1. Chapter 25
The Texas Legislature

2. Question 1
The Texas Senate has a special _______________ rule, which means that no legislation may be considered for debate unless that fraction of the members votes for consideration.
three-fourths
two-thirds
three-fifths
fifty-fifty
None of the above

3. Answer 1
The Texas Senate has a special _______________ rule, which means that no legislation may be considered for debate unless that fraction of the members votes for consideration.
three-fourths
two-thirds (CORRECT)
three-fifths
fifty-fifty
None of the above

4. Question 2
Members of the Texas House of Representatives and Senate are chosen for terms of __________ and __________, respectively.
two; four
two; six
four; six
two; two
four; four

5. Answer 2
Members of the Texas House of Representatives and Senate are chosen for terms of __________ and __________, respectively.
two; four (CORRECT)
two; six
four; six
two; two
four; four

6. Question 3
Compared to other states with large population, the salaries of Texas legislators are more than _______________ below the average.
$63,000
$28,000
$36,000
$40,000
$48,000

7. Answer 3
Compared to other states with large population, the salaries of Texas legislators are more than _______________ below the average.
$63,000
$28,000
$36,000
$40,000
$48,000 (CORRECT)

8. Question 4
All of the following items were included by the authors of the 1876 Texas Constitution except:
a legislature with strong lawmaking authority.
a legislature with weak budgetary authority.
a weak executive branch in which power was divided among several executives.
limited legislative salaries.
limited length of legislative sessions.

9. Answer 4
All of the following items were included by the authors of the 1876 Texas Constitution except:
a legislature with strong lawmaking authority.
a legislature with weak budgetary authority. (CORRECT)
a weak executive branch in which power was divided among several executives.
limited legislative salaries.
limited length of legislative sessions.

10. Question 5
Under Texas’s 2006 budget, which was drafted and adopted by the legislature, annual spending approached _______________ annually.
$70 billion
$30 billion
$100 billion
$9 billion
$6 billion

11. Answer 5
Under Texas’s 2006 budget, which was drafted and adopted by the legislature, annual spending approached _______________ annually.
$70 billion (CORRECT)
$30 billion
$100 billion
$9 billion
$6 billion

12. Question 6
After the first sixty days of the legislative session, unless a bill is a relatively unimportant local bill or one designated an emergency by the governor, the consent of at least _______________ of the members of the House or the Senate is required.
two-thirds
three-fifths
four-fifths
one-half
three-fourths

13. Answer 6
After the first sixty days of the legislative session, unless a bill is a relatively unimportant local bill or one designated an emergency by the governor, the consent of at least _______________ of the members of the House or the Senate is required.
two-thirds
three-fifths
four-fifths (CORRECT)
one-half
three-fourths

14. Question 7
The process of legislative oversight by the Texas legislature includes both _______________ oversight and _______________ oversight.
administrative; policy
administrative; accounting
Sunset; administrative
accounting; policy
Sunset; policy

15. Answer 7
The process of legislative oversight by the Texas legislature includes both _______________ oversight and _______________ oversight.
administrative; policy
administrative; accounting
Sunset; administrative
accounting; policy (CORRECT)
Sunset; policy

16. Question 8
The process of impeachment in Texas requires a _______________ vote by the House of Representatives and a _______________ vote by the Senate.
two-thirds; two-thirds
majority; majority
majority; two-thirds
majority; four-fifths
two-thirds; four-fifths

17. Answer 8
The process of impeachment in Texas requires a _______________ vote by the House of Representatives and a _______________ vote by the Senate.
two-thirds; two-thirds
majority; majority
majority; two-thirds (CORRECT)
majority; four-fifths
two-thirds; four-fifths

18. Question 9
In what lawsuit did the United States Supreme Court largely uphold the redistricting plan drafted by the Texas legislature during the 2003 special sessions?
Gibbons v. Ogden
Gratz v. Bollinger
Edgewood v. Kirby
Hopwood v. Texas
LULAC v. Perry

19. Answer 9
In what lawsuit did the United States Supreme Court largely uphold the redistricting plan drafted by the Texas legislature during the 2003 special sessions?
Gibbons v. Ogden
Gratz v. Bollinger
Edgewood v. Kirby
Hopwood v. Texas
LULAC v. Perry (CORRECT)

20. Question 10
As national politics began to become more important in Texas, the Republican party began to make appeals to Texans in the years following the social turmoil of the _______________.
1950s
1960s
1970s
1940s
1980s

21. Answer 10
As national politics began to become more important in Texas, the Republican party began to make appeals to Texans in the years following the social turmoil of the _______________.
1950s
1960s (CORRECT)
1970s
1940s
1980s