The Legislature Verified Test Bank Chapter 7 3rd Edition

Chapter 7

Test Bank

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 01, Objective 7.1

1) A legislative body with two chambers or houses is known as a

Feedback: conceptual

a. unicameral legislature.

b. bicameral legislature.

c. unimodal legislature.

d. bimodal legislature.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 02, Objective 7.1

2) A law where the bill potentially affects all Texans is a

Feedback: conceptual

a. general law.

b. local law.

c. special law.

d. resolution.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 03, Objective 7.1

3) A law that only affect units of government at the local level is a

Feedback: conceptual

a. general law.

b. local law.

c. special law.

d. resolution.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 04, Objective 7.1

4) A law that exempts businesses or individuals from state laws is a

Feedback: conceptual

a. general law.

b. local law.

c. special law.

d. resolution.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 05, Objective 7.1

5) Legislation that conveys the will of the chamber is a

Feedback: conceptual

a. general law.

b. local law.

c. special law.

d. resolution.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 06, Objective 7.1

6) The primary role of the legislature is to

Feedback: conceptual

a. create and pass legislation.

b. confirm judges.

c. hold special sessions.

d. promote ideological consensus.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 07, Objective 7.1

7) Suppose the legislature would like to act on a proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution. It would use a

Feedback: conceptual

a. joint resolution.

b. concurrent resolution.

c. simple resolution.

d. revenue bill.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 08, Objective 7.1

8) The house and the senate pass separate resolutions at the same time concerning legislative adjournment. This is an example of a

Feedback: applied

a. joint resolution.

b. concurrent resolution.

c. simple resolution.

d. revenue bill.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 09, Objective 7.1

9) Resolutions that are passed by a single chamber and are used for adopting or changing rules of procedure or expressing congratulations are called

Feedback: conceptual

a. joint resolutions.

b. concurrent resolutions.

c. simple resolutions.

d. revenue bills.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 10, Objective 7.1

10) The house of representatives has _______ compared to the senate.

Feedback: factual

a. more members

b. fewer members

c. more authority over gubernatorial appointments

d. more days in session

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 11, Objective 7.1

11) The senate has _______ compared to the house of the representatives.

Feedback: factual

a. more members

b. fewer days in session

c. more power over revenue bills

d. more authority over gubernatorial appointments

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 12, Objective 7.1

12) What is the length of term for a Texas House member?

Feedback: factual

a. One year

b. Two years

c. Three years

d. Four years

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 13, Objective 7.1

13) What is the length of term for a Texas Senator?

Feedback: factual

a. One year

b. Two years

c. Three years

d. Four years

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 14, Objective 7.1

14) Which body is granted the “power of the purse” (funding policies)?

Feedback: conceptual

a. The Texas House

b. The Texas Senate

c. The lieutenant governor’s office

d. The Texas legislature (both chambers)

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 15, Objective 7.1

15) Which body is supposed to serve as the vehicle for protecting minority interests against the tyranny of the majority?

Feedback: applied

a. The Texas House

b. The Texas Senate

c. The lieutenant governor’s office

d. The Texas legislature (both chambers)

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 16, Objective 7.1

16) Which body has responsibilities that require more deliberation, such as confirming or rejecting all of the governor’s appointments to state boards and commissions?

Feedback: applied

a. The Texas House

b. The Texas Senate

c. The lieutenant governor’s office

d. The Texas legislature (both chambers)

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 17, Objective 7.1

17) Which chamber is responsible for approving gubernatorial appointees?

Feedback: conceptual

a. The house of representatives

b. The senate

c. Both the house and the senate

d. The County Judge’s Council

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 18, Objective 7.1

18) A legislator tells her constituents that she did a lot of work to get state funds to expand the local university. This is an example of

Feedback: applied

a. casework.

b. position taking.

c. bragging.

d. credit claiming.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 19, Objective 7.1

19) When legislators and their staff assist constituents in their districts with specific requests, they are

Feedback: applied

a. Doing casework

b. Position taking

c. Credit claiming

d. All of the above

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 20, Objective 7.1

20) A legislator tells her constituents that she opposes the governor’s mask mandate. This legislator is engaging in

Feedback: applied

a. casework.

b. position taking.

c. credit claiming.

d. grandstanding.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 21, Objective 7.1

21) A legislator who votes in accordance with their interpretation of what his or her district would want is following the _______ model of representation.

