Question 1

For a Texas governor, what is the benefit of a post-adjournment veto?

Accepted Answer

A)  It requires a two-thirds majority from both houses to override it. 
B)  The legislature is prevented from overriding it. 
C)  It allows the governor to veto specific provisions of a bill. 
D)  It is the only way to veto legislation without giving reasons. 
E)  It requires a unanimous vote from both houses to override it. 
A)  It requires a two-thirds majority from both houses to override it. 
B)  The legislature is prevented from overriding it. 
C)  It allows the governor to veto specific provisions of a bill. 
D)  It is the only way to veto legislation without giving reasons. 
E)  It requires a unanimous vote from both houses to override it. B

Question 2

The governor makes approximately 3,000 appointments to executive boards and commissions during a single term in office.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  True

Question 3

Which of the following statements concerning the Texas Department of Insurance is incorrect?

Accepted Answer

A)  It is a single-member commission. 
B)  The department's commissioner is appointed for a two-year term. 
C)  The department makes sure that all Texans are covered by health insurance. 
D)  It regulates the insurance market in Texas. 
E)  The current departmental organization has been in effect since 1993. 
A)  It is a single-member commission. 
B)  The department's commissioner is appointed for a two-year term. 
C)  The department makes sure that all Texans are covered by health insurance. 
D)  It regulates the insurance market in Texas. 
E)  The current departmental organization has been in effect since 1993. C

Question 4

The attorney general in Texas is responsible for overseeing the registration of voters.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

There are approximately twenty state boards and commissions within the Texas plural executive.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

What makes the greatest difference between strong and weak governors of Texas?

Accepted Answer

A)  the willingness to use formal powers 
B)  the frequency of vetoes 
C)  the differences in personality 
D)  the partisan makeup of the legislature 
E)  the percentage of the total vote they receive in their election bid 
A)  the willingness to use formal powers 
B)  the frequency of vetoes 
C)  the differences in personality 
D)  the partisan makeup of the legislature 
E)  the percentage of the total vote they receive in their election bid

Question 7

What is the basic structure of the Texas bureaucracy? What are some of the problems of accountability in the bureaucracy, and what have been some of the solutions to these problems? What is the function of the Sunset Advisory Commission?

Accepted Answer

The basic structure of the Texas bureauc

Question 8

The governor of Texas has

Accepted Answer

A)  strong formal powers granted by the Texas constitution. 
B)  few formal powers, so the office is one of the weakest chief executives in the United States. 
C)  the power to appoint all of the other officials in the executive branch. 
D)  the power to appoint all state judges. 
E)  an average amount of power compared to governors of other states. 
A)  strong formal powers granted by the Texas constitution. 
B)  few formal powers, so the office is one of the weakest chief executives in the United States. 
C)  the power to appoint all of the other officials in the executive branch. 
D)  the power to appoint all state judges. 
E)  an average amount of power compared to governors of other states.

Question 9

The ______ is the oldest state agency in Texas.

Accepted Answer

A)  Land Office 
B)  Texas Ranger Division 
C)  Railroad Commission 
D)  Department of Public Safety 
E)  Agriculture Commission 
A)  Land Office 
B)  Texas Ranger Division 
C)  Railroad Commission 
D)  Department of Public Safety 
E)  Agriculture Commission

Question 10

It has often been claimed that the Texas governor's greatest political power is the power of appointment. What kind of opportunities does the governor have to exercise this power, and what are some of the possible effects of this power on the executive branch?

Accepted Answer

The Texas governor has the power to make

Question 11

The Texas governor has all of the following legislative powers except the power to

Accepted Answer

A)  address the legislature in State of the State speeches. 
B)  sign and veto bills. 
C)  call special sessions. 
D)  break tie votes in the Senate. 
E)  lobby the legislature on important bills. 
A)  address the legislature in State of the State speeches. 
B)  sign and veto bills. 
C)  call special sessions. 
D)  break tie votes in the Senate. 
E)  lobby the legislature on important bills.

Question 12

What is the most important function of the Texas governor's staff?

Accepted Answer

A)  to keep the governor informed about problems and issues 
B)  to act as lobbyists for the governor's agenda in the legislature 
C)  to represent the governor's office in different parts of the state 
D)  to organize the governor's electoral campaigns 
E)  to keep the governor organized by coordinating his or her appointments 
A)  to keep the governor informed about problems and issues 
B)  to act as lobbyists for the governor's agenda in the legislature 
C)  to represent the governor's office in different parts of the state 
D)  to organize the governor's electoral campaigns 
E)  to keep the governor organized by coordinating his or her appointments

Question 13

Who was the first Republican governor of Texas since Reconstruction, and when was he or she elected?

