Texas Gov - Exam 1

In terms of area, how does Texas rank among the 50 states?

Second

Provincialism refers to

a narrow view of the world

Which of Texas's physical regions is characterized by the presence of many of the state's largest ranches?

Interior Lowlands

Which of Texas's physical regions is found in the westernmost part of Texas?

Basin and Range Province

Which of the following statements is true?

Less than 2 percent of the population in Texas live on farms and ranches

Which industry controlled the politics and economy of Texas for most of the twentieth century?

Oil

Which of the following statements is true?

a)Oil production in Texas is less today than it was 10 years ago. b)Oil production no longer plays an important role in the state's economy. c)Oil has been almost totally drained from Texas oil fields. d)The border region has become a major producer of oil in the early twenty-first century. e)Fracking and horizontal drilling have reinvigorated Texas's oil industry. <----

Unlike earlier eras, the Texas economy of the twenty-first century features...

computers, electronics, and other high-tech products.

NAFTA refers to...

an international trade agreement

U.S. military bases in Texas

are important features to many local economies across the state.

Which of the following accounts for most of Texas's population growth today?

natural increases as a result of the difference between births and deaths

Which of the following is not true?

a)Latinos are increasing as a percentage of the population in Dallas. b)More African Americans live in east Texas than in west Texas. ---->c)San Antonio has a larger White population than Latino. d)Houston's largest minority population is Latino. e)The Latino population in Texas has grown rapidly in recent decades.

Urbanization refers to a process in which

people move from rural to urban areas.

The four major metropolitan areas in Texas are

Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Austin

Which idea is contained in both the U.S. and Texas constitutions?

separation of powers

Which of the following is not an important function of a state constitution?

limits application of the U.S. Constitution

Which part of the U.S. Constitution reserves power to the states?

Tenth Amendment

Under the U.S. Constitution, the government of Texas is most limited by...

the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

The Constitution of 1861

a)generally accepted the existing constitutional framework. b)guided Texas's entry into the Confederate States of America. c)supported slavery. d)defended states' rights. --->e)all of the above

A unique feature of the Constitution of 1869 was that...

it was never submitted to the voters.

A new Texas Constitution was written...

When Reconstruction ended

The present Texas Constitution...

severely limits the power of the governor and other state officials.

The Constitution of 1876 was a reaction to the Reconstruction Constitution of 1869 because...

the 1869 Constitution was seen as giving the governor too much power.

When the framers of the Constitution of 1876 wrote of "the people," they meant...

all adult male citizens of Texas.

The separation of powers doctrine refers to...

power being divided in Texas into three distinct branches of government: the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary.

Impeachment refers to...

the power of the House to charge a state official of inappropriate behavior leading to a trial by the Senate to remove him or her from office.

Which of the following statements is true?

a)Today the Texas Constitution authorizes the passage of an income tax in Texas. b)In 2019 a constitutional amendment was passed that eliminated the gasoline tax in Texas. --->c)In 2019 a constitutional amendment was passed that prohibited an income tax in Texas. d)The Texas Constitution makes no mention of taxation in any form. e)All statements are true.

Why is there such low participation in constitutional amendment elections?

These elections are held in "off" years.

There are ___ members of the Texas Senate, and state senators serve a ___-year term.

31/4

Texas House members differ from Texas Senate members because...

House members represent smaller districts and are subject to more frequent elections.

The Texas legislature meets in regular session...

140 days each odd-numbered year.

The agenda for a special session of the Texas legislature is set by the...

governor.

An important issue for the legislature at least every 10 years is...

redistricting.

Legislative districts in Texas...

are designed to benefit partisan interests.

The Texas legislature does not pass this type of bill or resolution:

holiday resolution.

Texas legislators do not...

investigate wrongdoing by federal agencies.

If a bill fails to pass the Texas House and Texas Senate in exactly the same form, the bill...

is sent to a conference committee.

The ___ provides the governor a powerful tool with which to bargain with the legislature.

post-adjournment veto

Which state official, in large part, determines the total amount of money the legislature may appropriate?

comptroller of public accounts

The two most powerful political figures in the Texas legislature are the...

Speaker of the House and the lieutenant governor.

The Speaker of the Texas House is chosen...

by a majority of the members of the House, whether Democrat or Republican.

The lieutenant governor is the presiding officer of...

the Texas Senate.

The chairs of the Texas House committees are...

both Democrats and Republicans.

The ability of the lieutenant governor and the Speaker of the House to control the final outcome of legislation comes from their power to...

appoint members of conference committees.

In recent years, the Texas legislature has...

become more partisan.

Which of the following is not necessary to become governor of Texas?

A governor must be a lawyer.

The election for governor of Texas is held in an off-year in order to...

prevent the presidential vote in Texas from influencing the election of state officials.

The constitutional method of removing the governor is...

impeachment and conviction.

The governor's most effective power in controlling the executive branch of state government is the power...

of appointment.

The governor's veto is absolute when it is a...

post-adjournment veto.

The governor can grant...

pardons.

Which member of the plural executive is appointed?

Secretary of State

The attorney general is...

elected independently of the governor.

The land commissioner...

administers state land.

Members of the plural executive are accountable to the...

voters.

The Texas Department of Insurance...

regulates oil and gas production in Texas.

The State Board of Education...

has a major role in determining the books used in Texas public schools.

Which agency investigates the performance of state agencies and recommends whether an agency should be abolished, continued as is, or continued with changes?

Sunset Advisory Commission

According to the video watched in class, know the notable products Mexico began exporting in larger numbers due to NAFTA...

Avocados and shoes

Know what "ghost voting" is

Ghost voting is casting votes under another candidate's name.

Know why the most recent districts are being challenged in the Supreme Court

racial Gerrymandered districts

Know the outcome of Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt

June 27, 2016 the Court ruled 5-3 that Texas was being unconstitutional and that Texas cannot place restrictions on the delivery of abortion services that create an undue burden for women seeking an abortion.

Know the issues that the Child Support system faces here in Texas

moves in one direction, a bureaucracy, only interested in collecting money

Know the controversies involving the Texas State Board of Education

- desegregation - equity in funding - search for educational excellence - Texas is the main influence of U.S. education, so the decisions of what goes into textbooks affects the state and the country

Know the pros and cons of pardons

-pros: more job opportunities, official forgiveness of past convictions -cons: person can commit another crime later on, which could look bad on the governor that pardoned them