Which of the following statements regarding the governor’s legislative powers is true?

Which of the following events followed closely the forming of The Republic of Texas after the 1836 Texas Revolution?

Sam Houston was elected as its President.

Texas's statehood into the United States, its annexation:

was granted through a Joint Resolution of the U.S. Congress in late 1845

Texas's secession from the United States:

Occurred in 1861 when Texas seceded and joined the Confederacy.

Texas mat the Reconstruction demands of Radical Republicans in Congress:

By instituting the Texas Constitution of 1869

Who was the controversial Texas Governor who served during the period of Reconstruction in Texas?

The question of whether or not the United States should annex Texas was most heavily influenced and delayed by: 

The rise of the Grange Movement and the return of the former Confederates to power were important events because:

The Two groups wrote the state constitution that is still in use in Texas today.

The weakening of the influence of Civil War allegiances in Texas has to the growing power of the Republican Party because:

Conservatives have abandoned the Democratic Party to become Republicans

Compared to national averages Texas:

Has a much larger economy

Texas struggles to meet its current challenges, in part, because its Constitution and Government are:

Outdated and should be replaced

When considering the topic of the 1876 Texas Constitution, it is important to describe the majority view of its framers and most of Texans at that time as:

Wanting small. fiscally restrained and unobtrusive government

In comparison to the length and complexity of the Texas Constitution, U.S. Constitution is typically described as being:

In creating a federal system, the founders of the U.S. constitution created:

a compromise between a confederacy and a unitary form of government.

The Texas Executive Branch is called a plural executive because:

The Governor shares power with several other officials who are elected separately.

All members of the Texas State Judiciary (the Judges) are: 

Elected officials, or if you will, politicians

The Texas Constitution is criticized for:

Containing too many specific policy restrictions (that are statue-like in nature)

According to your text, the group which most favors the current Texas State Constitution with all of its rules and restrictions tend to be:

Big Businesses and other special interest in the state

To most observers and scholars, the following is regarded as the foundation of the American system of Federalism:

The 10th amendment to the U.S. Constitution

Which of the following pertains to the concept of federalism?

The "full faith and credit" clause of the U.S. constitution, The requirement that states "extradite" those convicted of accused of a crime, the "privileges & immunities" clause of the U.S. constitution

The idea of federalism has often caused confusion in this country in part because:

the actual distribution of powers is not clearly stated in the U.S. constitution

According to most scholars and observers, the most prominent feature of the 1876 Texas Constitution is:

the obvious distrust for government of those who wrote it (the framers)

The authors of our text conclude that the Texas constitution is:

badly outdate and eventually should be replaced

In today's version of federalism, states like Texas often receive money from the federal government for important programs in the form of:

Block and categorical grants 

According to the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution:

Provisions of the federal constitution and other laws supersede all state laws

Which of the following is NOT TRUE concerning governmental powers under the American system of ferderalism?

both the states and the federal government can print money

Which of the following is NOT TRUE as it relates to the annexation of Texas by the United States?

Texas retained the right to secede from the Union when it was annexed

The current Texas Constitution of 1876 created an office of Governor which:

has relatively weak formal powers

All of Texas' State Constitutions, with the possible exception of the 1869 version, have tended to reflect Texans':

Opposition to strong government

The texas Constitution contains an amendment which defines marriage as the union between one man and one woman, what is the status of that provision?

It was declared unconstitutional by the U.S. supreme court in 2015

Which of the following is a basic characteristic of the Texas Legislature?

The Governor may call thirty day special sessions of the legislature 

The Authors discuss typologies of the state legislature, of these, which type best describes the Texas legislature?

It is a citizen (amateur) legislature

The theory of representation which holds that elected officials are agents of the majority who elected them to office and thus they should carry out, to the extent possible, the wishes of the majority is the:

Which of the following statements concerning the Lieutenant Governor and the Speaker of the Texas House is NOT true?

Both are elected by the membership of their legislative bodies 

Which of the following statements concerning the organization in the Texas Legislature is NOT TRUE?

the two Presiding Officers have no real powers in the Texas Legislature

Which of the following described difference between the Texas House and Texas Senate is true?

