govt 2306 ch3

Front: What are the principal lawmaking bodies in American government?

Back: State legislatures.

Front: How are state legislatures organized?

Back: According to each state’s constitution.

Front: How are state legislators selected?

Back: They are popularly elected representatives forming a multi-member body.

Front: How many states have bicameral legislatures?

Back: Forty-nine states.

Front: What are the two chambers of a typical state legislature called?

Back: An upper chamber (Senate) and a lower chamber (usually the House of Representatives).

Front: Which state has a unicameral legislature?

Back: Nebraska.

Front: How do state senates typically differ from state houses?

Back: State senates are smaller and have longer terms.

Front: What are typical term lengths for state legislators?

Back: Senators usually serve four-year terms; House members often serve two-year terms.

Front: What are legislative term limits?

Back: Constitutional limits in some states that restrict how many terms a legislator may serve.

Front: How are state legislatures structurally similar to Congress?

Back: Most are bicameral and follow similar organizational principles.

Front: Why did most states originally adopt bicameral legislatures?

Back: To give landowners disproportionate influence despite their small numbers.

Front: How were state senators originally elected in many states?

Back: By groups of counties rather than by population.

Front: Which Supreme Court cases established “one person, one vote” for state legislatures?

Back: Baker v. Carr (1962) and Reynolds v. Sims (1964).

Front: What constitutional principle supported “one person, one vote”?

Back: The Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

Front: What did the Supreme Court rule about apportionment in state legislatures?

Back: Population must be the sole factor in drawing districts for both chambers.

Front: What did these rulings require states to do?

Back: Draw legislative districts based on equal population.

Front: Why are legislative districts redrawn every ten years?

Back: To reflect population changes from the decennial U.S. Census.

Front: Who is usually responsible for redistricting?

Back: State legislatures.

Front: Why is redistricting often politicized?

Back: Parties in power use it to gain electoral advantage.

Front: What is gerrymandering?

Back: Drawing district lines to favor one political party over another.

Front: How does gerrymandering typically work?

Back: Concentrating opposition voters in a few districts and spreading majority-party voters across many districts.

Front: What alternative to legislative redistricting exists in some states?

Back: Independent redistricting commissions.

Front: What are the major functions of state legislators?

Back: Lawmaking, representation, and checking executive power.

Front: What specific powers do state legislatures have over the executive?

Back: Budget approval, impeachment, removals, and confirmation of appointments.

Front: What is an amateur legislature?

Back: A legislature where members serve part-time and earn most income elsewhere.

Front: What is a professionalized legislature?

Back: A full-time legislature with salaried members and extensive staff support.

Front: How do amateur legislatures typically operate?

Back: Short sessions, limited staff, and fewer institutional resources.

Front: How do professional legislatures typically operate?

Back: Long sessions, large staffs, full-time legislators, and year-round work.

Front: How often does the Texas legislature meet?

Back: For a few months every other year.

Front: How often does the California legislature meet?

Back: Year-round, every year.

Front: How much were Texas legislators paid as of 2022?

Back: About $7,200 per year plus expense allowances.

Front: How much were California legislators paid as of 2022?

Back: About $120,000 per year.

Front: Which state pays legislators the least?

Back: New Hampshire.

Front: Why are amateur legislatures harder for “regular people” to serve in?

Back: They require taking long unpaid time off from regular jobs.

Front: Why might a Texas school teacher struggle to serve in the legislature?

Back: They cannot take months off every other year to legislate.

Q: What interests do state legislators primarily focus on?

A: Localized interests of citizens in the legislative district they represent.

Q: How does a legislator’s scope of representation differ from a governor or state attorney general?

A: Legislators represent a single district, while governors and state attorneys general represent the entire state.

Q: What is constituency service?

A: Assistance legislators provide to constituents in resolving problems with government services or agencies.

Q: Why is constituency service important for legislators?

A: It builds goodwill, strengthens relationships with constituents, and helps with reelection.

Q: Do legislators only help constituents who support them politically?

A: No, legislators often help constituents regardless of political support.

Q: What are the four components of representation identified by political scientists?

A:

1. Maintaining communication with constituents

2. Influencing resource allocation in districts

3. Representing constituent interests in votes and budgets

4. Providing individualized constituent service

Q: What are the two levels at which representation operates?

A:

1. Individual legislator–district relationship

2. The legislature representing citizen interests as a whole

Q: What responsibilities do voters have in the representational relationship?

A: Communicating preferences, monitoring representatives’ actions, and voting accordingly.

Q: How do elections promote representative responsiveness?

A: Elections allow voters to “hire or fire” representatives who do or do not reflect district preferences.

Q: How do societal identities affect representation in legislatures?

A: Legislators from certain groups (e.g., women, racial minorities) are more likely to sponsor policies benefiting those groups.

Q: How do female legislators differ from male legislators (controlling for party)?

A: Female legislators tend to be more liberal and more supportive of feminist issues.

Q: What trend has been observed regarding women and minorities in legislatures?

A: Their representation has increased over the past few decades.

Q: What is the first step in the policymaking process?

A: A legislator introduces a bill in either chamber of the legislature.

Q: What role do legislative committees play in lawmaking?

A: They review, amend, and evaluate bills before they reach the full chamber.

Q: What happens if a bill dies in committee?

A: It never reaches a vote and does not become law.

Q: Why must both chambers pass identical versions of a bill?

A: A bill can only become law if both chambers approve the exact same text.

Q: What is a conference committee?

A: A committee with members from both chambers that resolves differences between bill versions.

Q: What is legislative oversight?

A: The legislature’s review and evaluation of executive branch activities and agencies.

Q: What is meant by the legislature’s “power of the purse”?

A: Only the legislature can authorize government spending.

Q: Name common tools of legislative oversight.

A: Sunset provisions, advice to agencies, review of administrative rules, and budget control.

Q: What are sunset laws?

A: Laws that require programs to be renewed or else they automatically expire.

Q: Why are sunset laws rarely used to terminate programs?

A: The review process is costly and time-consuming.

Q: How does budget control influence executive agencies?

A: Agencies comply with legislative intent because legislatures control funding.

Q: What happens after a bill passes both chambers?

A: It is sent to the governor for approval or veto.

Q: What options does a governor have when receiving a bill?

A: Sign it into law, veto it, or take no action.

Q: What is a pocket veto?

A: When a governor prevents a bill from becoming law by taking no action within a required timeframe (in some states)

Q: When do most laws typically take effect?

A: On a delayed date, often January 1 or July 1.

Q: Why do lawmaking procedures vary by state?

A: Each state has unique constitutional rules and legislative processes.

Q: Which two political parties control state legislatures in the U.S.?

A: The Democratic Party and the Republican Party.

Q: What do blue states represent on maps of state legislative control?

A: States where Democrats control a majority in both chambers of the legislature.

Q: What do red states represent on maps of state legislative control?

A: States where Republicans control a majority in both chambers of the legislature.

Q: Which state has split partisan control of its legislature?

A: Minnesota.

Q: Why is Nebraska unique among state legislatures?

A: It has a single unicameral, nonpartisan legislature.

Q: What long-term trend explains why most states have unified party control?

A: Increasing partisan polarization.

Q: Where are Democrats strongest regionally?

A: The West Coast and the Northeast.

Q: Where are Republicans strongest regionally?

A: The South, Midwest, and Upper Mountain states.

Q: What major responsibility do state legislatures have after each census?

A: Redrawing congressional and state legislative district boundaries.

Q: Does Congress control how state legislative districts are drawn?

A: No, redistricting is primarily a state responsibility.

Q: How is redistricting usually completed in most states?

A: Passed by both legislative chambers and signed by the governor.

Q: Which states do not allow the governor to veto redistricting maps?

A: North Carolina and Connecticut.

Q: How many states use independent commissions for redistricting?

A: Seven states.

Q: How are independent redistricting commissions usually created?

A: Through voter initiatives.

Q: Why are legislatures reluctant to give up redistricting power?

A: Because it is one of their most important political powers.

Q: Do both parties engage in gerrymandering?

A: Yes, both Democrats and Republicans gerrymander when possible.

Q: What did the Supreme Court rule in Rucho v. Common Cause?

A: Partisan gerrymandering is non-justiciable in federal courts.

Q: What does “non-justiciable” mean?

A: Federal courts will not hear cases on the issue.

Q: Can state courts still hear partisan gerrymandering cases?

A: Yes, under state constitutions and state law.

Q: Are term limits allowed for state legislators?

A: Yes.

Q: Why are term limits unconstitutional for Congress but allowed for states?

A: The Constitution prohibits them for Congress, but states control their own legislatures.

Q: Why do supporters favor legislative term limits?

A: To prevent career politicians and encourage responsiveness to voters.

Q: How were term limits adopted in states that have them?

A: Through voter initiatives, not legislative action.

Q: What is the most common length of legislative term limits?

A: Eight years.

Q: How do term limits affect election competitiveness?

A: They modestly increase competitiveness by creating more open-seat elections.

Q: What is a major criticism of legislative term limits?

A: They reduce legislative expertise and empower interest groups.

Q: How do term limits affect governors?

A: They tend to increase gubernatorial power relative to legislatures.

Q: How do term limits affect partisan polarization?

A: They increase polarization.

Q: What reform was proposed in Texas in 2019 regarding marijuana?

A: Reducing penalties for possession of less than one ounce.

Q: What would the reform have changed legally?

A: Possession would be a Class C misdemeanor, like a traffic ticket.

Q: Did the reform have public support?

A: Yes.

Q: Which officials opposed the bill?

A: Governor Greg Abbott and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick.

Q: What happened to the bill in the Texas House?

A: It passed 98–43.

Q: Why did the bill fail to become law?

A: The Lt. Governor prevented it from reaching a Senate vote.

Q: What does this case illustrate about Texas politics?

A:

• Strong Lt. Governor power

• Public support doesn’t guarantee passage

• Bicameral conflict within the same party

Q: Why has Texas lagged in marijuana decriminalization?

A: Texas lacks direct democracy mechanisms like ballot initiatives.

Q: How many members are in the Texas House of Representatives?

A: 150.