Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

Government - Harold Comello > Midterm (Test 2) > Flashcards

Midterm (Test 2) Flashcards

(88 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

Bicameral

A

Legislative body that consists of two houses.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

The Texas senate has how many members and what is their term year?

A

31 members; 4-year term

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

How many members does the Texas House of Representatives have and how long is the year term?

A

A total of 150 members; 2-year term.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Biennial session

A

Legislature meets every two years. (For 140 days)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Extraordinary session

A

A specially called meeting of the legislature outside the regular session to discuss specified matters

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Special sessions

A

In Texas sessions called by the governor to consider legislation proposed by the governor only.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What are the Texas Legislature salaries?

A

A total of $7200

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What are the qualifications for a Texas house member?

A

Must be 21 years of age, must have lived in the state for at least two years and for a minimum of 12 months in the district he or she will represent

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What are the qualifications to become a Texas state senator?

A

A person must be a US citizen, must be at least 26 years old before the date of the general election and must have been a Texas resident for at least five years and a district resident for at least 12 months.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Single member district

A

Districts represented by one elected member to the legislature.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Multimember district

A

Districts represented by more than one member elected to the legislature.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

How many state senators are in Texas?

A

31

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

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

A

150

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Reapportionment

A

Refers to the process of allocating representatives to districts.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Redistricting

A

A drawing of district boundaries.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Gerrymandering

A

Drawing district boundary lines for political advantage.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Legislative redistricting board (LRB)

A

State board composed of elected officials that can draw a new legislative districts for the house and senate if the legislature fails to act.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Political gerrymandering

A

Drawing legislative districts to the advantage of a political party.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

racial gerrymandering

A

Legislative districts that are drawn to the advantage of a minority group.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Hunt V. Cromartie

A

Court case that ruled while race can be a factor it could not be the primary factor in determining the makeup of legislative districts.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Term limits

A

Limitations on the number of times a person can be elected to the same office in state legislatures.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Turnover

A

The number of new members of the legislature each session.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Speaker of the house

A

Member of the Texas house, elected by the house members, who serve as presiding officer and generally controls the passage of legislation.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Lieutenant governor

