Texas Government Test 4 (Chapters 7 & 8) – Flashcards
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An organization of individuals with similar views that tries to influence government to respond favorably to its views is called a(n)
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interest group
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Interest groups try to influence public policy by
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lobbying government officials regardless of party affiliation
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The principal purpose of political party activity is to
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gain control of government by winning elections and thus achieve party goals
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Which of the following would not be a goal of an interest group?
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Getting its members elected to public office
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In the case of the NAACP v. Alabama (1958), the U. S. Supreme Court
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recognized the right of association as part of the First Amendment
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Which constitutional right is the foundation of the right to form and participate in interest groups?
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Freedom of association
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Which of the following is not a reason for the growth and diversity of interest groups in the United States?
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A legal system that requires citizen membership in interest groups
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The United States achieves a decentralized governing structure through
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federalism and separation of powers
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The decentralized structure of Texas politics and governance __________ the ability of interest groups to influence public policy
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increases
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Which of the following is true of interest groups and parties in Texas?
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Texas has weak political parties and influential interest groups
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The Texas Tea Party is
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a powerful faction within the Texas Republican Party
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Which of the following is true of interest group organizational patterns in the United States?
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Some are highly centralized, and others have a decentralized organizational structur
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Which occupational group is least likely to have a large representation in an interest group?
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Receptionists
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Which of the following is not a common reason that citizens join interest groups?
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They are not accepted as members of official political parties
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Most political interest groups represent
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professional and managerial occupations
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Which of the following generalizations regarding interest group leadership is correct?
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Interest group decisions are usually made by an active minority of the membership
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Interest groups organized to promote policies that maximize profits and wages for their members are known as
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economic interest groups
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The Texas Association of Businesses and Chambers of Commerce is an example of
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an umbrella organization
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Which of the following goals would a business organization be least likely to pursue?
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Increased safety and environmental standards
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An example of a labor organization that is active in Texas is the
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Communication Workers of America
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Which of the following is true regarding labor organizations in Texas?
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Labor groups are not as numerous or as powerful as business-related groups in Texas
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Which kind of group exists to promote policies that would increase wages, adequate health and unemployment insurance, and promote safe working conditions?
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Labor groups
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Which of the following interest groups would be an example of a professional group in Texas?
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Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants
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Which of the following would a government employee interest group be least likely to pursue?
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Decreased levels of government spending
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Texas doctors successfully used their professional organizations in lobbying the 76th Legislature to make Texas the first state that allows
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doctors to collectively bargain with health maintenance organizations
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Which of the following is the largest state government employees group in Texas?
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Texas Public Employees Association
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Which organization would most likely mount a vigorous campaign to oppose a reduction in the staffing levels of the Texas Rehabilitation Commission?
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Texas Public Employees Association
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Which of the following is not one of the main goals of racial and ethnic groups in Texas?
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Reduce government interference in the economy
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A social interest group would be least likely to get involved in which of the following issues?
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Highway funding
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Which of the following is among the oldest and most effective racial and ethnic interest groups in Texas
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All of the above are among the oldest and most effective racial and ethnic groups in Texas.
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Which of the following is true of women in Texas politics?
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There are a variety of women's interest groups in Texas promoting equal rights, greater political participation, and other issues important to women.
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The Christian Coalition would be most likely to promote which of the following
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Banning same-sex marriage
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Which of the following would not be a cause supported by the Texas Freedom Network?
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Defending the traditional family
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Common Cause of Texas is an example of
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a public interest group
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Which of the following would not be among the interest groups that Texas legislators identify as most powerful?
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Public interest groups advocating campaign finance reform
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Which of the following techniques do interest groups use to influence policy decisions?
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All of the above are techniques used by interest groups
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Which of the following is not a function that interest groups perform in Texas?
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Writing party platforms
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A lobbyist is an individual who
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attempts to influence the decision making of lawmakers
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About how many registered lobbyists are there in Texas?
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1700
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Which of the following is the most commonly employed strategy of influencing legislation?
