Texas Executive Branch – Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards summarizing key offices, powers, and concepts related to the Texas Executive Branch as presented in the lecture notes.

Texas Governor

Chief executive officer of the State of Texas; possesses veto, special-session, limited budgetary, appointive, judicial, and military powers but is constitutionally one of the weakest governors in the United States due to the plural executive structure.

Plural Executive

A fragmented system in which most statewide executive officials are elected independently of the governor, greatly limiting gubernatorial control over the bureaucracy.

Lieutenant Governor

Elected official who succeeds the governor if the office becomes vacant and serves as acting governor when the governor is out of state; also presides over the Texas Senate.

Secretary of State (Texas)

Only statewide executive appointed by the governor; administers election laws, grants corporate charters, and handles extradition requests.

Comptroller of Public Accounts

Texas’s chief tax administrator and revenue estimator; enforces the constitutional pay-as-you-go principle by certifying that state budgets do not exceed anticipated revenue.

Commissioner of the General Land Office

Elected official who manages state-owned lands and oversees the Veterans Land Program that offers low-interest loans to veterans.

Agricultural Commissioner

Elected state official who administers laws and programs that promote and regulate Texas agriculture.

Attorney General (Texas)

State’s chief legal officer who represents Texas in court, enforces consumer protection and antitrust laws, and issues advisory legal opinions to officials.

Texas Railroad Commission

Three-member elected body that regulates oil, natural gas, and lignite mining industries in Texas.

State Board of Education

Fifteen-member elected board that sets curriculum standards, selects textbooks, and oversees Permanent School Fund investments for public schools.

Senatorial Courtesy

Unwritten tradition allowing a state senator to block confirmation of a gubernatorial appointee who resides in the senator’s district.

Line-Item Veto

Governor’s power to veto specific provisions (usually budgetary items) in a bill without rejecting the whole measure.

Executive Clemency

Governor’s authority, on recommendation of the Board of Pardons and Paroles, to grant pardons, commutations, and one-time 30-day stays of execution.

Board of Pardons and Paroles

Seven-member body appointed by the governor that reviews clemency applications and makes recommendations the governor must follow for full pardons or commutations.

Special Session

Legislative meeting called by the governor outside the regular schedule; the governor sets its agenda and duration (up to 30 days each session).

Impeachment (Texas)

Process by which the Texas House brings charges against an officeholder and the Senate conducts a trial; conviction removes the official from office.

Recall Election (Texas)

A voter-initiated process to remove elected officials; not permitted for the Texas governor under current law.

Pay-As-You-Go Principle

Constitutional rule forbidding Texas from borrowing for operating costs; enforced by the comptroller’s revenue certification.

Commander in Chief (State Role)

Governor’s authority over Texas military forces—the National Guard and state guard—unless they are federalized.

Eligibility Requirements (Governor)

Must be at least 30 years old, a U.S. citizen, and a Texas resident for five years immediately before election.

Gubernatorial Salary

As of 2020, the Texas governor received an annual salary of $153,750 plus residence in the Governor’s Mansion, security, travel, and use of state aircraft and vehicles.

Weak Governor Model

Describes the limited formal powers of the Texas governor, resulting from historical reaction to Reconstruction-era abuses and the 1876 constitution.

Veto Deadline

During session, the governor has 10 days (excluding Sundays) to sign or veto a bill; after adjournment, the period extends to 20 days.

Extradition

Legal process by which the Texas governor orders the return of a fugitive to another state or receives a fugitive wanted in Texas.

State of the State Address

Biennial speech in which the governor outlines legislative priorities at the start of a regular session.