Unit 4 polsci

What does bicameral mean?

A legislature with two chambers: the Senate and House of Representatives.

What are the two chambers of the Texas Legislature?

The Texas Senate and the Texas House of Representatives.

How many members are in the Texas Senate?

31 members.

How many members are in the Texas House?

150 members.

How long is a Texas senator’s term?

4 years; half the membership is elected every 2 years.

How long is a Texas representative’s term?

2 years; all members are elected every 2 years.

What is the minimum age to serve in the Texas Senate?

26 years old.

What is the minimum age to serve in the Texas House?

21 years old.

What are the Texas residency requirements for a senator?

5 years in Texas and 12 months in the district.

What are the Texas residency requirements for a representative?

2 years in Texas and 12 months in the district.

How often does the Texas Legislature meet?

Every two years (biennially), in odd-numbered years.

When does a regular legislative session begin?

The second Tuesday in January.

How long is a regular legislative session?

140 calendar days.

Who can call a special session?

Only the governor.

How long can a special session last?

Up to 30 days.

Who controls the agenda during a special session?

The governor.

How many special sessions can the governor call?

Unlimited.

What does sine die mean?

Final adjournment of the legislature; the legislature must adjourn.

What does biennial mean?

Occurring every two years.

Who presides over the Texas Senate?

The Lieutenant Governor.

How is the Lieutenant Governor selected?

Elected statewide by voters, independently of the governor.

What are the Lieutenant Governor’s legislative powers?

Appoints Senate committee chairs and directs the flow of legislation.

Who presides over the Texas House?

The Speaker of the House.

How is the Speaker of the House selected?

Elected by the House members at the beginning of each session.

What are the Speaker’s responsibilities?

Appoints House committee chairs and refers bills to committees.

What is the primary function of the Texas Legislature?

Enacts laws, passes resolutions, proposes constitutional amendments, and passes the state budget.

What is the only bill the legislature is constitutionally required to pass each session?

The state budget.

Where must tax and revenue bills originate?

The Texas House of Representatives.

Which chamber brings impeachment charges?

The House of Representatives.

Which chamber tries impeachment cases?

The Senate.

What happens during the committee stage of a bill?

Committees hear testimony, amend bills, or allow them to die; most bills die here.

What happens during the second reading of a bill?

The bill is debated by the full chamber and requires a majority vote to advance.

What happens during the third reading?

The chamber takes the final vote on the bill.

What is a conference committee?

A committee that resolves differences between House and Senate versions of a bill.

How many bills are typically filed during a legislative session?

Approximately 8,000–10,000.

What percentage of bills generally become law?

Fewer than 20%.

What do low bill numbers indicate?

Higher-priority bills designated by the Speaker and Lieutenant Governor.

What three options does the governor have after receiving a bill?

Sign it, allow it to become law without a signature, or veto it.

How can the legislature override a governor’s veto?

With a two-thirds vote in both chambers.

What is a single-member district?

A district represented by one elected member of the legislature.

What is a multimember district?

A district represented by more than one elected member.

What is reapportionment?

The process of allocating representatives among states.

What is redistricting?

The process of drawing district boundary lines within states.

How often are Texas legislative districts redrawn?

Every 10 years after the U.S. Census.

What is the Legislative Redistricting Board (LRB)?

A state board of elected officials that can draw new legislative districts if the legislature fails to act.

What is political gerrymandering?

Drawing legislative districts to benefit a particular political party.

What did Baker v. Carr (1962) establish?

Redistricting issues could be reviewed by courts, and legislative districts should have approximately equal populations.

What did Reynolds v. Sims (1964) establish?

One person, one vote: each person’s vote should have roughly equal weight.

What did Hunt v. Cromartie (1999) establish?

Race may be considered in redistricting but cannot be the primary factor determining district makeup.

What is a delegate?

A legislator who represents the wishes of voters.

What is a trustee?

A legislator who uses personal judgment to decide what is best for voters.

What is legislative professionalism?

A legislature with higher pay, longer sessions, and more staff support.

