Question 1

When the governor strikes out specific spending provisions in large appropriations bills, it is called

Accepted Answer

A)   pigeonholing.
B)   the pocket veto.
C)   the line-item veto.
D)   the post-adjournment veto.
E)   an expenditure veto. C

Question 2

Which of the following statements about simple resolutions is correct?

Accepted Answer

A)   They do not require the signature of the governor.
B)   They can only concern the internal rules of the Texas legislature.
C)   They are limited to matters of concern for no more than two House districts.
D)   They can only be initiated by either the Speaker or the lieutenant governor.
E)   They are only used to honor the outstanding achievements of Texas residents. A

Question 3

How is the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives chosen?

Accepted Answer

A)   The Speaker is elected in a statewide election.
B)   The Speaker is the most senior representative in the House.
C)   The Speaker is the most senior representative from the majority party.
D)   The Speaker is elected by members of the House.
E)   The Speaker is appointed directly by the majority party in the House. D

Question 4

What is the importance of the Supreme Court case Reynolds v. Sims?

Accepted Answer

A)   It declared the Voting Rights Act of 1965 constitutional.
B)   It declared poll taxes unconstitutional.
C)   It declared the constitutional principle of "one person, one vote."
D)   It declared that preclearance was an unconstitutional abridgement of state power.
E)   It declared racial gerrymandering to be unconstitutional.

Question 5

In Texas, who can write a bill?

Accepted Answer

A)   only a member of the legislature
B)   the legislature or someone officially authorized by the legislature
C)   any government official
D)   anyone at all
E)   only the legislature and/or governor

Question 6

Legislative districts in the Texas House and Senate are

Accepted Answer

A)   based on proportional representation.
B)   single-member districts.
C)   multiple-member districts.
D)   redistricted every four years.
E)   redistricted every six years.

Question 7

What are the different responsibilities and powers of the Texas legislature? What powers does the Texas constitution grant? What are some of the informal powers individual representatives may wield?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are the different responsibilities and powers...

Question 8

Describe the structure and organization of the Texas legislature. Consider the following questions: What are some of the effects of bicameralism? What are committees and what are their roles? When is the Texas legislature in regular session?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe the structure and organization of the...

Question 9

In Texas, the governor's State of the State address is an example of the ______ power.

Accepted Answer

A)   special session
B)   veto
C)   message
D)   impeachment
E)   media

Question 10

If the Texas legislature fails to redistrict, the task of redistricting then falls to the federal district courts.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

The Texas legislature meets in regular session once every two years.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

The Legislative Redistricting Board has the authority to draw new districts if

Accepted Answer

A)   appointed to do so by the governor after a special redistricting session.
B)   the legislature fails to redistrict in the first regular session.
C)   ordered to do so by the state supreme court or a federal district court.
D)   a majority in both the House and the senate vote to allow it.
E)   appointed to do so by the governor and lieutenant governor.

Question 13

What unconventional action did the Texas legislature take in 2003?

Accepted Answer

A)   It redistricted a second time in a single decade.
B)   It extended its regular session by two months.
C)   It operated without electing a House Speaker.
D)   It did not overturn a single gubernatorial veto.
E)   It did not pass a single bill.

Question 14

The typical Texas legislator is most likely to be a

Accepted Answer

A)   white woman with a professional degree.
B)   white, affluent businessman.
C)   working-class Hispanic woman.
D)   middle-class African American lawyer.
E)   white, working-class male.

Question 15

In the Texas legislature, all bills dealing with state revenue must

Accepted Answer

A)   start in the House of Representatives.
B)   be initiated by the governor's official budget plan.
C)   pass both houses of the legislature with a two-thirds majority.
D)   be approved by the state supreme court before becoming law.
E)   start in the state senate.

Question 16

In the Texas legislature, the referral of a bill to a standing committee in the House and the senate is the job of the

Accepted Answer

A)   governor.
B)   secretary of state.
C)   Speaker of the House and lieutenant governor.
D)   sergeant of the House and senate.
E)   chair of the committee to which the bill is being referred.

Question 17

Like the U.S. president, the governor of Texas can kill a bill by refusing to sign it.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

The governor of Texas has the authority to exercise a line-item veto.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

For how long does the Texas legislature meet?

Accepted Answer

A)   The legislature meets all year, with breaks for holidays and campaigning.
B)   The regular session is nine months every year.
C)   The legislature meets for nine months biennially.
D)   The regular legislative session lasts 140 days every two years.
E)   The legislature meets for six months every year.

Question 20

Which of the following statements about special sessions of the Texas legislature is true?

Accepted Answer

A)   Special sessions are a rare occurrence, called on average once a decade.
B)   Special sessions were common in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries but have been rare during the past fifty years.
C)   Special sessions are common, held an average of once a year since 1876.
D)   Special sessions occur often, on average four times a year.
E)   Special sessions can be called only once a year.

Exam 7: The Texas Legislature

When the governor strikes out specific spending provisions in large appropriations bills, it is called

Which of the following statements about simple resolutions is correct?

How is the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives chosen?

What is the importance of the Supreme Court case Reynolds v. Sims?

In Texas, who can write a bill?

Legislative districts in the Texas House and Senate are

What are the different responsibilities and powers of the Texas legislature? What powers does the Texas constitution grant? What are some of the informal powers individual representatives may wield?

Describe the structure and organization of the Texas legislature. Consider the following questions: What are some of the effects of bicameralism? What are committees and what are their roles? When is the Texas legislature in regular session?

In Texas, the governor's State of the State address is an example of the ______ power.

If the Texas legislature fails to redistrict, the task of redistricting then falls to the federal district courts.

The Texas legislature meets in regular session once every two years.

The Legislative Redistricting Board has the authority to draw new districts if

What unconventional action did the Texas legislature take in 2003?

The typical Texas legislator is most likely to be a

In the Texas legislature, all bills dealing with state revenue must

In the Texas legislature, the referral of a bill to a standing committee in the House and the senate is the job of the

Like the U.S. president, the governor of Texas can kill a bill by refusing to sign it.

The governor of Texas has the authority to exercise a line-item veto.

For how long does the Texas legislature meet?

Which of the following statements about special sessions of the Texas legislature is true?