Feedback: applied

a. Trustee

b. Delegate

c. Credit-claiming

d. All of the above

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 22, Objective 7.1

22) A legislator who is simply a mouthpiece for the wishes of his or her constituency is following the _______ model of representation.

Feedback: applied

a. Trustee

b. Delegate

c. Credit-claiming

d. All of the above

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 23, Objective 7.2

23) The legislative session meeting for 140 days in January of odd-numbered years is referred to as a

Feedback: conceptual

a. typical session.

b. regular session.

c. spring session.

d. special session.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 24, Objective 7.2

24) Legislative sessions that can be called by the governor on any issue the governor decides requires attention are referred to as

Feedback: conceptual

a. typical sessions.

b. regular sessions.

c. spring sessions.

d. special sessions.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 25, Objective 7.2

25) What type of legislature is Texas classified as?

Feedback: conceptual

a. “Weak”

b. “Strong”

c. “Partisan”

d. “Nonpartisan”

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 26, Objective 7.2

26) The legislature holds a regular session

Feedback: factual

a. once every other year.

b. every year.

c. every spring and fall.

d. only when a new governor takes office.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 27, Objective 7.2

27) Sine die indicates the

Feedback: factual

a. beginning of a legislative session.

b. end of a legislative session.

c. end of debate on a bill.

d. end of the legislative day.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 28, Objective 7.2

28) Which is true of Texas legislators?

Feedback: conceptual

a. They are not permitted to hold any other job.

b. They are required to live in Austin.

c. They earn only a part-time salary.

d. The majority of them do not have college degrees.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 29, Objective 7.2

29) Which entity writes the first draft of the budget?

Feedback: conceptual

a. The Legislative Budget Board

b. The Senate Finance Committee

c. The House and Senate Leadership Council

d. The lieutenant governor

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 30, Objective 7.2

30) Who co-chairs the Legislative Budget Board (LBB)?

Feedback: conceptual

a. The president and vice president

b. The governor and lieutenant governor

c. The speaker of the house and lieutenant governor

d. The speaker of the house and governor

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 31, Objective 7.2

31) When incumbents lose their seats or leave their seats, and new members (freshmen) are voted into office, it is referred to as

Feedback: conceptual

a. freshman classing.

b. turnover.

c. adding newbies.

d. a flipped house.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 32, Objective 7.2

32) An individual who currently holds public office is a(n)

Feedback: conceptual

a. wingman.

b. challenger.

c. Texas core man.

d. incumbent.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 33, Objective 7.2

33) A collective understanding of the way an organization works held by those who run it is known as

Feedback: conceptual

a. institutional memory.

b. collective organization.

c. turnover analysis.

d. organizational support.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 34, Objective 7.2

34) Generally speaking, incumbents tend to

Feedback: conceptual

a. win reelection.

b. lose reelection.

c. have little institutional memory.

d. be unknown to voters.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 35, Objective 7.3

35) One of the speaker's major powers in the Texas House is the ability to call on or ignore a representative who would like to speak. This power is called

Feedback: conceptual

a. procedural autonomy.

b. recognition.

c. incumbency.

d. the power of the gavel.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 36, Objective 7.3

36) A small group of legislators is tasked with exploring an issue and crafting bills before the full house or senate consider them. This is a(n)

Feedback: applied

a. committee.

b. legislative council.

c. body.

d. assessment team.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 37, Objective 7.3

37) Permanent committees that deal with a specific issue or topic are known as

Feedback: conceptual

a. standing committees.

b. select committees.

c. joint committees.

d. temporary committees.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 38, Objective 7.3

38) A committee that is temporary and has a fixed issue to investigate or legislation to consider is known as a

Feedback: conceptual

a. standing committee.

b. select committee.

c. joint committee.

d. temporary committee.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 39, Objective 7.3

39) The presiding officer of the Texas House is the

Feedback: factual

a. governor.

b. lieutenant governor.

c. speaker of the house.

d. majority leader.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 40, Objective 7.3

40) The presiding officer of the Texas Senate is the

Feedback: factual

a. governor.

b. lieutenant governor.

c. speaker of the house.

d. majority leader.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 41, Objective 7.4

41) Suppose the house and the senate pass bills that are not identical. How do the two chambers resolve their differences?