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Providing the legislator with relevant information
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Political officeholders often rely on interest groups to
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provide information and expertis
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The political term grassroots refers to activity that
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begins locally and spreads to broader areas
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In their grassroots and electioneering efforts, interest groups are increasingly
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using the Internet and social media
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Actively campaigning in support of candidates for office by an interest group is called
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electioneering
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Which of the following is an example of an electioneering technique?
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Coordinating a "Get Out the Vote" (GOTV) campaign
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Typically, in order to get people to the polls, which of the following is generally employed?
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Mail-outs, telephone calls, door-to-door solicitation, and transportation to the polls
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The device by which a corporation may contribute money to a political candidate is
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through a political action committee
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Which of the following statements best explains campaign finance laws for candidates running for a seat in the Texas legislature?
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There is no limit on how much a PAC may contribute directly to a campaign
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An interest group technique that is unethical would be
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utilizing bribery
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Following the Sharpstown Bank scandal, the Texas legislature
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prohibited candidates for Speaker from giving anything of value to supporters in the House
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Which Texas House Speaker was not the subject of an inquiry about potentially improper practices with regard to interest groups?
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Pete Laney
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The details of political contributions and expenditures of candidates must be filed with the Texas Ethics Commission
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between two and seven times each year
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Which of the following was not prohibited by an amendment to the Texas Constitution in November of 1991?
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Campaign contributions from political action committees
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Ethics laws prohibit a candidate or official from receiving a contribution inside
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the Texas state capitol building
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In response to big spending by lobbyists, Texas voters in 1991 approved a constitutional amendment to create the eight-member
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Texas Ethics Commission
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Members of the Texas Ethics Commission are selected by the
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Texas governor
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Which of the following is common in the last days of an election campaign?
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Interest groups make last minute contributions to campaigns
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Which of the following is not a responsibility of the Texas Ethics Commission?
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Setting legal limits on campaign contributions
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An interest group with substantial financial resources, sizable membership, unity, and a competent leadership
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should have success in getting its policy preferences honored
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The political influence of interest groups is enhanced when
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they are well represented within the structure of government
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The system of politics in Texas can be described as one with
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weak parties and strong interest groups
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Functions of the Texas legislature include all of the following, except
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appointing state judges
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The number of senators in the Texas legislature is
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31
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The Texas legislature is ___________, meaning that it is composed of two chambers
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bicameral
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The Texas House of Representatives consists of __________ members
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150
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Legislative redistricting for both houses in Texas routinely occurs
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the first odd-numbered year in a decade
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Which of the following is true of members of the Texas Senate?
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They usually serve terms of four years with no term limits
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Which of the following is true of members of the Texas House of Representatives?
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They serve terms of two year terms with no term limits
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A vacancy in the Texas House or Senate arising during a term is filled by
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a special election
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Regular sessions of the Texas legislature meet for
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140 days, in odd-numbered years
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All Texas Senate seats are up for election every 10 years because
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Senate district lines are redrawn every 10 years
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If a state legislator is a member of the National Guard and is called to active military duty for more than 30 days, what will happen?
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The legislator appoints a qualified replacement who must be approved by the appropriate chamber
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Which of the following is not true regarding special sessions of the Texas legislature?
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They are limited to three per year
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The redistricting practice of drawing legislative districts to favor one group or party is called
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gerrymandering
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The federal court case that applied the doctrine of "one-man, one-vote" to Texas was
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Kilgarlin v. Martin (1965)
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The U.S. Supreme Court found in Reynolds v. Sims (1964) that
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legislative districts of bicameral state legislatures must have substantially equal populations
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The legislative redistricting maps approved by the 82nd Texas Legislature in 2011 were challenged because
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they appeared to discriminate against the election of historical minority groups
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Under the Texas Constitution, those serving in the Texas legislature
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cannot hold another government office
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Which of the following is not listed in the Texas Constitution as a qualification for membership in the Texas legislature?
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College degree
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Which of the following groups dominates the membership of the Texas legislature?
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Anglo Protestant men
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Which statement about women in the Texas state legislature is true?