How many main levels are in the Texas court system?

Five.

How many justices are on the Texas Supreme Court?

9 justices.

What cases does the Texas Supreme Court hear?

Final appeals in civil and juvenile cases.

How many judges are on the Court of Criminal Appeals?

9 judges.

What cases does the Court of Criminal Appeals hear?

Final appeals in criminal cases.

How many Courts of Appeals are in Texas?

14 courts with 80 justices.

What do Courts of Appeals do?

Hear intermediate appeals from trial courts within their regional appellate districts.

How many District Courts are in Texas?

499 courts with 499 judges.

What cases do District Courts handle?

Felonies, major civil cases, divorces, land disputes, contested elections, and juvenile matters.

How many District Courts are designated criminal district courts?

13.

What are the three types of county-level courts?

Constitutional County Courts, Statutory County Courts, and Statutory Probate Courts.

How many Constitutional County Courts are in Texas?

254, one in each county.

What cases do Constitutional County Courts handle?

Certain civil cases, probate, mental health, guardianship, misdemeanors, and juvenile matters.

What is the civil jurisdiction range of Constitutional County Courts?

Between $200 and $20,000.

What misdemeanor jurisdiction do Constitutional County Courts have?

Exclusive original jurisdiction over misdemeanors punishable by fines greater than $500 or jail sentences.

How many Statutory County Courts are in Texas?

260.

What cases do Statutory County Courts handle?

Civil and criminal cases assigned by law, including additional civil matters between $200 and $250,000.

How many Statutory Probate Courts are in Texas?

24.

What cases do Statutory Probate Courts primarily handle?

Probate, mental health, and guardianship matters.

How many Justice Courts are in Texas?

798 courts with 797 judges.

What cases do Justice Courts handle?

Small claims, civil cases of $20,000 or less, evictions, fine-only misdemeanors, and magistrate functions.

How many Municipal Courts are in Texas?

952 courts with 1,220 judges.

What cases do Municipal Courts handle?

City ordinance violations, fine-only misdemeanors, limited civil jurisdiction, and magistrate functions.

What is a court of record?

A court where appeals are based on the existing record of the case.

What is a court not of record?

A court where appeals are generally heard through a new trial.

What does trial de novo mean?

A completely new trial rather than an appeal based on the previous record.

Are Justice Courts courts of record?

No. All Justice Courts are not courts of record.

Are Municipal Courts courts of record?

Most are not, but some are.

What is the maximum municipal fine for fire safety, zoning, and public health violations?

$2,000.

What is the maximum municipal fine for dumping refuse?

$4,000.

What is the maximum municipal fine for other ordinance offenses?

$500.

What are three challenges to the Texas judiciary?

Familiar names influencing elections, straight-ticket voting, and conflicts of interest involving campaign contributions.

What is straight-ticket voting?

Voting for all candidates of one political party.

What is the plural executive?

A system in which executive power is divided among multiple independently elected officials.

When was the Texas plural executive established?

By the Texas Constitution of 1876.

Why was the plural executive created?

To prevent too much power from being concentrated in the governor.

What historical event influenced the creation of the plural executive?

A reaction to Reconstruction Governor E.J. Davis.

What is the main characteristic of the plural executive?

Most major executive officials are independently elected and do not answer directly to the governor.

What are the qualifications to become Texas governor?

At least 30 years old, a U.S. citizen, and a Texas resident for at least 5 years preceding the election.

How long is the Texas governor’s term?

4 years.

Does the Texas governor have term limits?

No.

What is the Texas governor’s annual salary?

$150,000.

What is veto power?

The governor’s power to reject a bill passed by the legislature.

What is a line-item veto?

The governor’s power to reject specific items in an appropriations bill.

What is an appropriations bill?

A bill that allocates government spending.

What is the governor’s appointment power?

The governor appoints members to state boards and commissions, subject to two-thirds Senate approval.

Who fills judicial vacancies between elections?

The governor.

What is the governor’s military role?

Commander-in-chief of the Texas Military Department.