies
D)It's easier to kill a bill than to pass it
E)Today's opponent is tomorrow's opponent

Question 69

As of 2011, which of the following states' legislatures were NOT controlled by any major party, but had split control?

A)Nebraska
B)Ohio
C)Florida
D)Wisconsin
E)Washington

Question 70

A person who is employed by and acts for an organized interest group or corporation to influence policy decisions and positions in the executive and legislative branches is known as a

A)pawn.
B)legislator.
C)lobbyist.
D)convener.
E)caseworker.

Question 71

Which U.S.constitutional amendments secure the right to lobby legislators?

A)The First and Fifth
B)The First and Fourteenth
C)The Fourteenth and Fifteenth
D)The Fifth and Fourteenth
E)The Fourteenth and Sixteenth

Question 72

The two sources of influence of lobbyists are

A)information and campaign support.
B)meals and trips.
C)threats and rewards.
D)bribery and arm twisting.
E)strategies and tactics.

Question 73

State representative John Doe believes that cigarette taxes should be increased.However, he votes against such an increase because the constituents of his tobacco-growing district oppose it.This is an example of what type of interpretation of his role as a legislator?

A)Corporation
B)Delegate
C)Caseworker
D)Follower
E)Trustee

Question 74

What was the most talked-about legislative reform of the 1990s?

A)Federal campaign funding
B)Tax information disclosure
C)Full disclosure of lobbyists' contribution to campaigns
D)Term limits
E)Gender bias in state legislatures

Question 75

Who or what are the major financial backers of most incumbent legislators?

A)PACs
B)Lobbyists
C)State party organizations
D)Interest groups
E)None of the above

Question 76

In what state did the state supreme court strike down term limits only to have the state's voters reinstate them four years later?

A)Massachusetts
B)Nebraska
C)Oregon
D)Washington
E)Wyoming

Question 77

What state is considered a leader in e-government technology because of its fully equipped "public access room" making it easy for citizens to lobby state legislators?

A)Hawaii
B)Virginia
C)Montana
D)Massachusetts
E)New York

Question 78

Why are parties and partisanship gradually gaining strength in the South and Southwest?

A)Because of the recent rise of the Republican party
B)Because of the election of George W.Bush
C)Because of the election of Bill Clinton
D)Because of the war in Iraq
E)Because of the divisive issue of gay marriage

Question 79

Which state has its members of the state legislature chosen in nonpartisan elections?

A)Kentucky
B)Nebraska
C)Idaho
D)Pennsylvania
E)North Carolina

Question 80

________________ is engaging in activities aimed at influencing public officials, especially legislators, and the policies they enact.

A)Bargaining
B)Voting
C)Lobbying
D)Litigating
E)Logrolling