Feedback: applied

a. The governor picks which one he likes best.

b. The bills are sent to a conference committee.

c. The house version takes priority.

d. The senate version takes priority.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 42, Objective 7.4

42) The legislature passes a bill the governor does not like. (S)he may _______ the bill to stop it from becoming law.

Feedback: applied

a. ignore

b. impeach

c. repudiate

d. veto

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 43, Objective 7.4

43) Before a bill can be referred to committee, it must first receive

Feedback: conceptual

a. a request from a committee.

b. a majority vote.

c. a first reading.

d. gubernatorial approval.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 44, Objective 7.4

44) After the first 60 days of the legislative session, only _______ bills can be considered.

Feedback: conceptual

a. statewide

b. general

c. special

d. local

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 45, Objective 7.4

45) All the bills start out in a

Feedback: conceptual

a. committee.

b. joint review.

c. floor vote.

d. markup review.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 46, Objective 7.4

46) In order for a bill to go to the governor’s desk

Feedback: conceptual

a. it must pass the house chamber.

b. both chambers have to agree on legislation.

c. it must pass the senate chamber.

d. it must clear all committee hearings.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 47, Objective 7.5

47) Opponents of a bill stall for time on noncontroversial bills in order to limit the time that can be dedicated to a more controversial bill. This is an example of

Feedback: applied

a. party of five.

b. taking a walk.

c. point of order.

d. stuffing the box.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 48, Objective 7.5

48) Since 2010, the legislature has become

Feedback: conceptual

a. full-time.

b. majority-minority.

c. less politically polarized.

d. more politically polarized.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 49, Objective 7.5

49) A senator who holds the floor in order to delay legislation is engaging in a

Feedback: applied

a. procedural vote.

b. filibuster.

c. point of order.

d. discharge petition.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 50, Objective 7.5

50) A legislator in either chamber can _______ a bill to put it on hold for 24 hours as a delay tactic.

Feedback: conceptual

a. filibuster

b. declare

c. flag

d. tag

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 51, Objective 7.6

51) Many members of the legislature are

Feedback: conceptual

a. non-Christians.

b. graduates of the University of Texas at Austin.

c. racial minorities.

d. under 30 years old.

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 52, Objective 7.6

52) What impact does diversity in a legislative body have on outcomes?

Feedback: conceptual

a. Outcomes are biased against nonminorities.

b. Outcomes are attentive to the needs of minority populations.

c. Outcomes are the same as if there were no diversity.

d. Decisions tend to take much longer.

Type: essay/short answer question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 53

53) What is a bicameral legislature?

Feedback:

Bicameral legislature: a legislative body with two houses or chambers.

French political theorist Montesquieu first conceived of this division as a means of ensuring that no one chamber dominated the other.

Type: essay/short answer question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 54

54) What are the three different types of laws that legislators can pass?

Feedback:

General law: law where the bill potentially affects all Texans.

Local law: law that only affect units of government at the local level.

Special law: law that exempts businesses or individuals from state laws.

Type: essay/short answer question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 55

55) Describe the Texas House of Representatives.

Feedback:

The Texas House is made up of 150 members, elected for two-year terms.

The entire membership of the House is up for election every two years.

The Texas Constitution requires members of the Texas House to be at least twenty-one years of age, a citizen of Texas for two years prior to election, and a resident of the district from which he or she is elected one year prior to election.

Type: essay/short answer question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 56

56) Describe the Texas Senate.

Feedback:

The Texas Senate has thirty-one members, elected for four-year terms from districts that carve up the state.

One-half of the membership of the senate is elected every two years, so the entire chamber is not up in any single election cycle.

As outlined in the Texas Constitution, a senator must be twenty-six years of age, a citizen of Texas five years prior to being elected, and a resident of the district from which he or she is elected one year prior to the election.

Type: essay/short answer question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 57

57) What are some of the key differences between the house and the senate?

