Question 1

Every state legislature has committees on ________.

Accepted Answer

A) rules 
B) appropriations 
C) taxes 
D) education 
E) crime 
A) rules 
B) appropriations 
C) taxes 
D) education 
E) crime

Question 2

The larger chamber of state legislatures is called the senate.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 3

The redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines following the census, to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal as possible in population, is called ________.

Accepted Answer

A) reapportionment 
B) gerrymandering 
C) shifting 
D) redistricting 
E) lobbying 
A) reapportionment 
B) gerrymandering 
C) shifting 
D) redistricting 
E) lobbying

Question 4

Which of the following states has the least polarized legislators?

Accepted Answer

A) Louisiana 
B) Washington 
C) Texas 
D) Minnesota 
E) Colorado 
A) Louisiana 
B) Washington 
C) Texas 
D) Minnesota 
E) Colorado

Question 5

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 ________.

Accepted Answer

A) senator 
B) legislator 
C) lobbyist 
D) convener 
E) caseworker 
A) senator 
B) legislator 
C) lobbyist 
D) convener 
E) caseworker

Question 6

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

Accepted Answer

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 
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 7

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

Accepted Answer

A) They are a significant and growing source of influence on state legislators. 
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 get involved in elections. 
A) They are a significant and growing source of influence on state legislators. 
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 get involved in elections.

Question 8

What is the etymology of the word "gerrymandering"?

Accepted Answer

A) It comes from an odd-shaped district (that resembled a salamander) in Massachusetts, redrawn when the governor's name was Gerry. 
B) It comes from a Creole word (from Louisiana) that means pandering to a particular group of people. 
C) It comes from an eighteenth-century slang term for an unpopular mandate, pioneered by an unscrupulous politician in South Carolina, named Gerry Sartain. 
D) It comes from an old British sailors' term that meant being unfairly treated by a ship's captain. 
E) It comes from the Greek word meaning mystery and was used in military oaths of pagans. 
A) It comes from an odd-shaped district (that resembled a salamander) in Massachusetts, redrawn when the governor's name was Gerry. 
B) It comes from a Creole word (from Louisiana) that means pandering to a particular group of people. 
C) It comes from an eighteenth-century slang term for an unpopular mandate, pioneered by an unscrupulous politician in South Carolina, named Gerry Sartain. 
D) It comes from an old British sailors' term that meant being unfairly treated by a ship's captain. 
E) It comes from the Greek word meaning mystery and was used in military oaths of pagans.

Question 9

What is a "trustee" view of a legislator?

Accepted Answer

An ideal response would be:
Trustees are

Question 10

In ________, the Supreme Court announced that "as nearly as practicable one man's vote in a congressional election is to be worth as much as another's."

Accepted Answer

A) Wesberry v.Sanders 
B) Brown v.Board of Education 
C) Jones v.Georgia 
D) Davis v.California Secretary of State's Office 
E) Smith v.Allwright 
A) Wesberry v.Sanders 
B) Brown v.Board of Education 
C) Jones v.Georgia 
D) Davis v.California Secretary of State's Office 
E) Smith v.Allwright

Question 11

Which of the following is true about direct initiative?

Accepted Answer

A) It gives state legislatures an opportunity to pass laws without gubernatorial approval. 
B) It can only be used for constitutional amendments. 
C) It does not require any signatures on a petition to have a measure put on a ballot. 
D) It allows any individual or interest group to draft a proposed law and file it with a designated state official. 
E) It cannot be used for constitutional amendments. 
A) It gives state legislatures an opportunity to pass laws without gubernatorial approval. 
B) It can only be used for constitutional amendments. 
C) It does not require any signatures on a petition to have a measure put on a ballot. 
D) It allows any individual or interest group to draft a proposed law and file it with a designated state official. 
E) It cannot be used for constitutional amendments.

Question 12

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

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

Constituents tend to have the greatest influence on the voting decisions of state legislators.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

Define unicameral and bicameral legislatures.Identify the frequency of use by states of each type.

Accepted Answer

An ideal response would be:
The 50 state

Question 15

Define term limits.Identify the current status of the constitutionality of those limits.

Accepted Answer

An ideal response would be:
Term limit i

Question 16

Which of the following functions cannot be performed by state legislatures?

Accepted Answer

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 
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 17

In every state EXCEPT ________, candidates for the state legislature are nominated by political parties in primaries or caucuses.

Accepted Answer

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

Question 18

The Supreme Court has held that redistricting ________.

Accepted Answer

A) can consider the underrepresentation of race 
B) can consider the underrepresentation of ethnicity and race 
C) cannot be based primarily on race 
D) cannot be based primarily on gender 
E) can never permit the creation of majority-minority districts 
A) can consider the underrepresentation of race 
B) can consider the underrepresentation of ethnicity and race 
C) cannot be based primarily on race 
D) cannot be based primarily on gender 
E) can never permit the creation of majority-minority districts

Question 19

A legislature with two chambers is called a unicameral legislature.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

A bill does not need the signature of the governor to become a law.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Every state legislature has committees on ________.

The larger chamber of state legislatures is called the senate.

The redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines following the census, to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal as possible in population, is called ________.

Which of the following states has the least polarized legislators?

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 ________.

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

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

What is the etymology of the word "gerrymandering"?

What is a "trustee" view of a legislator?

In ________, the Supreme Court announced that "as nearly as practicable one man's vote in a congressional election is to be worth as much as another's."

Which of the following is true about direct initiative?

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

Constituents tend to have the greatest influence on the voting decisions of state legislators.

Define unicameral and bicameral legislatures.Identify the frequency of use by states of each type.

Define term limits.Identify the current status of the constitutionality of those limits.

Which of the following functions cannot be performed by state legislatures?

In every state EXCEPT ________, candidates for the state legislature are nominated by political parties in primaries or caucuses.

The Supreme Court has held that redistricting ________.

A legislature with two chambers is called a unicameral legislature.

A bill does not need the signature of the governor to become a law.

State and Local Politics

American Federalism

State Constitutions: Charters or Straightjackets

Parties and Elections in the States

State Governors

Judges and the Justice in the States

Local Governments and Metropolitics

Making State and Local Policy

People and Money in State and Local Governments

Filters

Exam 5: State Legislatures

Every state legislature has committees on ________.

The larger chamber of state legislatures is called the senate.

The redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines following the census, to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal as possible in population, is called ________.

Which of the following states has the least polarized legislators?

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 ________.

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

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

What is the etymology of the word "gerrymandering"?

What is a "trustee" view of a legislator?

In ________, the Supreme Court announced that "as nearly as practicable one man's vote in a congressional election is to be worth as much as another's."

Which of the following is true about direct initiative?

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

Constituents tend to have the greatest influence on the voting decisions of state legislators.

Define unicameral and bicameral legislatures.Identify the frequency of use by states of each type.

Define term limits.Identify the current status of the constitutionality of those limits.

Which of the following functions cannot be performed by state legislatures?

In every state EXCEPT ________, candidates for the state legislature are nominated by political parties in primaries or caucuses.

The Supreme Court has held that redistricting ________.

A legislature with two chambers is called a unicameral legislature.

A bill does not need the signature of the governor to become a law.

State and Local Politics

American Federalism

State Constitutions: Charters or Straightjackets

Parties and Elections in the States

State Governors

Judges and the Justice in the States

Local Governments and Metropolitics

Making State and Local Policy

People and Money in State and Local Governments

Filters