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Texas Government > Unit 1 > Flashcards

Unit 1 Flashcards

1
Q

Extradition

A

the constitutional requirement that a state deliver someone suspected or convicted of a crime in another state back to the state where the crime allegedly occurred so the accused can face trial or sentencing

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2
Q

Referendum

A

allows voters to cast a popular vote on statues passed by the legislature

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3
Q

Conference Committee

A

an official legislative work group that meets on a limited basis to reconcile the different versions of a bill that has passed in the Texas House and Senate

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4
Q

Floor Leader

A

is the process of drawing district lines to benefit one group or another, and it can result in some extremely strange shapes by the time the state politicians are through

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5
Q

President Pro Tempore

A

officer of the Senate selected by the majority party to act as chair in the absence of the vice president

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6
Q

Resolution

A

expresses the opinion of the legislature on an issue or changes the organizational structure of the legislature

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7
Q

Majority Election

A

a type of election in which a candidate must receive 50 percent of the vote plus one additional vote to be declared the winner; simply winning the most votes is not sufficient

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8
Q

Empresario

A

the Spanish word for a land agent whose job it was to bring new settlers into an area

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9
Q

Descriptive Representation

A

the idea that an elected body should mirror demographically the population it represents.This is a theory, not a reality in the United States

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10
Q

Individualistic political culture

A

government should leave individuals alone

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11
Q

Moralistic Political Culture

A

government should advance public good

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12
Q

Political Culture

A

commonly shared attitudes, beliefs, and core values about how government should operate

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13
Q

Presidential Republicanism

A

The practice in the South of voting for Republicans in presidential elections but voting for conservative Democrats in other races; this practice continued until animosity over Reconstruction faded and the Republicans demonstrated their electability in the South.

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14
Q

Traditionalistic Political Culture

A

government should preserve the existing social order

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15
Q

Treaty of Guadalupe

A

treaty that ended the Mexican War, granting the U.S. control of Texas, New Mexico, and California in exchange for $15 million

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16
Q

Apprenticeship Laws

A

laws that allowed minors to enter into a binding contract for an unpaid apprenticeship

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17
Q

Block Grant

A

money given to states and local governments for broad purposes; comes with fewer restrictions on how the money is to be spent

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18
Q

Checks and Balances

A

A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power

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19
Q

Civil Liberties

A

constitutional freedoms guaranteed to all citizens

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20
Q

Civil Rights

A

the rights of citizens to political and social freedom and equality.

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21
Q

Concurrent Powers

A

powers shared by state and national governments

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22
Q

Confederal System

A

a type of government in which the lower units of government retain decision-making authority

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23
Q

Federalism

A

a type of government based on the sharing of powers between the levels of government

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24
Q

Devolution

A

the transfer of powers and responsibilities from the federal government to the states

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25
Q

Fiscal Federalism

A

federal government uses financial incentives to encourage state and local governments to enact policies

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26
Q

Full Faith and Credit Clause

A

the constitutional requirement that court judgments or legal contracts entered into in one state will be honored by all other states

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27
Q

Home Rule City

A

a city permitted by the state to let local voters frame, adopt, and amend their own charter.

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28
Q

Granting of Privileges and Immunities

A

the constitutional requirement that states may not fundamentally treat citizens of other state differently than their own citizen

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29
Q

Implied Powers

A

powers implicitly granted to the federal government that are necessary and proper to execute enumerated powers of national government

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30
Q

Popular Sovereignty

A

a government in which the power to cover is derived from the will of the people

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31
Q

Privileges and Immunities

A

a clause in Article IV, Section 2, of the Constitution according to citizens of each state most of the privileges of citizens of other states.

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32
Q

Supremacy Clause

A

federal law is supreme over state law

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33
Q

Unfunded Mandate

A

legislation passed by the national government imposing requirements on state and local governments that then bear the costs of meeting those requirements

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34
Q

Initiative

A

occurs when enough signatures on a petition are gathered to place statutes or constitutional amendments on a ballot

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35
Q

Amendment

A

a change in, or addition to, a constitution or law

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36
Q

Bicameral

A

two house legislature

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37
Q

Blocking Bill

A

the first bill placed on the senate calendar in each session, which usually a bill that will never be considered by the full senate

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38
Q

Calendars

A

a schedule that lists the order in which bills will be considered in Congress

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39
Q

Chubbing

A

slowing the legislative process by debating earlier bills for the maximum allotted time, asking the bill’s sponsor trivial questions, and proposing so many amendments and raising so many points of order that the house does not get around to the bill to which they ultimately object.

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40
Q

Citizen Legislature

A

a legislature that attempts to keep the role of a state legislator to a part-time function so that many or most citizens can perform it

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41
Q

Concurrent Resolution

A

a legislative act that expresses and opinion of the legislature; must pass in both chambers

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42
Q

Delegate

A

an elected official who acts as an agent of the majority that elected her or him to office and carries out, to the extent possible, the wishes of the majority

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43
Q

Filibuster

A

A procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator refuses to relinquish the floor and thereby delays proceedings and prevents a vote on a controversial issue.

