Question 1

Who was the first Texas governor to be elected to three consecutive four-year terms?

Accepted Answer

Rick Perry was the first Texas governor to be elected to three consecutive four-year terms, serving from December 2000 to January 2015.

Question 2

Identify the six variables used to measure the formal powers of the office of governor.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Identify the six variables used to measure...

Question 3

Which state government sector has the largest number of employees?

Accepted Answer

The education sector typically has the largest number of employees in state government sectors, due to the extensive infrastructure required for public schools, colleges, and universities, including teachers, administrative staff, and support services.

Question 4

The Texas legislature can override the governor's general veto with a ______ vote in each house.

Accepted Answer

The Texas legislature can override the governor's general veto with a two-thirds vote in each house. This means that at least 100 members in the Texas House of Representatives and 21 members in the Texas Senate must vote to override the veto.

Question 5

Which of the following best describes the effect the expansion of a governor's ability to appoint and remove agency heads would have on executive authority?

Accepted Answer

The expansion of a governor's ability to appoint and remove agency heads would increase executive authority. This is because it gives the governor more direct control over the agencies and their policies, which strengthens the executive branch's ability to implement its vision and priorities.

Question 6

In the process known as ________,the governor must clear his or her appointments with the state senator from the appointee's home district.

Accepted Answer

The process described in the question is known as senatorial courtesy, which requires the governor to obtain approval from the state senator representing the appointee's home district before making the appointment. This practice is common in states that follow the tradition of senatorial courtesy, which allows state legislators a significant role in the appointment process.

Question 7

In a large majority of the states,the legislature can override the governor's veto with a ______ vote in each house.

Accepted Answer

In most states, including the majority of those with bicameral legislatures, a two-thirds vote in each chamber of the legislature is required to override a governor’s veto. Few states require more than two-thirds or less than a two-thirds majority. Therefore, option C is the correct answer.

Question 8

Do you think the informal qualifications for governor will be more or less important in the future? Explain.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Do you think the informal qualifications for...

Question 9

In Texas,the state budget is submitted by

Accepted Answer

In Texas, the state budget is primarily submitted by the Legislative Budget Board, which is a joint committee of the Texas Legislature that develops budget and policy recommendations for legislative appropriations for all agencies of state government.

Question 10

In Texas the trend in recent years has been to expand the staff of the governor's office.Who was the first Texas governor to use a professional staff of advisors?

Accepted Answer

John Connally was the first Texas governor to use a professional staff of advisors, starting in 1963.

Question 11

The Sunset Advisory Commission

Accepted Answer

The Sunset Advisory Commission reviews most state agencies every 12 years to assess their effectiveness and necessity, making recommendations for changes or abolition to ensure government efficiency.

Question 12

Why is it very difficult to hold a specific person in Texas government responsible for anything?

Accepted Answer

The government in Texas is divided and fragmented, with different responsibilities and tasks divided among various officials and agencies. This makes it difficult to hold a specific person responsible for any particular policy or action.

Question 13

By recommending policy initiatives to state legislators and coordinating with state agencies that administer programs and implement policies,the governor is demonstrating his or her role as

Accepted Answer

The governor is acting as the chief legislator by recommending policy initiatives and coordinating with state agencies to implement policies.

Question 14

The secretary of state publishes the ________,which is the source of official notices or rules,meetings,executive orders,and opinions of the attorney general that are required to be filed by state agencies.

Accepted Answer

The Texas Register is the source of official notices or rules, meetings, executive orders, and opinions of the attorney general that are required to be filed by state agencies. It is published by the secretary of state. The other options (A, B, and C) do not exist or are not relevant in this context.

Question 15

The power of the Texas governor to remove government officials is

Accepted Answer

The power of the Texas governor to remove government officials is very weak, as it is significantly limited and often requires approval from the Texas Senate or other mechanisms, making unilateral removals difficult.

Question 16

The line-item veto

Accepted Answer

The line-item veto is indeed a key power of the Texas governor, allowing them to veto specific provisions of appropriations bills without needing to reject the entire bill. This power is particularly significant in budgetary and fiscal matters.

Question 17

The largest expenditure of state funds is for

Accepted Answer

Personnel costs, including salaries and benefits for government employees, are typically the largest expenditure of state funds. This is because many state government programs and services rely heavily on a skilled workforce to operate, from teachers and police officers to administrative staff and healthcare workers. While other expenses, such as infrastructure and debt service, can also be significant, personnel costs are often the biggest factor in state budgets.

Question 18

The Texas legislature can override the governor's line-item veto with a ______ vote in each house.

Accepted Answer

According to the Texas Constitution, a two-thirds vote in each house of the state legislature is required to override the governor's line-item veto.

Question 19

What are the formal and informal qualifications for governor? Based on the informal qualifications,what groups of Texas citizens have been excluded from the governorship?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are the formal and informal qualifications...

Question 20

The chief record keeper and election official for the state of Texas is the

Accepted Answer

The secretary of state is the chief record keeper and election official for the state of Texas, making choice A the correct answer. The other options listed are not accurate roles for this position in Texas.

Quiz 4: The Executive Department and the Office of the Governor of Texas