The voters of Texas select the Presiding Officer of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor) in a statewide election

Winners in Texas legislative elections must gain a plurality to win, what is that?

One must win more votes that any other opponent 

The significance of the U.S. Supreme Court decisions Baker v. Carr is that: 

The decision established that legislature must be apportioned according to the one-person, one-vote standard

Who chooses the chairs of all of the Texas Senate's various committees?

When in regular session, the Texas Legislature meets for:

140 days, but only in odd numbered years

The description of the redistricting process in Texas Legislature and for the U.S. House of Representative leads to the conclusion that the process is:

Power in the Texas Legislature is most heavily concentrated in:

The offices of the speaker of the house and the lieutenant governor

The drawing of district boundaries for legislative districts in the Texas legislature must follow the rule of :

The redistricting method used in Texas is called a hybrid system, because:

If the legislature is unable to pass a redistricting plan, the responsibility is handed over to the legislative redistricting board

The Standing Committees of the Texas Legislature contributed to the effectiveness of the chambers of the Texas Legislature by:

Creating a division of legislative labor which promotes the handling of bills.

A committee formed to reconcile the differences in the Texas Senate and Texas House versions of a bill before it is sent to the governor is called a:

In Texas, what proportion of a legislative chamber must be present to fulfill the legal requirement of a quorum before it can start busines? 

Assuming all members are present and voting, how many in the Texas House must vote to approve of a common piece of legislation?

Which type of committee is charged with research or oversight activities conducted between regular sessions?

A major consequence of the low pay and part-time nature of legislative life in Texas is that:

legislators often work in professions or industries that do business with the state government and have a vested interest in its policies.

The process in which changes are made to a bill under consideration in a standing committee is called:

Which of the following statements concerning the constitutional or formal requirements for serving as governor of Texas is true?

- He/she must be at least thirty years of age -he/she must be a resident of Texas for at least 5 years - he/she must be a U.S. citizen and registered voter

Which of the following describes the terms of service for office if Governor?

Four year term with no limit on terms served

The budgetary powers of Governors of Texas are:

Relatively weak compared with those of other Governors

With regard to the Texas Executive Branch, the governor's most significant appointment is that of the:

The Governor's most significant source of influence over the judiciary is:

the power to appoint replacements when judgeship become vacant

Sunshine Laws in Texas require which of the following to take place:

- Citizen access to most state governmental records for minimal expense - Under normal circumstances, all meetings and hearings of state agencies must be open to be open to the public

What was one of the main reason for the creation of a weak governorship by the framers of the Texas Constitution?

living under a strong governor (davis) during reconstruction

The guiding principle of the importance of "government in the sunshine" is its emphasis on:

In Texas the Governor can do any of the following:

-Call special sessions of the Texas Legislature - Determine the subject of special legislative session - Veto bills after a legislative session has ended

The Governor's informal powers, including the use of the power of persuasion are important for his/hers ability to:

Accomplish his/her legislative agenda

The Texas Constitution list this as the formal grounds for impeachment and removal of the governor by the Texas Legislature

Nothing- the Texas Constitution is silent on the grounds for impeachment

When the Texas Governor appoints his/her political supporters to prominent positions, that practice is called:

The elected official who is often considered the most powerful in the State of Texas is the:

The Comptroller's most significant responsibility is:

Estimating the amount of revenue the state will generate each year

The greatest importance of the Texas General Land Office is that it: 

Generates a great deal of money for money for the state through its management of public land including the negotiation of oil and gas drilling contracts

The Texas Jury which is responsible for determining of enough evidence exists to bring an accused person to trial is the:

Which public official is frequently asked for advisory opinions on the legality or constitutionality of proposed government actions?

The Texas Attorney General

The senior elected officials of Texas's executive branch serve terms of:

Which of the following commissions do Texas voters elect?

the Texas Railroad Commission

Which of the following is a responsibility of the State Board of Education?

