Question 1

What is the most obvious function of the legislature?

Accepted Answer

A) administering government programs 
B) making public policy through the passage of legislation 
C) supervising judges 
D) nominating candidates for national office 
E) settling election disputes 
A) administering government programs 
B) making public policy through the passage of legislation 
C) supervising judges 
D) nominating candidates for national office 
E) settling election disputes

Question 2

Historically,the Texas legislature has been dominated by which of these?​

Accepted Answer

A) ​rural, conservative Democrats 
B) ​urban, liberal Democrats 
C) ​rural, conservative Republicans 
D) ​urban, liberal Republicans 
E) ​none of these; there has been no obvious dominance 
A) ​rural, conservative Democrats 
B) ​urban, liberal Democrats 
C) ​rural, conservative Republicans 
D) ​urban, liberal Republicans 
E) ​none of these; there has been no obvious dominance

Question 3

Special sessions of the Texas legislature called by the governor are limited to a maximum of _____ days.

Accepted Answer

A) 10 
B) 30 
C) 50 
D) 60 
E) 90 
A) 10 
B) 30 
C) 50 
D) 60 
E) 90

Question 4

Why is seniority important in the Texas legislature?​

Accepted Answer

Seniority in the Texas Legislature, as i

Question 5

Who is the presiding officer of the Texas Senate?

Accepted Answer

A) governor 
B) lieutenant governor 
C) speaker 
D) attorney general 
E) comptroller of public accounts 
A) governor 
B) lieutenant governor 
C) speaker 
D) attorney general 
E) comptroller of public accounts

Question 6

Which of these is considered to be a "right" group that Texas legislators tend to be members of? ​

Accepted Answer

A) ​civic associations 
B) ​business groups 
C) ​professional associations 
D) ​social clubs 
E) ​all of these 
A) ​civic associations 
B) ​business groups 
C) ​professional associations 
D) ​social clubs 
E) ​all of these

Question 7

Since 1975,legislative salaries in Texas have been _____ per year.

Accepted Answer

A) $200 
B) $2,500 
C) $7,200 
D) $15,600 
E) $35,500 
A) $200 
B) $2,500 
C) $7,200 
D) $15,600 
E) $35,500

Question 8

​The media in Texas tend to endorse candidates who are oriented toward _____.

Accepted Answer

A) ​business 
B) ​labor unions 
C) ​social justice 
D) the environment 
E) lawsuits 
A) ​business 
B) ​labor unions 
C) ​social justice 
D) the environment 
E) lawsuits

Question 9

​The median age of members in both chambers of the Texas legislature is between _____ and _____.

Accepted Answer

A) ​50; 59 
B) ​40; 49 
C) ​30; 39 
D) ​20; 29 
E) ​60; 69 
A) ​50; 59 
B) ​40; 49 
C) ​30; 39 
D) ​20; 29 
E) ​60; 69

Question 10

Aproposal has been made to increase Texas's legislative salary to make it closer to the averages of states that pay their legislators the most,which is about _____ per year.

Accepted Answer

A) ​$18,000 
B) $​38,000 
C) ​$58,000 
D) ​$78,000 
E) ​$98,000 
A) ​$18,000 
B) $​38,000 
C) ​$58,000 
D) ​$78,000 
E) ​$98,000

Question 11

Which of these is not an indirect power the Texas governor enjoys?

Accepted Answer

A) ​The governor can appoint many of his supporters into various state boards and commissions. 
B) The governor can present messages to the state legislature and give recommendations on legislation. 
C) The governor can serve as a liaison between Texas and other states as well as between Texas and the federal government. 
D) The governor can cast tie-breaking votes in the event of a tie in either the state House or the state Senate. 
E) None of these answers are correct, as the governor enjoys all of these indirect powers. 
A) ​The governor can appoint many of his supporters into various state boards and commissions. 
B) The governor can present messages to the state legislature and give recommendations on legislation. 
C) The governor can serve as a liaison between Texas and other states as well as between Texas and the federal government. 
D) The governor can cast tie-breaking votes in the event of a tie in either the state House or the state Senate. 
E) None of these answers are correct, as the governor enjoys all of these indirect powers.

Question 12

​Which of these would likely be a problem if the number of legislators in the Texas Housewere reduced?

Accepted Answer

A) ​Texas's physical size would require that legislators representlarger geographic areas. 
B) ​As the population and geographic size of districts continued to grow, citizens would increasingly lose contact with their representatives. 
C) ​People would protest such a change, as itwould go against years of Texas tradition. 
D) ​Citizens would object, as theyprefer to represented by someone from a small enough geographic and population area to understand the needs of the people of the district. 
E) ​All of thesewould likely be problems. 
A) ​Texas's physical size would require that legislators representlarger geographic areas. 
B) ​As the population and geographic size of districts continued to grow, citizens would increasingly lose contact with their representatives. 
C) ​People would protest such a change, as itwould go against years of Texas tradition. 
D) ​Citizens would object, as theyprefer to represented by someone from a small enough geographic and population area to understand the needs of the people of the district. 
E) ​All of thesewould likely be problems.

Question 13

Chairpersons of committees in the Texas legislature are selected by _____.

Accepted Answer

A) the governor 
B) the presiding officers 
C) committee members 
D) the full House and Senate 
E) the seniority system, with the longest-serving committee member being the chair 
A) the governor 
B) the presiding officers 
C) committee members 
D) the full House and Senate 
E) the seniority system, with the longest-serving committee member being the chair

Question 14

The process of drawing boundaries of electoral districts in such a way that one party or faction has an advantage over another is called _____.

Accepted Answer

A) reapportionment 
B) redistricting 
C) filibustering 
D) gerrymandering 
E) logrolling 
A) reapportionment 
B) redistricting 
C) filibustering 
D) gerrymandering 
E) logrolling

Question 15

Who is the presiding officer of the Texas House of Representatives?

