PLSC Test #2

What does division of labor mean within a bureaucratic organization?

Work is divided into specific tasks and functional specializations.

In bureaucratic organizations, what does hierarchy establish?

A clear vertical chain of command where top officials hold final authority.

What double-edged role does 'red tape' play in public bureaucracies?

It creates burdensome paperwork while providing records and checks that protect individuals.

How do public bureaucracies engage in policy making?

By interpreting laws and writing detailed operational rules and instructions.

Term/Definition: Street-level bureaucrats

Public agency employees who interact directly with citizens and exercise discretion in applying laws.

What is the primary basis for hiring under the spoils system?

Political loyalty and support rather than individual qualifications.

What was the significance of the federal Pendleton Act of 1883?

It established the merit system by requiring federal bureaucrats to be hired based on qualifications.

The system of hiring government employees based on their skills, knowledge, and abilities is known as the _____.

merit system

How does a plural executive system affect a governor's control over executive agencies?

It weakens governor control because top agency officials are independently elected by voters.

What is the core mandate of a sunset law?

It requires periodic legislative reviews of state agencies, disbanding them if their mandate is unfulfilled.

Why can state governors not independently execute major administrative reorganizations of agencies?

Major administrative agency reforms must be enacted into law by the state legislature.

Why do career bureaucrats in state agencies sometimes resist a governor's policy directives?

They often outlast governors and receive external support from legislative committees and interest groups.

Why do incumbent state legislators achieve reelection rates of approximately 90 percent?

They benefit from higher name recognition, greater campaign funding, and prior political experience.

The process of redrawing legislative district boundaries every ten years following the U.S. census is called _____.

reapportionment (or redistricting)

What defines malapportionment in legislative district drawing?

Creating voting districts that contain unequal population sizes.

What was the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Colegrove v. Green (1946) regarding unequal legislative districts?

The Court refused to intervene, treating district population disparities as a non-justiciable political question.

What key principle was established by the U.S. Supreme Court in Baker v. Carr (1962)?

Constitutional challenges regarding legislative redistricting can be reviewed by federal courts.

What requirement did Wesberry v. Sanders (1964) establish for U.S. House of Representatives districts?

State legislatures must draw congressional districts with equal population sizes.

What constitutional mandate did the Supreme Court establish in Reynolds v. Sims (1964)?

Both chambers of state legislatures must draw districts equal in population size.

Under Gomillion v. Lightfoot (1960), when is gerrymandering deemed unconstitutional?

When legislative district boundaries are drawn specifically to discriminate against racial minorities.

Term/Definition: Gerrymandering

The practice of drawing legislative district boundaries to grant unfair political advantages to a specific group or party.

What type of legislative service involves directly helping constituents resolve issues with government agencies?

Constituency service (or casework).

How do state legislatures perform their legislative oversight function?

By supervising and reviewing how executive agencies carry out enacted laws.

What is the primary function of a legislative conference committee?

To resolve differences between House and Senate versions of a bill.

Where is the majority of substantive legislative work and bill analysis conducted in state legislatures?

In permanent standing committees.

Why is the Texas Legislature classified as a 'hybrid' legislature?

It combines part-time citizen members and low pay with large professional support staffs.

Which U.S. state is the only one to operate with a unicameral legislature?

Nebraska

How frequently and for how long does the Texas Legislature meet in regular session?

It meets biennially for 140 days in odd-numbered years.

Unlike most lieutenant governors, what unique power does the Texas Lieutenant Governor hold?

Serving as the powerful presiding officer of the state Senate with vast legislative influence.

What happens to a state agency if the legislature fails to reauthorize it during a sunset review?

The agency is automatically disbanded and shut down.

How does a governor fulfill the role of Chief Legislator?

By setting the legislative agenda and proposing specific policies to the state legislature.

What are the formal constitutional qualifications to serve as Governor of Texas?

Being at least 30 years old, a U.S. citizen, and a Texas resident for 5 years.

How does a governor's line-item veto power differ from standard executive veto power?

It allows the governor to strike out individual spending items without rejecting the entire bill.

Why is the formal fiscal power of the Texas governor considered remarkably weak?

The Legislative Budget Board, rather than the governor, drafts the primary state budget.

In state budgeting, what does incrementalism describe?

Making small, gradual adjustments to existing budget allocations rather than complete revisions.

How do earmarks and uncontrollables limit a governor's influence over the state budget?

They automatically bind more than half of state revenues to legally mandated multiyear commitments.

What is the main constitutional limit on the Texas governor's pardon power?

The governor can only grant pardons upon recommendation of the Board of Pardons and Paroles.

What advantage does calling a special legislative session provide to a governor?

It focuses legislative attention exclusively on issues specified on the governor's designated agenda.

Under what circumstance does a governor lose operational control of their state's National Guard?

When the President of the United States federalizes the Guard.

How did the 19th-century Jacksonian democracy movement affect gubernatorial power?

It weakened governors by mandating the separate popular election of multiple executive branch officials.

What are the primary informal powers utilized by effective governors?

Public popularity, legislative party support, and effective mass communication skills.

In most states, who immediately succeeds to the governorship if the governor leaves office?

The lieutenant governor

In legal systems, what is a precedent?

A previous court ruling that serves as an authoritative rule for deciding subsequent similar cases.

What determines a court's geographic jurisdiction?

A previous court ruling that serves as an authoritative rule for deciding subsequent similar cases.

Courts that serve as trial courts where legal cases must initially begin possess _____ jurisdiction.

original

What is the function of courts exercising appellate jurisdiction?

To review legal procedures and rulings made by original trial courts.

What does it mean when an appellate court hears a case en banc?

All judges assigned to that court sit together to hear and decide the case.

How do general jurisdiction trial courts differ from limited jurisdiction trial courts?

General courts hear broad ranges of legal disputes, while limited courts focus on specialized matters.

What distinguishes a bench trial from a jury trial?

In a bench trial, the judge alone evaluates evidence and determines the verdict without a jury.

Which two courts serve as the courts of last resort in Texas?

The Supreme Court for civil/juvenile cases and the Court of Criminal Appeals for criminal cases.

Where are mandatory appeals of Texas death penalty convictions directly sent?

Directly to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, bypassing intermediate appellate courts.

How are judges selected in Texas's partisan election system?

Candidates run for judicial office affiliated with and listed under political party labels.

How does the Missouri Plan combine appointive and elective judicial selection methods?

A merit commission nominates candidates for gubernatorial appointment, followed later by public retention elections.

What distinguishes the primary subject of criminal law from civil law?

Criminal law addresses offenses against society, whereas civil law resolves private legal disputes.

What is the standard burden of proof required for a conviction in criminal cases?

Proof beyond a reasonable doubt.

What standard burden of proof must a plaintiff satisfy to prevail in a civil lawsuit?

Proof beyond a reasonable doubt.

What is the constitutional role of a grand jury in criminal proceedings?

To determine whether sufficient evidence exists to formally indict an accused individual.

A formal written criminal accusation issued by a grand jury charging an individual with a crime is called an _____.

indictment

What sentencing threshold distinguishes a felony crime from a misdemeanor?

A felony carries a potential prison term exceeding one year, while misdemeanors involve shorter sentences.

How does arbitration differ from mediation in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)?

An arbitrator renders a decision for the parties, whereas a mediator helps parties reach their own agreement.