- Approving state curriculum and textbooks - determining passing scores for state educational testing - managing the Permanent School Fund

Which of the following is true about the office of the Texas Attorney General?

- The Attorney General issues advisory opinions to the Governor's office, the legislature, or other state agencies - The Attorney General serves as legal representation for the state in court - The Attorney General collects unpaid child support and delinquent state taxes

Which of the following are the official duties and responsibilities of the Texas Secretary of State?

-he/she serves as state's chief record keeper -he/she maintains a list of lobbyist and campaign contributions, issues corporate charters, certifies notaries public, and keeps the official state seal - he/she administers elections including conducting voter registration drives and certifying election results

The State official who is first in line to succeed the governor is the:

Which of the following is a characteristic of county-level trail courts in Texas?

Most county level courts were created by the Texas Constitution except for the county courts-at-law which were created by the state legislature

Which of the following is a characteristic of the district courts in texas

district courts have original jurisdiction in all felony cases

Texas's highest appellate court level:

Has both the Texas Supreme Court and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

With the exception of Municipal Court judges, all judges in Texas are:

Elected in partisan elections

Which of the following are considered the most significant problems of the Texas Judicial System?

-The perception that justice is "for sale" due to political contributions -The number of justices with no legal training, especially at the lower levels -The election of judges based on partisanship or simple name familarity

Which of the following is an alternative method of judicial selection compared to what Texas uses today?

All judges being appointed with no election process

How many of the twelve grand jurors must vote to issue an indictment?

A court's jurisdiction defines that court's:

Area of responsibility (the right to hear a case first)

Criminal Cases involve individuals who are:

Charged with violating the penal code or the criminal laws of the state

The party alleged to have committed the wrong at issue in a lawsuit is called:

The party claiming to have been wronged and bringing a lawsuit is called:

Compensatory damages awarded as the result of a lawsuit relate to:

monetary awards to the injured party

Punitive damages awarded at the conclusion of a lawsuit relate to:

larger monetary awards designed to punish a defendant who loses a lawsuit

The Texas Jury which is tasked to determine if an accused person is guilty as charged in a criminal trial is called:

Where does the United States rank among all countries in incarceration rate per capita?

Which of the following reflect the authors' description of justice in Texas:

-There has been a trend toward focusing on the problem of recidivism -The state has high incarceration rate relative to the rest of the world -Texans strongly support the use of the death penalty to punish certain crimes

Trial or Petit Jury decisions made in criminal trail must be unanimous and based on the very high standard of:

The most serious types of crimes are known as:

Which of following is among top five countries in the number of executions it completes per year?

Which of the following forms of city government is the most common in Texas?

Which of the following is an example of major governmental issue typically dealt with by city governments?

zoning and planning policies

Which of following is NOT a type of city election commonly found in Texas?

Dillon's Rule describes a governing principle that assumes that local government is currently a creature of:

The governing bodies for each of the counties in Texas are their:

The Alamo Colleges (or ACCD) represents this form of local governance which is the most common in the State of Texas:

Which of the following best describes a City Charter?

They are available to Home Rule Cities whose voters must approve of their content through the electoral process

Which of the following is a type of service provided by a Municipal Utility District?

The term Political Participation refers to any activity that is related to governance and the:

Selection of elected officials by the voters

Elections are considered one of the defining characteristics of representative democracies because they are a means to allow voters to:

keep their elected officials accountable for their actions

Polls taxes which were among the barriers to voting which targeted minority and other disadvantaged people in Texas were used to suppress voting:

Throughout most of the post- reconstruction period in texas

The federal voting rights act of 1965 was key to the removal in Texas of:

Barriers to voting for African-Americans and later, other minority groups

In order to vote in Texans must register at least:

Thirty days prior to any election

Political intimidation applied on election day in Texas was primarily used against:

Hispanic (mostly native mexican-american) voters

The best for a candidate to get his or her name on the general election ballot in Texas is to:

Enter and win their party's primary election

Since 1998 early voting is allowed in Texas:

Without the voter having to give any specific reason

In closed primary election system, voters are required to declare or demonstrate:

