Tx Legis

25 July 2022
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For how long does the Texas legislature meet? 1) The legislature meets all year, with breaks for holidays and campaigning. 2) The regular session is nine months every year. 3) The legislature meets for nine months biennially. 4) The regular legislative session lasts 140 days every two years. 5) The legislature meets for six months every year.
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What is the function of the "local and consent" calendar? 1) It marks the date by which legislators must vote on specific bills. 2) It is the calendar for all private bills sponsored by members of the legislature. 3) It is reserved for uncontroversial bills that are not expected to have major opposition. 4) It describes the voting schedule for those bills which require approval by both the legislature and local communities. 5) It is the calendar for bills that only deal with the procedural rules of the legislature.
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In Texas, who can write a bill? 1) only a member of the legislature 2) the legislature or someone officially authorized by the legislature 3) any government official 4) anyone at all 5) only the legislature and/or governor
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In Texas, why is a governor's post-adjournment veto so powerful? 1) It cannot be overturned by the legislature. 2) It can be overturned only by a two-thirds majority of both houses. 3) It allows the governor to veto parts of a bill but not all of it. 4) It allows the governor to get maximum media coverage. 5) It can only be overturned by a unanimous vote in both houses.
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Which of the following statements about special sessions of the Texas legislature is true? 1) Special sessions are a rare occurrence, called on average once a decade. 2) Special sessions were common in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, but have been rare during the past fifty years. 3) Special sessions are common, held an average of once a year since 1876. 4) Special sessions occur often, on average four times a year. 5) Special sessions can only be called once a year.
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In the Texas legislature, all bills dealing with state revenue must 1) start in the House of Representatives. 2) be initiated by the governor's official budget plan. 3) pass both houses of the legislature with a two-thirds majority. 4) be approved by the state supreme court before becoming law. 5) start in the state Senate.
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The requirements for holding office in the Texas legislature 1) are minimal, in keeping with the idea that officeholding should be open to most citizens. 2) are stricter than those in the federal legislature, reflecting the belief that only the most qualified Texans deserve to serve. 3) require one to be a citizen of Texas but not necessarily a citizen of the United States. 4) are the same as in the U.S. Constitution. 5) require one to be a citizen of both Texas and the United States for at least ten years prior to running for office.
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One of the most notable effects of bicameralism in the Texas legislature is that it 1) speeds up the process of legislation by dividing the labors between two separate institutions. 2) works to the benefit of the more densely populated urban areas. 3) allows for sparsely populated rural counties to receive more of a voice in the legislature. 4) permits more opportunities to kill or significantly modify a bill. 5) allows more bipartisan support for most bills.
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In the Texas House of Representatives, who has the power to allow members to speak in floor debates? 1) the Speaker of the House 2) the leader of the party of which the representative is a member 3) the lieutenant governor 4) House members do not need official permission to speak in floor debates. 5) the governor
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What is the importance of the Supreme Court case Reynolds v. Sims? 1) It declared the Voting Rights Act of 1965 constitutional. 2) It declared poll taxes unconstitutional. 3) It declared the constitutional principle of "one person, one vote." 4) It declared that preclearance was an unconstitutional abridgement of state power. 5) It declared racial gerrymandering to be unconstitutional.
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Who has responsibility for redistricting the Texas delegation to the U.S. Congress? 1) the Texas legislature 2) the governor 3) the governor, along with the Texas Senate 4) the U.S. Congress 5) the Texas Supreme Court
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In Texas, the governor's State of the State address is an example of the ______ power. 1) special session 2) veto 3) message 4) impeachment 5) media
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If the legislature grants a particular corporation an exception from a state law, it is called 1) logrolling. 2) a special bill. 3) a private resolution. 4) a filibuster. 5) a general bill.
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Why is the comptroller of public accounts so important to the legislature? 1) The comptroller is responsible for setting the salary and compensation packages for legislators. 2) The comptroller informs the legislature how much money it has to spend on the budget. 3) The comptroller investigates suspected illegal campaign contributions. 4) Whoever is comptroller is also the Speaker of the House. 5) The comptroller has to certify the budget for every agency before the budget can be passed.
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The Legislative Redistricting Board has the authority to draw new districts if 1) appointed to do so by the governor after a special redistricting session. 2) the legislature fails to redistrict in the first regular session. 3) ordered to do so by the state supreme court or a federal district court. 4) a majority in both the House and the Senate vote to allow it. 5) appointed to do so by the governor and lieutenant governor.
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What unconventional action did the Texas legislature take in 2003? 1) It redistricted a second time in a single decade. 2) It extended its regular session by two months. 3) It operated without electing a House Speaker. 4) It did not overturn a single gubernatorial veto. 5) It did not pass a single bill.
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As in the U.S. Congress, what is the purpose of a conference committee in the Texas legislature? 1) It is a committee in which members of both houses meet informally with the governor's representatives to set the agenda for an upcoming session. 2) It is a committee designed to make differing House and Senate versions of the same bill identical. 3) It is the committee that establishes the rules for floor debate in the House. 4) It is another name for a standing committee. 5) Each political party uses a conference committee to develop their legislative strategy before each session.
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What is the main difference between a bill and a resolution? 1) A resolution is just another name for a bill. 2) A resolution deals only with issues affecting local government, while a bill deals with the entire state. 3) All bills require the signature of the governor, but no resolution does. 4) Unlike a bill, a resolution, if passed, lacks the force of a public law. 5) A resolution must be passed unanimously; a bill only needs a majority.
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Why is the comptroller of public accounts so important to the legislature? 1) The comptroller is responsible for setting the salary and compensation packages for legislators. 2) The comptroller informs the legislature how much money it has to spend on the budget. 3) The comptroller investigates suspected illegal campaign contributions. 4) Whoever is comptroller is also the Speaker of the House. 5) The comptroller has to certify the budget for every agency before the budget can be passed.
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As in the U.S. Congress, what is the purpose of a conference committee in the Texas legislature? 1) It is a committee in which members of both houses meet informally with the governor's representatives to set the agenda for an upcoming session. 2) It is a committee designed to make differing House and Senate versions of the same bill identical. 3) It is the committee that establishes the rules for floor debate in the House. 4) It is another name for a standing committee. 5) Each political party uses a conference committee to develop their legislative strategy before each session.
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Constituency services provided by Texas representatives may include all of the following except 1) giving a speech to a local civic group. 2) providing legal services in court. 3) attempting to influence decisions of government agencies. 4) writing a letter of recommendation for a constituent. 5) legislative activity.