Accepted Answer

A) governor 
B) lieutenant governor 
C) speaker 
D) attorney general 
E) longest-serving member of the majority party in the chamber 
A) governor 
B) lieutenant governor 
C) speaker 
D) attorney general 
E) longest-serving member of the majority party in the chamber

Question 16

The Texas House of Representatives has _____ members.

Accepted Answer

A) 50 
B) 100 
C) 131 
D) 150 
E) 435 
A) 50 
B) 100 
C) 131 
D) 150 
E) 435

Question 17

The Texas Senate has _____ members.

Accepted Answer

A) 25 
B) 31 
C) 50 
D) 117 
E) 150 
A) 25 
B) 31 
C) 50 
D) 117 
E) 150

Question 18

Which speaker was elected by a bipartisan coalition to preside over the Texas House in 2009?

Accepted Answer

A) Pete Laney 
B) Billy Clayton 
C) David Dewhurst 
D) Joe Straus 
E) Tom Craddick 
A) Pete Laney 
B) Billy Clayton 
C) David Dewhurst 
D) Joe Straus 
E) Tom Craddick

Question 19

The procedural powers of the presiding officers of the Texas legislature include all of these except the power to _____.

Accepted Answer

A) call special sessions of the legislature 
B) recognize legislators wishing to speak 
C) determine the timetable for debate 
D) refer bills to committees 
E) appoint legislators to committees and appoint committee chairpersons 
A) call special sessions of the legislature 
B) recognize legislators wishing to speak 
C) determine the timetable for debate 
D) refer bills to committees 
E) appoint legislators to committees and appoint committee chairpersons

Question 20

Appropriations bills passed by the Texas legislature always take effect _____.

Accepted Answer

A) immediately 
B) thirty days after the legislative session ends 
C) ninety days after the legislative session ends 
D) on January 1 
E) on September 1 
A) immediately 
B) thirty days after the legislative session ends 
C) ninety days after the legislative session ends 
D) on January 1 
E) on September 1

What is the most obvious function of the legislature?

Historically,the Texas legislature has been dominated by which of these?

Special sessions of the Texas legislature called by the governor are limited to a maximum of _____ days.

Why is seniority important in the Texas legislature?

Who is the presiding officer of the Texas Senate?

Which of these is considered to be a "right" group that Texas legislators tend to be members of?

Since 1975,legislative salaries in Texas have been _____ per year.

The media in Texas tend to endorse candidates who are oriented toward _____.

The median age of members in both chambers of the Texas legislature is between _ and _.

Aproposal has been made to increase Texas's legislative salary to make it closer to the averages of states that pay their legislators the most,which is about _____ per year.

Which of these is not an indirect power the Texas governor enjoys?

Which of these would likely be a problem if the number of legislators in the Texas Housewere reduced?

Chairpersons of committees in the Texas legislature are selected by _____.

The process of drawing boundaries of electoral districts in such a way that one party or faction has an advantage over another is called _____.

Who is the presiding officer of the Texas House of Representatives?

The Texas House of Representatives has _____ members.

The Texas Senate has _____ members.

Which speaker was elected by a bipartisan coalition to preside over the Texas House in 2009?

The procedural powers of the presiding officers of the Texas legislature include all of these except the power to _____.

Appropriations bills passed by the Texas legislature always take effect _____.

The Context of Texas Politics

The Constitutional Setting

Interest Groups

Political Parties

Voting,campaigns,and Elections

The Governor

The Administrative State

The Judiciary

The Substance of Justice

Local Government

The State Economy and the Financing of State Government

Public Policy: People

Public Policy: Resources

Filters

Exam 6: The Texas Legislature

What is the most obvious function of the legislature?

Historically,the Texas legislature has been dominated by which of these?​

Special sessions of the Texas legislature called by the governor are limited to a maximum of _____ days.

Why is seniority important in the Texas legislature?​

Who is the presiding officer of the Texas Senate?

Which of these is considered to be a "right" group that Texas legislators tend to be members of? ​

Since 1975,legislative salaries in Texas have been _____ per year.

​The media in Texas tend to endorse candidates who are oriented toward _____.

​The median age of members in both chambers of the Texas legislature is between _____ and _____.

Aproposal has been made to increase Texas's legislative salary to make it closer to the averages of states that pay their legislators the most,which is about _____ per year.

Which of these is not an indirect power the Texas governor enjoys?

​Which of these would likely be a problem if the number of legislators in the Texas Housewere reduced?

Chairpersons of committees in the Texas legislature are selected by _____.

The process of drawing boundaries of electoral districts in such a way that one party or faction has an advantage over another is called _____.

Who is the presiding officer of the Texas House of Representatives?

The Texas House of Representatives has _____ members.

The Texas Senate has _____ members.

Which speaker was elected by a bipartisan coalition to preside over the Texas House in 2009?

The procedural powers of the presiding officers of the Texas legislature include all of these except the power to _____.

Appropriations bills passed by the Texas legislature always take effect _____.

The Context of Texas Politics

The Constitutional Setting

Interest Groups

Political Parties

Voting,campaigns,and Elections

The Governor

The Administrative State

The Judiciary

The Substance of Justice

Local Government

The State Economy and the Financing of State Government

Public Policy: People

Public Policy: Resources

Filters

Historically,the Texas legislature has been dominated by which of these?

Why is seniority important in the Texas legislature?

Which of these is considered to be a "right" group that Texas legislators tend to be members of?

The media in Texas tend to endorse candidates who are oriented toward _____.

The median age of members in both chambers of the Texas legislature is between _ and _.

Which of these would likely be a problem if the number of legislators in the Texas Housewere reduced?