Feedback:

The senate has fewer members and longer terms. Requirements to hold office are higher.

Budget issues must originate in the house.

The senate has the power to confirm gubernatorial appointees.

Type: essay/short answer question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 58

58) What is a “regular session” of the Texas legislature?

Feedback:

The legislative session that meets for 140 days in January of odd-numbered years.

Type: essay/short answer question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 59

59) What is a “special session” of the Texas legislature?

Feedback:

A legislative session that can be called by the governor on any issue the governor decides requires attention.

Type: essay/short answer question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 60

60) How much is a state legislator’s annual salary?

Feedback:

Despite the size of its economy and population, Texans’ belief in small government keeps legislators’ annual salaries at $7,200—the lowest legislative salaries in the nation.

Type: essay/short answer question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 61

61) Explain “institutional memory.”

Feedback:

Institutional memory is a collective understanding of the way an organization works held by those who run it.

Type: essay/short answer question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 62

62) Explain the incumbent advantage.

Feedback:

Generally, the incumbency advantage is high for legislators in Texas, although not as high as the 90 percent or higher for the U.S. Congress.

The Texas House and Senate have similar rates of incumbents returning to office.

Type: essay/short answer question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 63

63) Explain the role of the Texas legislature, including the types of laws and resolutions that they have the authority to pass.

Feedback:

The Texas legislature’s chief responsibility is to create and pass legislation.

The legislature’s laws dictate everything from the sales tax you pay on cars, to the type of insurance you are required to carry, to how many hours of training your hairstylist needs to be certified.

Legislation considered by the legislature can be a general law if the bill potentially affects all Texans.

A local law if it affects only units of government at the local level (often carried out by a legislator at the request of local government leaders).

A special law if it exempts businesses, organizations, or individuals from state laws.

In addition to bills that carry the force of law (after being signed into law), legislators debate and pass resolutions that convey the will of the chamber. These include: joint, concurrent, and simple resolutions.

Type: essay/short answer question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 64

64) Describe the differences between the Texas House and the Texas Senate.

Feedback:

Although both chambers serve the same general function, they retain important differences.

The larger number of members and the shorter length of term, in theory, make the Texas House of Representatives a more representative and responsive body than the Texas Senate.

The Texas House is made up of 150 members, elected for two-year terms. The entire membership of the House is up for election every two years.

By contrast, the Texas Senate has thirty-one members, elected for four-year terms from districts that carve up the state. One-half of the membership of the senate is elected every two years, so the entire chamber is not up in any single election cycle.

Type: essay/short answer question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 65

65) Explain the ways that legislators can choose to represent their districts. Which of these do you feel like is the best mode of representation?

Feedback:

Some legislators act as trustees of their constituency, voting in accordance with their interpretation of what their district would want.

Other legislators act as delegates, where the member is simply a mouthpiece for the wishes of their constituency.

Opinions may vary.

Type: essay/short answer question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 66

66) How does Texas compare to other state legislatures?

Feedback:

Political scientists classify legislatures as “strong” or “weak” based upon whether they have access to adequate resources to address key issues.

“Strong” legislatures consist of full-time, professional, well-paid legislators, year-round or annual sessions, plentiful legislative staff, and competitive elections.

By many of these standards, Texas has a “weak” legislature—due to the length of its sessions, salary, staff, and boards that facilitate the legislative process.

The Texas legislature meets only biennially (every two years) in January of odd-numbered years.

Texas legislators are paid a salary that is much lower than other states.

Type: essay/short answer question

Title: Chapter 07 Question 67

67) What is institutional memory and why is it important?

Feedback:

Institutional memory is a collective understanding of the way an organization works held by those who run it.

Low salaries and a biennial session can potentially lead to high turnover rates among legislators.

Too much turnover can be a problem, leading to a loss of institutional memory, an understanding of how a complex organization runs.

The Texas legislature has strong continuity and institutional memory because most elections for Texas legislators are won by the incumbents.

Generally, the incumbency advantage is high for legislators in Texas, although not as high as the 90 percent or higher for the U.S. Congress.

The Texas House and Senate have similar rates of incumbents returning to office.