Accepted Answer

A)  Allan Shivers in 1948 
B)  William Clements in 1978 
C)  Ann Richards in 1990 
D)  George W. Bush in 1994 
E)  Rick Perry in 2000 
A)  Allan Shivers in 1948 
B)  William Clements in 1978 
C)  Ann Richards in 1990 
D)  George W. Bush in 1994 
E)  Rick Perry in 2000

Question 14

Authority over railroads throughout Texas was given to the ______ in 2005.

Accepted Answer

A)  Railroad Commission of Texas 
B)  Texas Department of Transportation 
C)  lieutenant governor 
D)  attorney general 
E)  General Land Office 
A)  Railroad Commission of Texas 
B)  Texas Department of Transportation 
C)  lieutenant governor 
D)  attorney general 
E)  General Land Office

Question 15

What is the Texas governor's greatest judicial power?

Accepted Answer

A)  the power to appoint judges to appeals courts, with the Senate's consent 
B)  the power to appoint judges to vacancies in the courts 
C)  the power to restrict the types of cases the appeals courts may decide 
D)  the power to remove judges 
E)  the power to appoint all judges in the state 
A)  the power to appoint judges to appeals courts, with the Senate's consent 
B)  the power to appoint judges to vacancies in the courts 
C)  the power to restrict the types of cases the appeals courts may decide 
D)  the power to remove judges 
E)  the power to appoint all judges in the state

Question 16

The office of Texas governor is one of the weakest in the nation. Why is this the case? What are some of the limitations that the Texas constitution places on the governor? What are some of the informal powers the governor may use to bolster the power of the office?

Accepted Answer

The office of the Texas governor is cons

Question 17

Texas has a plural executive made up of multiple popularly elected offices.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

The chief lawyer for Texas is the

Accepted Answer

A)  chief justice of the state supreme court. 
B)  attorney general. 
C)  secretary of state. 
D)  state comptroller. 
E)  lieutenant governor. 
A)  chief justice of the state supreme court. 
B)  attorney general. 
C)  secretary of state. 
D)  state comptroller. 
E)  lieutenant governor.

Question 19

Why did the Texas constitution establish a plural executive?

Accepted Answer

A)  Texas was following the structure of the federal executive. 
B)  There was suspicion of a strong chief executive. 
C)  The complications of running a state as large as Texas necessitate a plural executive. 
D)  It was necessary in order for the executive branch to be as dominant as possible. 
E)  It was necessary to provide an important check on the state legislature. 
A)  Texas was following the structure of the federal executive. 
B)  There was suspicion of a strong chief executive. 
C)  The complications of running a state as large as Texas necessitate a plural executive. 
D)  It was necessary in order for the executive branch to be as dominant as possible. 
E)  It was necessary to provide an important check on the state legislature.

Question 20

The Texas State Board of Education is responsible for all of the following except

Accepted Answer

A)  adopting textbooks. 
B)  setting minimum high school graduation requirements. 
C)  funding public school districts. 
D)  determining the licensing requirements for public school teachers. 
E)  establishing accreditation standards for Texas public schools. 
A)  adopting textbooks. 
B)  setting minimum high school graduation requirements. 
C)  funding public school districts. 
D)  determining the licensing requirements for public school teachers. 
E)  establishing accreditation standards for Texas public schools.

Exam 24: The Texas Executive Branch

For a Texas governor, what is the benefit of a post-adjournment veto?

The governor makes approximately 3,000 appointments to executive boards and commissions during a single term in office.

Which of the following statements concerning the Texas Department of Insurance is incorrect?

The attorney general in Texas is responsible for overseeing the registration of voters.

There are approximately twenty state boards and commissions within the Texas plural executive.

What makes the greatest difference between strong and weak governors of Texas?

What is the basic structure of the Texas bureaucracy? What are some of the problems of accountability in the bureaucracy, and what have been some of the solutions to these problems? What is the function of the Sunset Advisory Commission?

The governor of Texas has

The ______ is the oldest state agency in Texas.

It has often been claimed that the Texas governor's greatest political power is the power of appointment. What kind of opportunities does the governor have to exercise this power, and what are some of the possible effects of this power on the executive branch?

The Texas governor has all of the following legislative powers except the power to

What is the most important function of the Texas governor's staff?

Who was the first Republican governor of Texas since Reconstruction, and when was he or she elected?

Authority over railroads throughout Texas was given to the ______ in 2005.

What is the Texas governor's greatest judicial power?

The office of Texas governor is one of the weakest in the nation. Why is this the case? What are some of the limitations that the Texas constitution places on the governor? What are some of the informal powers the governor may use to bolster the power of the office?

Texas has a plural executive made up of multiple popularly elected offices.

The chief lawyer for Texas is the

Why did the Texas constitution establish a plural executive?

The Texas State Board of Education is responsible for all of the following except

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