A

Presiding officer of the Texas Senate.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Extra legislative powers
Legislative leaders serve on boards outside of the legislature.
26
Standing committee
Committees of the House and Senate that consider legislation during sessions.
27
Conference committee
Joint committees of the house and senate that work out differences in bills passed in each chamber
28
Interim committees
Temporary committee of the legislature that study issues between regular sessions and make recommendations on legislation.
29
Rider
Provision attached to a bill that may not be of the same subject matter as the main bill.
30
Closed rider
Provisions attached to appropriations bills that are not made public until the conference committee meets.
31
Calendars
Procedures in the house used to consider different kinds of bills.
32
Committee on local and consent calendars
Committee handling minor and non-controversial bills that normally apply to only a discrete area.
33
Committee on calendars
Standing committee of the house that decides which bills will be considered for floor debate by the full house and to which committee they will be assigned.
34
Informal rules
Set of norms or values that govern legislative bodies
35
Delegate
Representational role of member stating that he or she represents the wishes of the voters.
36
Trustee
Representational role of a member that states that the member will make decisions on his or her own judgment about what is best for voters.
37
Citizen legislatures
Legislatures characterized by Low pay, short sessions, and fewer staff resources.
38
What is the Texas governor salary as of 2015?
$150,000
39
If there is a governor succession and what steps do the next people come in?
In Texas, the lieutenant governor becomes governor if the office is vacated. 1) The order of succession 2) President pro tempore of the Texas Senate 3) The speaker of the house 4) The attorney general.
40
Impeachment
The process by which some elected officials, including governors, may be impeached (accused of an impeachable offense) by the lower house adopting articles of impeachment.
41
Conviction
Following adoption of articles of impeachment by the lower legislative house, the Senate tries the official under those articles; if convicted, the official is removed from office.
42
Recall
The removal of the governor or an elected official by a petition signed by the required number of registered voters and by an election in which a majority votes to remove the person from office.
43
Plural executive system
System in which executive power is divided among several statewide elected officials.
44
Attorney general
Chief counsel to the governor and state agencies.
45
Comptroller of public accounts
Chief tax collector and investor of state funds.
46
Land commissioner
Elected official responsible for administration and oversight of state owned lands and coastal lands.
47
Tenure of office
The ability of governors to be re-elected to office.
48
Senatorial courtesy
The courtesy of the governor clearing his or her appointments with state senator from the appointees home district.
49
Secretary of State
Chief election official and keeper of state records; appointed by the governor.
50
Military powers
Powers giving the governor the right to use the national guard in times of natural disaster or civil unrest.
51
Boards and commissions
Governing body for many state agencies
52
Budgetary powers
The ability of a governor to formulate a budget, present it to the legislature, and execute or control the budget
53
Line-item veto
The ability of a governor to veto part of an appropriations bill without vetoing the whole bill.
54
Legislative budget board
State agency that is controlled by the leadership in the state legislature and that writes the state budget
55
Legislative power
The formal power especially the veto authority of the governor to force the legislature to enact his or her legislation.
56
Judicial powers
The ability of a governor to issue pardons, executive clemency, and parole of citizens convicted of a crime.
57
Chief legislature
The expectation that a governor has an active agenda of legislation to recommend to the legislature and works to pass that agenda
58
Party chief
The expectation that the governor will be the head of his or her party
59
Ceremonial duties
The expectation that a governor attends many functions and represents the state
60
Crisis manager
The expectation that the governor will provide strong leadership in times of a natural or man-made disaster.
61
Intergovernmental coordinator
The expectation that a governor coordinates activities with other state governments.
62
Stare decisis
Court decisions depending on previous rulings of other courts - “to stand by that which was decided before”
63
Trial courts
Local courts that hear cases; juries determine the outcome of the cases in the court
64
Appellate courts
Higher level courts to decide on points of law and not questions of guilt or innocence.
65
Trial de novo courts
Courts that do not keep a written record of their proceedings.
66
Magistrate functions
Preliminary hearings for persons charged with a serious criminal offense
67
Partisan election
Method used to select all judges in Texas by using a ballot in which party identification is shown
68
Merit system or Missouri system
A system of electing judges that involves appointment by the governor and a periodic retention election.
69
Appointive election system
In Texas a system of many judges gaining the initial Seat on the court by being appointed and later standingfor election
70
Grand juries
Juries of citizens that determine if a person will be charged with a crime
71
Information or administrative hearing
A hearing before a judge who decides if a person must stand trial
72
Petit juries
Judges of citizens that determine the guilt or innocence of a person during a trial
73
Criminal law
Statutory law that defines both the violation and the penalty the state will seek to have imposed upon the defendant
74
Texas penal code
The statutory law that defines criminal offenses and punishments in Texas
75
Graded penalties
Punishments that differ based upon the seriousness of the crime
76
Texas code of criminal procedure
The rules created by the Texas Supreme Court to govern the proceedings of trials in Texas
77
Felony
A serious criminal offense punishable by death or incarceration
78
Misdemeanors
Less serious criminal offenses, punishable by fine, incarceration or both.
79
Enhanced punishment
The application of the next most serious penalty for repeat offenders
80
Recidivism
The Rito at which criminal offenders commit crime after they leave the states custody
81
Civil law
Defines private relationships as well as financial matters or damages to property committed by businesses or other individuals to a person
82
Burden of proof
The obligation associated with providing evidence sufficient to support the assertion or claim made by the individual bringing suit in a court of law
83
Exculpatory evidence
Material evidence that could assist the accused in proving that he or she was innocent of the offense charge
84
Exoneration
The official absolution of a false criminal convention and released from incarceration
85
Reprieve
The temporary 30 day stay of execution the governor may grant
86
Pardon
Grants forgiveness by the state for a conviction and requires that the convicted receive no punishment; does not erase the criminal record.
87
Commute
The reduction of punishment for an individual convicted of a crime.
88
Intake
The procedures involved with the arrest and detention of an individual before a bail hearing.

Government - Harold Comello (2 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions