Exam Study Guide

The body which provides research support and bill-drafting assistance to legislators is the Legislative Council. District lines for the Texas legislature are drawn by the Texas Legislature. The authority to investigate and punish violations of Texas ethics laws is granted to the Texas ethics commission To understand the operations the Texas legislature, one must understand the power of the Correct Answer: c. lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house. The Texas body that periodically evaluates state agencies and makes recommendations as to restructuring or abolishing such agencies is the Correct Answer: b.

Sunset Advisory Commission. The Texas senate has how many members? Correct Answer: c. 31 A committee action that tables legislation, effectively killing it, is called Correct Answer: b. pigeonholing. A rule in the Texas senate which allows a senator to halt consideration of a bill for forty-eight hours is called Correct Answer: d. tagging. In the Texas senate, a bill placed on the calendar solely to assure a two-thirds vote on legislation is called a Correct Answer: a. blocking bill. The Texas legislature may override a governor’s veto by a Correct Answer: c. two-thirds vote of both houses.

The political power of the Texas Lieutenant governor is largely based on Correct Answer: c. the rules of the Texas Senate. The Texas legislature has historically been organized on the basis of Correct Answer: b. conservative ideology. A procedure whereby a bill can be forced out of committee for consideration by the chamber as a whole is called Correct Answer: c. a discharge petition. The governor’s legislative power stems from all the following except his Correct Answer: a. authority to appoint committee chairs. When the senate forms itself into a committee of the whole, Correct Answer: d. simple majority is required to consider legislation. The Texas house committee which controls the budget requests of all other committees is the Correct Answer: c. Appropriations Committee. In Texas, the body responsible for reviewing the expenditures of state agencies is the Correct Answer: a. Legislative Audit Committee. A committee appointed to resolve differences between the house and senate versions of a bill is known as a Correct Answer: d. conference committee. In practice, bills are taken off the Texas senate’s calendar for immediate consideration through a Correct Answer: a. suspension of the rules.

Being a member of a board by virtue of holding another office is called Correct Answer: b. ex officio. A formal question to the chair regarding parliamentary procedure is known as a Correct Answer: c. point of order. Formal qualifications for membership in the Texas senate would not include Correct Answer: d. being at least 18 years of age. The selection of committee chairs in the Texas legislature is made on the basis of a Correct Answer: d. presiding officer appointment. The office responsible for giving opinions of law to state agencies is that of the Correct Answer: b. attorney general.

The governor’s budget proposals are not as influential as those of the Correct Answer: d. Legislative Budget Board. Which of the following is an example of an ex officio board? Correct Answer: d. Texas Bond Review Board A mainly symbolic role of the Texas governor is that of Correct Answer: d. chief of state. If the Texas National Guard is called to active duty, a back up organization is the Correct Answer: c. Texas State Guard. The governor’s important bargaining tools are mainly Correct Answer: d. legislative. A role of the Texas governor not based on the constitution is that of Correct Answer: c. hief of party. The official who certifies the amount of income available for Texas’s biennial budget is the Correct Answer: d. Comptroller of Public Accounts. The individual responsible for administering the state tax system is the Correct Answer: c. Comptroller of Public Accounts. The “Iron Texas Star” consists of all the following except Correct Answer: b. the Texas electorate (voters). A formal role of the Texas governor based on the constitution is that of Correct Answer: d. commander-in-chief. The lieutenant governor of Texas is an ex officio member of all except the Correct Answer: b.

Board of Pardons and Paroles. If the governor of Texas is removed from office before the end of his or her term, Correct Answer: c. the lieutenant governor succeeds. The annual salary of the governor of Texas is approximately $150,000 The attorney general of Texas is not required to Correct Answer: b. follow directives of the governor. Texas riverbeds, tidelands, bays and inlets are overseen by the Correct Answer: b. Commissioner of the General Land Office. An official who hears and investigates complaints by private individuals against public officials or agencies is called Correct Answer: b. an ombudsperson.

The governor of Texas can be removed from office before the end of his or her term only by Correct Answer: d. Impeachment. Which of the following officials is appointed by the Texas governor? Correct Answer: c. Adjutant general, Texas National Guard The governor’s tools to influence the legislature include all the following except the Correct Answer: b. appointment of committee chairs. Which is probably the least significant informal qualification for Texas governor? Correct Answer: a. Age Which of the following is an appointed Texas executive position? Correct Answer: a. Commissioner, Health and Human Services