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44
Q

Floor Debate

A

takes place on the floor of the chamber and all of the members can discuss the merits of the bill before the vote.

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45
Q

Ideological Caucus

A

a special legislative caucus in the state legislature that promotes an ideological agenda.

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46
Q

Killer Amendment

A

amendment to a bill proposed by its opponents for the specific purpose of decreasing the bill’s chance of passage

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47
Q

Joint Resolution

A

a legislative act when approved by both chambers results in an amendment to the Texas Constitution, which then must be approved by voters at the next election

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48
Q

Legislative Budget Board

A

the group that develops a proposed state budget for legislative consideration

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49
Q

Legislative Redistricting Board

A

created by a 1948 amendment to the Texas Constitution, this group steps in if the state legislature is unable to pass a redistricting plan or when a state or federal court invalidates a plan submitted by the legislature; the LRB is active only with respect to redistricting of the state legislature

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50
Q

Lieutenant Governor

A

Dan Patrick (R)

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51
Q

Line-item Veto

A

an executive’s ability to block a particular provision in a bill passed by the legislature

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52
Q

Markup

A

a session in which committee members offer changes to a bill before it goes to the floor

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53
Q

Minority and Women’s caucuses

A

special legislative caucuses in the state legislature that represent the unique concerns and beliefs of women and ethnic groups across a broad range of policy issues

54
Q

Multimember district

A

an election system in which the state is divided into many election districts, but each district elects more than one person to the state legislature

55
Q

Nonpartisan/bipartisan independent commission

A

a system of drawing electoral district lines that attempts to remove politics from the process of redistricting.

56
Q

One person, One vote

A

Districts are drawn following each census.

Districts for the same institution must be of equal population

57
Q

Party Caucus Chair

A

a party leader whose main job is to organize party members to vote for the legislation on the floor

58
Q

Party Legislative Caucus

A

the organization of the members of a specific legislative chamber who belong to the same political party; normally shortened to party caucus.

59
Q

Politico

A

an elected official who is expected to follow the wishes of the electorate on some issues but on others is permitted more decision-making leeway (a hybrid of the trustee and delegate)

60
Q

Professional Legislature

A

a legislature that meets annually, often for nine months of the year or more

61
Q

Redistricting

A

process of redrawing district lines in states with more than one representative (carried out by state legislators or commission)

62
Q

Roll Call Vote

A

a form of voting for which a permanent record of each member’s vote is created; used for important votes

63
Q

Select/Special Committee

A

a temporary legislative work group created by the lieutenant governor or speaker of the house for a special purpose

64
Q

Simple Resolution

A

established rules, regulations, or practices that do not have to force of law

65
Q

Single-member District

A

the idea that an elected body should mirror demographically the population it represents. (This is a theory, not a reality in the United States)

66
Q

Interim Committee

A

a legislative work group that is created during periods when the legislature is not in session to provide oversight of the executive branch and monitor public policy

67
Q

Special Session

A

meetings of a legislature that occur at times other than those required by a constitution or law; in Texas, special sessions are called by the governor and last for thirty days

68
Q

Substantive Standing Committee

A

a type of standing committee that is authorized to review and revise proposed policy bills and resolutions before action by the legislature

69
Q

Supermajority

A

any majority that is larger than a simple majority, such as three-fifths, two-thirds, or three-fourths

70
Q

Term Limit

A

legal limitation of the number of terms an elected official may serve in office

71
Q

Agenda Setting

A

the process of forming the list of issues to be addressed by the government

72
Q

Appointment Power

A

~Senate approval
~Senatorial Courtesy
~Removal Power
~Recess Appointments

73
Q

Budget Power

A

~Introduces a rival budget to the legislative budget board

~Line-item veto

74
Q

Crisis Manager

A

coordinates responses to unforeseen events

75
Q

Emergency Legislation

A

emergency bills; also used for taxation and appropriation bills

76
Q

Informal Power

A

authority given to the governer that is not specifically mentioned in the Constitution.

77
Q

Pardon

A

a declaration of forgiveness and freedom from punishment

78
Q

Patronage

A

granting favors, giving contracts, or making appointments to office in return for political support

79
Q

Plural Executive

A

an executive branch in which power is fragmented because the election of statewide officeholders is independent of the election of the governor

80
Q

Political Ambition Ladder

A

the manner in which a political figure has come up through the ranks, working through various levels of state government offices and positions on the way to the top position; climbing several levels on the ladder can increase a politician’s contacts, allies, and political savvy

81
Q

Post Adjournment Veto

A

a veto of a bill that occurs after the legislature adjourns, thus preventing the legislature from overriding it

82
Q

Removal Power

A

authority to remove an official from office. In Texas, the governor’s removal power is limited to staff members, some agency heads, and his or her appointees with the consent of the Senate.

83
Q

Senatorial Courtesy

A

governor’s custom of submitting the names of prospective appointees for approval to senators from the states in which the appointees are to work.