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In recent elections, the number of women elected to the state legislature has increased
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Educationally, most members of the Texas legislature have
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attended institutions of higher learning
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Republican membership in the Texas legislature has
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constituted a majority in both chambers since 2003
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The religious denominations most represented in the Texas legislature are
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Catholic and Baptist
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Turnover in the Texas legislature is most likely to be high in those
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elections immediately after redistricting
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Compared to legislators in other states, those in Texas receive
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low pay, reasonable allowances, and generous retirements
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Changes in compensation for members of the Texas legislature are initiated by
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an Ethics Commission recommendation
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The lieutenant governor also functions as the state's
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president of the Senate
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Which of the following is not correct regarding the lieutenant governor of Texas?
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He or she receives a constitutional salary of $46,000 per year
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Which of the following is not a power accorded to the lieutenant governor by the Texas Constitution or Senate rules?
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Voting on all bills before the Senate
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Which of the following is not true regarding the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives?
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He or she is selected by direct popular vote in a general electio
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In the Texas House, a committee that considers legislation and recommends whether it should or should not pass is called a(n)
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substantive (standing) committee
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The Legislative Black Caucus has been most concerned about
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hate crimes laws
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Which of the following statements is true regarding the Texas legislature?
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It has Democratic and Republican caucuses that are increasingly important
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The Mexican American Legislative Caucus played an important role in
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the establishment of a pharmacy college and health center
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The liberal ideological caucus in the Texas legislature is the
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Legislative Study Group
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The "farm-to-table" caucus is described as a bipartisan caucus because its members include legislators
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from both the Democratic and Republican Parties
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Rules relating to the procedures for operation of the Texas Senate would be dealt with in a
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simple resolution
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Adopting the guitar as the state musical instrument required that the legislature uses ____________ to make the icon official
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a concurrent resolution
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When an amendment to the U.S. Constitution is proposed by Congress, the Texas legislature may vote for ratification using
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joint resolution requiring a simple majority vote in each body
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The wiki site "The Texas Red Tape Challenge" resulted in
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changes to almost 100 laws
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A bill making exception to general law for a named individual is known as a
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special bill
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To enact a law applying specifically to Collin county, the Texas legislature would pass a
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local bill
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The primary function of the state auditor is to
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determine if state funds have been spent by the state agencies in accordance with law
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The legislature may require reports from state agencies under a procedure known as
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oversight
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Before making an appointment, the governor is expected to consult with the senator of an affected district, a process called senatorial
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courtesy
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Most of the governor's board and commission appointments to head state agencies must be submitted and approved by
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at least two-thirds of the Senate
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A member of the Texas legislature would be immune from adverse judicial action if he
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slanders in a speech during a legislative proceeding
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If a governor or other elected executive official is suspected of criminal activity,
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the Texas House may bring charges through impeachment, after which the Texas Senate would render judgment.
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In Texas, the second 30 days of the legislative session are mainly reserved for
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standing committee action on bills
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After its first reading in the House of Representatives, a bill is
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referred to the appropriate committee
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Representatives occasionally engage in lengthy debates on bills, including bills that they do not oppose. This delaying action is called
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chubbing
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House rules prohibit ghost voting, a practice which involves representatives
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pressing the voting button for another representative
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The Texas Senate has __________ to control the flow of bills from standing committees to the floor
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no calendar committees
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A two-thirds vote on the floor of the Texas Senate is required for any bill to be considered due to the use of a
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blocking bill
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A senator can attempt to delay or impede a bill's passage by speaking on the floor as long as physically possible, which is called
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filibustering
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When the House and Senate pass a bill with different language in each version,
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the bill will go to a House-Senate conference committee
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After a bill passes both houses of the Texas legislature, it then
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becomes law with or without a governor's signature
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If the governor vetoes a bill after the legislature has adjourned,
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the bill will die and cannot be overridden
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How long does the governor have following the adjournment of the legislature in which to act on bills?
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Twenty calendar days
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The lieutenant governor, Speaker of the House, and other members of the legislature authorize special research projects to help in the drafting of bills through the
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Texas Legislative Council
