Texas Government Exam Review: Local Government, Representation, and the Legislature

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering Texas local government structures, municipal powers, legislative organization, committees, delay tactics, and lobbying methods.

Ordinance

A law adopted by a city government, such as noise, parking, and safety rules.

Zoning

Local rules dividing land into categories such as residential, commercial, and industrial use to manage growth, reduce incompatible uses, and protect public health and safety.

Metropolitan area

A central city and economically and socially connected surrounding communities.

City charter

A foundational document describing a city’s government structure, powers, and procedures.

Dillon’s Rule / General-law city

The principle that local governments exercise only powers granted by state law, necessarily implied, or essential to their functions; Texas general-law cities rely entirely on state-authorized powers.

Home-rule / Charter city

A Texas city with more than 5,000 inhabitants that has adopted a voter-approved charter, granting broad local authority unless prohibited by state or federal law.

Urban sprawl

Outward, often low-density development that can lead to longer commutes, increased infrastructure costs, and loss of farmland.

Gentrification

Neighborhood investment and higher-income arrivals that increase property values and amenities, but also raise rents, property taxes, and displacement pressure.

Unincorporated areas

Populated places outside city limits that are governed locally primarily by counties, where residents pay no municipal property tax and have fewer city regulations.

Annexation

A city’s expansion of its boundaries, which involves service costs, potential new taxes and regulations, and is limited regarding involuntary actions under Texas law.

Council–manager

A form of municipal government where an elected council makes policy and hires a professional manager to oversee day-to-day administration.

Mayor–council

A form of municipal government where an elected mayor and council govern, with executive mayoral power varying between strong- and weak-mayor systems.

Town meeting

A form of local governance where residents directly participate in local decisions, historically associated with small New England towns rather than Texas.

Commission / Galveston model

A form of municipal government where elected commissioners jointly set policy and individually oversee specific administrative departments; historically associated with Galveston.

County Commissioners Court

The five-member governing body of a Texas county, consisting of one countywide elected county judge and four commissioners elected from precincts, responsible for roads, tax rates, budgets, and county administration.

Special districts

Local units of government that provide specific designated services, such as water, utilities, hospitals, or emergency services.

District elections

An electoral system in which voters within a specific geographic district elect their own representative, emphasizing neighborhood-level representation.

At-large elections

An electoral system where the entire citywide electorate votes for representatives, emphasizing broad, citywide representation.

Delegate representation

A model of representation where a legislator acts strictly according to constituents' expressed preferences, even when personally disagreeing.

Trustee representation

A model of representation where a legislator uses their own independent judgment regarding what best serves the interests of constituents.

Descriptive representation

A form of representation where elected officials share demographic, social, or experiential characteristics with the population they represent.

Geographic representation

A system where representatives are chosen specifically to speak for and protect the interests of a defined location or territorial district.

Citizen legislature

A part-time legislative body characterized by short sessions, low pay, small staffs, and members who typically maintain outside employment.

Professional legislature

A full-time legislative body characterized by longer sessions, higher compensation, and larger professional staffs.

Bicameral legislature

A two-chamber legislature, such as the Texas Legislature, which is composed of a 150-member House and a 31-member Senate.

Texas regular legislative session

A 140-day legislative meeting that takes place only in odd-numbered years, unless a 30-day special session is called by the governor.

Standing committee

A permanent legislative committee that specializes in a specific issue area and reviews related bills.

Conference committee

A temporary joint committee formed to reconcile differences between House and Senate versions of a bill into identical text.

Interim committee

A committee established to study specific policy issues between biennial legislative sessions and recommend future legislation.

Calendar committee

A specialized committee in the Texas House that controls the flow of legislation by determining which bills are scheduled for floor debate and consideration.

Chubbing

A legislative delay tactic involving extended consideration and debate of earlier or unrelated bills to consume floor time and prevent later bills from being reached.

Filibuster

A procedural delay tactic where a legislator engages in extended debate or speaking to prevent a bill from coming to a vote.

Blocking quorum

Deliberately withholding enough members to prevent a legislative chamber from meeting its required two-thirds attendance threshold (100 House members or 21 senators in Texas).

Direct lobbying

Influencing policy by communicating directly with government officials and lawmakers.

Grassroots lobbying

Influencing public policy by mobilizing genuine citizens to contact their elected officials.

Astroturf lobbying

An artificially orchestrated or funded campaign manufactured to look like spontaneous grassroots public support while concealing its true financial backing.