HCC GOVT2306 2021 March Exam 2 Latest

GOVT2306 Texas Government

Exam 2

Question 1What percentage of the Texas House of Representatives is elected during a presidential election year?

  33 percent

  25 percent

  100 percent

  50 percent

Question 2What percentage of the Texas Senate is usually elected during a presidential election year?

  25 percent

  33 percent

  100 percent

  50 percent

Question 3The House Insurance Committee is hearing testimony from the Texas Department of Insurance about the effectiveness of recent procedural changes within the department. Which legislative function is this committee demonstrating?

  budget and taxation

  management

  oversight

  lawmaking

Question 4The main function of the Sunset Advisory Commission is to:

  Recommend a budget to the state legislature

  Oversee state agencies

  Redraw legislative districts

  Set the legislative calendar

Question 5A voter who wants his representative to make decisions based solely on the will of the people desires which type of representative?

  A citizen-legislator

  A trustee

  A delegate

  A professional legislator

Question 6Table 3.2 – Legislative Salaries in the 10 Most Populous States

State

Base Salary, 2014

California

$90,526

Texas

$7,200

Florida

$29,697

New York

$79,500

Illinois

$67,836

Pennsylvania

$84,012

Ohio

$60,584

Georgia

$17,342

North Carolina

$13,951

Michigan

$71,685

Source: National Conference of State Legislatures. See http://www.ncsl.org/research/about-state-legislatures/2014-ncsl-legislator-salary-and-per-diem-table.aspx.

Based on Table 3.2, how does a Texas legislator’s salary compare to other populous states?

Texas legislators are paid much more than other populous states

 Texas legislators are paid more than any other state

 Texas legislators are paid about the same as other populous states

Texas legislators are paid much less than other populous states

Question 7Most campaign contributions for Texas legislature races come from

  the candidates’ political party.

  super PACs.

  federal matching funds.

  contributors who live outside the district.

Question 8To be eligible to run for the Texas Senate you must

  have resided in the state for at least three years.

  have resided in the district for at least two years.

  be at least 26 years of age.

  meet a minimum income qualification.

 

Question 9In an average legislative session in the Texas legislature, about __ percent of all bills introduced will actually be passed into law.

  41

  11

  2

  24

Question 10Which of the following is NOT among the powers of the speaker of the house in the Texas House of Representatives?

  bill referral to committees

  appoints all members of standing committees

  appoints members to calendar committee

  committee chair appointment

Question 11In any given legislative session, most bills

  clear every hurtle, but are vetoed by the governor.

  make only minor changes to existing law.

  die in conference committee.

  pass committee muster but are voted down after floor debate.

Question 12Table 3.6 – Competitive and Noncompetitive Seats in the Texas House and Senate, 2016 Election

Safe Democratic

Safe Republican

Competitive

Unopposed

House

20 (13%)

39 (26%)

9 (6%)

82 (55%)

Senate

4 (25%)

5 (31%)

0 (0%)

7 (44%)

According to Table 3.6, does the Texas House or Senate have a greater proportion of Safe Republican seats?

  They both have an equal proportion of Safe Republican seats

  Cannot be determined

  House

  Senate

Question 13All of the following arguments for annual sessions EXCEPT:

  Annual sessions raise the legislature’s profile and check executive power

  Annual sessions afford legislators more time to study proposed legislation

  Annual sessions allow for more continuous oversight

  Annual sessions allow for more rapid responses

Question 14Which of the following groups benefits the most from gerrymandering?

  Females

  Incumbents

  Hispanics

  Democrats

Question 15How long is the Texas legislative session?

  140 days

  6 months

  one year

  two years

Question 16Why did the state of Texas draw new district lines in 2003?

  Because the 2001 map was ruled unconstitutional

  Because the Democrats won control of the legislature

  Because the Republicans won control of the legislature

  Because of reapportionment that occurred in 2002

Question 17Map 3.1 – Percentage of Women Legislators by State

 

 

 

SOURCE: Adapted from Center for American Women and Politics, Women in State Legislatures 2016. http://www.cawp.rutgers.edu/women-state-legislature-2016.

According to Map 3.1, which of the states below has the lowest proportion of women in its legislature?

Tennessee

  Kansas

  Texas

  North Carolina

Question 18The practice of redrawing electoral boundaries for political advantage is known as

  Gerrymandering.

  Redistricting.

  Reallocation.

  Reapportionment.

Question 19Multimember districts promote majority representation or domination, and single-member districts can promote ________ representation.

  democratic

  geographical

  republican

  equal

Question 20What is the pay of a member of the Texas legislature, taking into account salary and per diem compensation, in a year that the legislature is in session?

  $74,100

  nothing

  $55,800

  $28,200

Question 21Which type of legislative committee is most important?

  special

  conference

  standing

  interim

Question 22Why was the Legislative Redistricting Board’s multimember plan invalidated by a federal court in 1971?

  findings in Lawrence v. Texas

  the “Matthew syndrome”

  dilution of the impact of rural voters

  possible unfairness to minority voters

Question 23In what way are Texas, Montana, Nevada, and North Dakota similar?

  All have unlimited speed limits on certain controlled-access highways.

  The legislature of each state only meets every other year.

  They are all in the central time zone.

  All four voted for Mitt Romney in the 2012 election.

Question 24Map 3.1 – Percentage of Women Legislators by State

SOURCE: Adapted from Center for American Women and Politics, Women in State Legislatures 2016. http://www.cawp.rutgers.edu/women-state-legislature-2016.

According to Map 3.1, in which region of the country can legislatures with the highest proportion of women be found?

  The Midwest

  The South

  The Northwest

  The Northeast

Question 25Table 3.6 – Competitive and Noncompetitive Seats in the Texas House and Senate, 2016 Election

Safe Democratic

Safe Republican

Competitive

Unopposed

House

20 (13%)

39 (26%)

9 (6%)

82 (55%)

Senate

4 (25%)

5 (31%)

0 (0%)

7 (44%)

According to Table 3.6, which chamber is less competitive overall?

Both are equally competitive

Senate

Cannot be determined

House