Level 1
The Texas House has ___ members.
150
The first ___ days of the legislative session are used to set the agenda for both chambers of the legislature.
60
A noncompetitive election district is one that can be counted on to have at least ___% of the vote for the dominant party in he district.
55
The number of new members of the legislature each session is referred to as
turnover
The "birthright" characteristics of Texas representatives include their
National background.
Race and ethnicity.
Religion.
The Texas legislature meets in regular session
For 140 days every odd-numbered year.
Every ten years following the census, representatives are allocated to districts in a process known as
Reapportionment
Which of the following is the main duty and function of state legislatures?
Lawmaking
Each legislative district in Texas elects ___ member for each senatorial district and ___ member for each house district.
1;1
Which of the following are true of the bills introduced in the house and senate that do not make it into law?
Some are dead on arrival.
Some are introduced to satisfy voters back home but have no real chance to pass.
Most bills die in committee.
A limitation on the number of times a person can be elected to the same office in a state legislature is referred to as a(n)
Term Limit
Most of the work done in the Texas legislature is done in ___ committees.
Standing
The term ___ legislatures is a positive way of describing legislatures characterized by low pay, short sessions, are fewer staff resources.
Citizen
Which of the following are places where Democrats are likely to have safe election districts?
Inner-city areas.
South Texas.
Which of the following are true of the bills introduced in the house and senate that do not make it into law?
Some are dead on arrival.
Some are introduced to satisfy voters back home but have no real chance to pass.
Most bills die in committee.
How do lieutenant governors assume office?
The lieutenant governor is elected by voters.
Which of the following refers to the drawing of legislative districts to create minority districts?
Racial Gerrymandering
Power in the Texas legislature is concentrated in the hands of which two individuals?
Speaker of the House and lieutenant governor.
Former house speaker Tom Craddick was known to seek electoral opponents for those members who opposed his agenda. This led to an increase in competition in the
Republican primary.
general public acceptance of government's "right to govern" and also, the legality of a government's existence conferred by a constitution
legitimacy
Which of the following could be a factor contributing to the high turnover among state legislators in Texas?
Low pay.
The speaker of the Texas House is chosen
By majority vote of the members of the house.
The set of norms or values that govern legislative behavior are known as
informal
Which of the following are among the formal qualifications for being a member of the Texas House?
At least 21 years old.
Registered voter.
Lived in Texas for 2 years.
an owner occupied property protected from forced sale under most circumstances
homestead