Their party affiliation to participate

In a open primary election system, that election contest excluded:

no one, as supporters of any political party as well as independents may openly participate

The practices of referendum, initiative and recall are example of direct democracy in the U.S. and are available in Texas:

In the 1940's the U.S. Supreme Court finally ended this primary election practice used by the Democratic Party in Texas:

An electoral candidate with no political party affiliation is called:

Our national elections are always held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of:

Any candidate who already hold the office up for election is called 

Voter turnout refers to the percentage of registered voters who:

actually vote in an election

In comparison to other states in the United States, Texas usually ranks:

Among those with the lowest turnout

In early Texas Political Party history, most political disputes were between:

Pro and Anti-Houston factions

The Republican Party has dominated statewide in Texas elections:

For the last twenty to thirty years

One of the most important functions of a political party is to:

mobilize voters to turn out on election day to vote

Grassroots organizations in Texas are best described as:

The lowest level of party or political organization in the state

In Texas, a runoff primary election would be necessary when:

When no candidate receives more that 50% of the vote in a primary election 

"Voter Fatigue" occurs when voters are overwhelmed by the following:

-The number of elections in which they are asked to vote -The length and number of names which appear on the Texas Ballot

One reason for the early and rather lengthy domination of Texas politics by the Democratic Party was its status as the Party of:

The confederacy and later, segregation

A person running for office who is trying to defeat someone who is already holds the position is commonly referred to as:

In Texas, the precinct party conventions are held on the same day as:

the primary party election

Following the election of 2010, Republicans held all of the key offices of:

Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General of Texas

In Texas, because of Republican Party Dominance at the state level, two party competition can only be found at the local level, such as for:

U.S. congressional seats, state district judgeships and texas house and senate seats

Organized interest in Texas can be best described as:

People who organize themselves in attempt to influence government policy

Economic interest groups in Texas include:

Professional groups such as the Texas Medical Association

The phenomena of legislators and members of the executive branch moving easily from government office to lucrative positions with lobbying firms is called:

The "revolving door" of Texas politics

Which of the following describes public interest groups:

organizations that pursue noneconomic policies on behalf of the public

Which of the following describes trade associations?

Organizations of similar businesses working together to advance shared goals

Which of the following describes Labor Unions?

Organizations which represent the interest of working people who seek better pay and better working conditions

The method used by organized interest to try to shape public policy by influencing those elected or appointed to office is called:

When a group take its cause to court, by filing a lawsuit because it believes the rights of its members have been violated, this is called:

How does the part-time nature of Texas government create greater opportunity for the influence of organized interests than in states with full-time government?

Legislatures rely upon interests for the information they provide

The Texas Ethics Commission is responsible for collecting and providing to the public accurate information regarding:

-Campaign contributions by individuals and groups -Expenditures by campaigns and groups

Texas's Office of State-Federal Relations would be an example of which type of organized interest?

Contributing funds to political candidate through a political action committee (PAC) is an example of organized interest group:

Why are state and federal law limiting organized interest contributions to campaigns quite limited in their effectiveness?

Recent U.S. Supreme Court decision have increasingly given interests first amendment free expression rights like individuals

Elections in which candidates' names and party affiliations appear on the ballot and winners get to serve in office, are called:

Elections held for the purpose of allowing party members to vote for and select their candidates are called:

Professional Associations included interest groups such as:

Texas Medical Association

The Chief Elections Office for the State of Texas, the office which provides complete oversight over the state's elections is the:

At the local level, election officers (or officials) include the on-site Election Judges as well as the: 

A Party realignment represents the transition from one stable:

Which of following types of elections do we have in the state of Texas?

-Primary -General -Special

One of the reasons for Texas' recent party realignment in favor of the Republican was the democratic party support for civil rights which:

alienated many conservative voters

In Texas, what is the approximate ratio of registered lobbyists an member of the State Legislature?

What is the most direct legislative power a governor possesses?

What are the legislative powers of the Texas governor quizlet?

Which of these is a legislative power of the Texas governor?

What role does the Texas governor play in the legislative process quizlet?