Show:
House
Senate
Bills
Vocab
Mystery
100

Who leads the House? Currently?

The Speaker of the House, Dustin Burrows

100

Who leads the Senate? Currently?

Lt. Governor, Dan Patrick

100
What is a bill?

a proposed law

100

Biennial sessions

Every other year

- specifically for the lege= every ODD year

100

Explain legislative immunity.

Goal: Protect free speech

  • elected members of lege cannot be arrested during session unless commiting a felony, treason, or breach of peace.
  • WHY? to prevent local law enforcement from influencing sessions
200

How does the House run out the clock?

chubing

200

what two branches is the lt. governor apart of?

Exec & Lege

200

whats happening during:

pre-session? day 0-30? day 31-60? day 61-140?

Pre-session: File bills

0-30: Bill introduced

31-60: Bills in committee

61-140: Voting time

200

Appropriations

any law dealing with money distribution

200

How many votes are required by the senate to have a bill considered/introduced?

18

300

How many districts/members are there, what are the term limits, and age requirements?

— 150 districts/members

— 2 yr terms

— 21 years old

300

How many senators are there, what are the term limits, and age requirements?

— 31 senators

— 4 yr terms

— 36 years old

300

Identify and Explain how to kill a bill.

1) Let it die in Committee: committee responsible for reviewing it takes no action or votes against it

2) Run Out the Clock: Filibuster/Chubbing

3) Killer Amendment: An amendment so offensive the bill will not pass

300

Chubbing 


A speaking tactic used in the House of Representatives to delay and kill unwanted bills.
  • Members use up their 10-minute speaking limits on minor bills that come before the target bill.
  • This wastes time and runs out the clock so a vote cannot happen.
300

Explain a blocking bill?

A bill used by the senate to work around the calendar

400

Identify and Explain the primary norm recognized in the House. Does this function as a power or constraint?

recognize seniority in committee assignments; constraint

400

How is the Lt. Governor elected and what power does that provide?

Elected in statewide election → can claim statewide mandates

400

You cannot vote on bills during days 0-60 of the legs session unless _____. 

declared an emergency by the governor

400

Conference committee

joint panel of the House and Senate created to resolve differences between two versions of a legislative bill

400

Where must appropriation bills start? Why?

In the house bc its designed to reflect the will of the people and it's the peoples money.

500

What powers does the speaker have?

- recognize speaker/order/committee assignments

- co-chair LBB & LRB 


500

What powers does the Lt. Governor have?

- statewide mandates

- committee assignments

- exec & lege member

- recognize speakers and make committee assignments

500
Explain the proccess of an appropriation bill becoming a law.

1. Introduced in the House, 2. Debate and Markup in Committee, 3. Passed out of Committee, 4. Full chamber debate, 5. Full Chamber Vote, 6. Sent to Senate, 7. Repeat steps 2-5

- If changes were made then its sent to a conference committee

500

Standing committee vs. Special Committee

(Include definitions and examples in your answer)

Standing committee = permanent legislative panel with fixed jurisdiction to review and report on bills (finances)

Special committee = temporary panel created by a separate resolution to handle specific issues (investigations)

500

citizen legislature vs. professional legislature

Citizen:

  • biennual legislature
  • 140 day sessions
  • low salary
  • Con= low staff so high dependance on lobbyists, big biz pays ppl to rep them not the ppl

Professional:

  • full time legislature
  • livable salary
  • Con=career politicians