84
Q

Staggered Terms

A

not all offices are up for election at the same time

85
Q

Veto Power

A

governer power to stop a bill from becoming law by rejecting it

86
Q

Plurality Election

A

a type of election in which the candidate with the most votes wins the election

87
Q

Voice Votes

A

the presiding officer asks verbally for those members in favor of the bill to call out “aye,” then asks for those opposed to call out “nay”

88
Q

Black Codes

A

laws denying most legal rights to newly freed slaves; were passed by southern states following the Civil War

89
Q

Peonage

A

the use of laborers bound in servitude because of debt

90
Q

Reserved Powers

A

powers not granted to federal government but are reserved for the states

91
Q

Separation of Powers

A

constitutional division of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, with the legislative branch making law, the executive applying and enforcing the law, and the judiciary interpreting the law

92
Q

Emergency Clause

A

a provision that allows a bill or a portion of a bill to take effect immediately after the governor signs it or after the Legislature overrides the governor’s veto.

93
Q

Gerrymandering

A

process of redrawing legislative boundaries for the purpose of benefiting the party in power.

94
Q

Party Caucus

A

the organization of the members of a specific legislative chamber who belong to the same political party

95
Q

Regular Session

A

the 140-day period, occurring only in odd-numbered years, during which the Texas legislature meets to consider and pass bills

96
Q

Turnover

A

the rate at which employees leave a workforce and are replaced

97
Q

Popular Mandate

A

the claim that a newly elected official’s legislative agenda is the will of the people based on a high margin of victory in a general election.

98
Q

Categorical Grant

A

money given to states and local governments that must be spent for specific activities

99
Q

Constitution

A

a written document that outlines the power of government and the limitations of those powers

100
Q

Cooperative Federalism

A

state and federal governments cooperate across various policy areas rather than maintaining distinct policy areas

101
Q

Dillon’s Rule

A

states that local governments do not have any inherent sovereignty and instead must be authorized by state governments that can create or abolish them.

102
Q

Dual Federalism

A

state and federal powers are separate and distinct

103
Q

Horizontal Federalism

A

constitutional regulation of the relationship among states

104
Q

Long Ballot

A

a system in which almost all of the positions in a state are elected rather than appointed

105
Q

Enumerated Powers

A

powers expressly granted to the federal government

106
Q

Unitary System

A

a type of government in which power is vested in a central government authority

107
Q

Vertical Federalism

A

views national governments as supreme within their constitutional sphere, esp. in matters of defense, foreign policy, and commerce

108
Q

Bill

A

a proposed law

109
Q

Committee

A

a group of people appointed for a specific function, typically consisting of members of a larger group.

110
Q

Fiscal Note

A

a statement prepared by the Legislative Fiscal Office
estimating the effect a bill would have on state and/or local expenditures and revenue.

111
Q

Introduce

A

present something like a bill

112
Q

Issue Caucus

A

a special legislative caucus in the state legislature that promotes bipartisan and cross-chamber support for policies and bills advocating positions inside a relatively narrow range of policy areas or political issues

113
Q

Simple Resolution

A

a legislative act that addresses organizational issues; may be limited to a single house

114
Q

Legislative Immunity

A

the protection from arrest that legislators receive to ensure that state and local officials cannot interfere with a legislator’s efforts to represent their constituents

115
Q

Majority-Minority Districts

A

in the context of determining representative districts, the process by which a majority of the population is from the minority.

116
Q

Oversight

A

the effort by Congress, through hearings, investigations, and other techniques, to exercise control over the activities of executive agencies

117
Q

Procedural Standing Committee

A

a type of standing committee that controls how the legislature functions

118
Q

Quorum

A

the minimum number of members who must be present to permit a legislative body to take official action

119
Q

Representation

A

the relationship between an elected official and the electorate

120
Q

Rider

A

a provision attached to a bill - to which it may or may not be related - in order to secure its passage or defeat.

121
Q

Speaker of the House (TX)

A

Dade Phelan (R)

122
Q

Special Legislative Caucus

A

an organization of members of the state legislature who share a common interest or have constituencies with a common interest

123
Q

Standing Committees

A

a permanent, chamber-specific formal workgroup that typically exists across sessions and across elections

124
Q

Trustee

A

an elected official who is entrusted to act in the best interests of the electorate based on his or her knowledge; he or she is understood to be generally better informed than the broader electorate

125
Q

Ceremonial Duties

A

duties that come with the high visibility of the office

126
Q

Executive Order

A

a rule or order issued by the governor to the executive branch of the government and having the force of law.

127
Q

Impeachment

A

formal procedure to remove an elected official from office for misdeeds

128
Q

Recess Appointment

A

a governor appointment made when Congress is not in session that usually lacks enough votes in the Senate for confirmation. The position must be confirmed by the Senate by the end of the next session of Congress, or the position becomes vacant.

129
Q

State of the State Address

A

the constitutional requirement that the governor address the state legislature about the condition of the state; the state of the state address occurs at the beginning of each legislative session and at the end of the governor’s term.

130
Q

Succession of Governor

A

In the case of succession, the Texas constitution provides for the lieutenant governor, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House to take hold of that position, in that order.

Texas Government (3 decks)

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