Texas Legislature Review Flashcards

Flashcards to review key concepts about the Texas Legislature.

What does it mean for the Texas Legislature to be bicameral?

It is divided into two separate chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Why did James Madison suggest dividing the power of the legislature?

To protect liberty from passionate majorities, making it more difficult for a majority to abuse its power.

What principle did the U.S. Supreme Court assert in Baker v. Carr (1962) regarding state legislative districts?

The principle of 'one person, one vote,' meaning the population of districts must be roughly equal.

How does the Texas Constitution limit the number of state senators a county can have?

No county can have more than one state senator.

How does the size of the Texas Senate compare to the Texas House of Representatives?

The Texas Senate (31 members) is smaller than the Texas House of Representatives (150 members).

How often does the Texas Legislature meet for a regular session?

Every two years (biennially).

How long is a regular session of the Texas Legislature?

140 days.

Who can call a special session of the Texas Legislature?

The Governor of Texas.

What is the maximum length of a special session of the Texas Legislature?

30 days.

What rights and privileges do members of the Texas Legislature have while in session?

Privilege from arrest (except in cases of treason, felony, or breach of the peace) and legislative immunity for words spoken in debate.

What are the three types of state legislatures, based on session length, compensation, and resources?

Citizen, professional, and hybrid.

How is the Texas Legislature classified?

Hybrid legislature.

What are the minimum age and residency requirements to be a member of the Texas House of Representatives?

At least 21 years of age, a resident of Texas for two years, and a resident of the district for one year prior to the election.

What are the minimum age and residency requirements to be a member of the Texas Senate?

At least 26 years of age, a resident of Texas for five years, and a resident of the district for one year before the election.

What is the term of office for members of the Texas House of Representatives?

Two years.

How long are the terms for Texas Senators?

Four years, with elections staggered so that one-half of the Senate is chosen every two years.

Does Texas have term limits for its state legislators?

No.

What are the delegate, trustee, and politico approaches to what constitutes an appropriate relationship between a representative and the electorate?

Delegate: Legislator follows the views of the district. Trustee: Elected officials use their own judgement to make the best choices for their constituents. Politico: Representative follows the wishes of the voting majority on the most important issues while on other issues the representative has more leeway.

What is microcosm theory in the context of state legislatures?

The idea that a legislature should look like the larger society in terms of demographics such as gender, race, and education.

Is the Texas Legislature an accurate microcosm of the Texas population?

No. It has disproportionately high levels of education and underrepresentation of women and certain racial/ethnic groups.

Describe the single-member district (SMD) system.

The state is divided into a number of districts equal to the number of members of the chamber. Each district elects one member of the chamber.

What is a multimember district (MMD) system?

Some districts elect more than one person to the state legislature.

What is gerrymandering?

Drawing district lines to political advantage.

What is the Legislative Redistricting Board (LRB) in Texas, and who are its members?

A board that develops a plan for redistricting that must be submitted to the state legislature for approval. Its members are the lieutenant governor, the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, the attorney general, the comptroller of accounts, and the commissioner of the Texas General Land Office.

What are the key leadership positions in the Texas Legislature?

Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives and the Lieutenant Governor (President of the Senate).

How is the Lieutenant Governor chosen?

Elected by voters across the state.

What powers does the Lieutenant Governor have in the Texas Senate?

Assigns bills to committees, recognizes speakers, interprets rules of debate, appoints committee members and chairs, and casts a tie-breaking vote.

How is the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives chosen?

Elected by the members of the Texas House from among its members.

What powers does the Speaker of the House have?

Presides over debates, interprets rules, appoints half of the standing committee members, chairs of standing committees, and members of conference committees, and assigns bills to committees.

What role do political parties play in the Texas Legislature?

Organize legislators with similar beliefs, influence committee selection and work, and control the election of the Speaker of the Texas House.