Texas Governor
Multiple Choice Identify the choice that best answers the question.
1. The governor of Texas has
a. strong formal powers granted by the Texas
constitution.
b. few formal powers, so the office is one of the
weakest chief executives in the United States.
c. the power to appoint all of the other officials in
the executive branch.
d. the power to appoint all state judges.
e. an average amount of power compared to
governors of other states.
2. Which of the following is not a qualification a
person would need to be a viable candidate for
governor of Texas?
a. thirty years of age
b. born in Texas
c. prior political experience
d. U.S. citizenship
e. access to money
3. What is the ultimate check on the governor?
a. impeachment
b. the Sunset review process
c. the budgetary review process
d. campaign donations
e. elections
4. In Texas, if a sitting governor is unable to hold
office due to impeachment and conviction,
resignation, or death, who becomes governor?
a. the secretary of state
b. the lieutenant governor
c. the Speaker of the state House of
Representatives
d. the comptroller of public accounts
e. a temporary replacement appointed by the
lieutenant governor
5. The Texas governor has all of the following
legislative powers EXCEPT the power to
a. address the legislature in State of the State
speeches.
b. sign and veto bills.
c. call special sessions.
d. break tie votes in the senate.
e. lobby the legislature on important bills.
6. When the Texas governor strikes out particular
spending provisions in an appropriations bill, it is
called
a. a line-item veto.
b. a post-adjournment veto.
c. a pocket veto.
d. an unconstitutional action.
e. budget reconciliation.
7. For a Texas governor, what is the benefit of a postadjournment veto?
a. It requires a two-thirds majority from both
houses to override it.
b. The legislature is prevented from overriding it.
c. It allows the governor to veto specific
provisions of a bill.
d. It is the only way to veto legislation without
giving reasons.
e. It requires a unanimous vote from both houses
to override it.
8. In Texas, what is the primary effect of a plural
executive?
a. It dilutes the power of the governor and
fragments the executive branch.
b. It grants the governor additional powers, since
it makes for a powerful executive branch.
c. It makes the executive branch less accountable
to the voters.
d. It leads to excessive corruption within the
executive branch.
e. It puts too much power in the hands of a small
group of officials.
9. What makes the greatest difference between strong
and weak governors of Texas?
a. the willingness to use formal powers
b. the frequency of vetoes
c. the differences in personality
d. the partisan makeup of the legislature
e. the percentage of the total vote they receive in
their election bid
10. In Texas, which officer in the plural executive is
not elected by voters?
a. the secretary of state
b. the attorney general
c. the comptroller
d. the lieutenant governor
e. the commissioner of agriculture
11. Which of the following about the lieutenant
governor in Texas is incorrect?
a. The lieutenant governor is chair of the
Legislative Budget Board.
b. The lieutenant governor presides over the
senate.
c. The lieutenant governor is elected in a
statewide election.
d. The lieutenant governor’s powers are primarily
executive, not legislative.
e. The lieutenant governor is first in line for
succession of the governor.
12. The chief lawyer for Texas is the
a. chief justice of the state supreme court.
b. attorney general.
c. secretary of state.
d. state comptroller.
e. lieutenant governor.
13. The ______ is the oldest state agency in Texas.
a. General Land Office
b. Texas Ranger Division
c. Railroad Commission
d. Department of Public Safety
e. Agriculture Commission
14. In Texas, what is the most important power of the
state comptroller?
a. estimating tax revenues for the legislature
b. overseeing the state police and the Texas
Rangers
c. enforcing all state land-use and takings laws
d. regulating the oil industry in the state
e. certifying election results in the state
15. What is the purpose of the Sunset Advisory
Commission in Texas?
a. It reviews state agencies every twelve years to
see if they are still needed.
b. It administers state programs for the elderly.
c. It oversees the retirement of state bureaucratic
workers.
d. It runs the Texas Chamber of Commerce.
e. It operates all state retirement homes.
Texas Governor
Answer Section
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. ANS:
TOP:
2. ANS:
TOP:
3. ANS:
TOP:
4. ANS:
TOP:
5. ANS:
TOP:
6. ANS:
TOP:
7. ANS:
TOP:
8. ANS:
TOP:
9. ANS:
TOP:
10. ANS:
TOP:
11. ANS:
TOP:
12. ANS:
TOP:
13. ANS:
TOP:
14. ANS:
TOP:
15. ANS:
TOP:
B
PTS: 1
The Governor
B
PTS: 1
Qualifications
A
PTS: 1
Removal
MSC: Factual
B
PTS: 1
Succession
MSC: Factual
D
PTS: 1
Legislative Powers
A
PTS: 1
Legislative Powers
B
PTS: 1
Legislative Powers
A
PTS: 1
The Governor
C
PTS: 1
The Office and Its Occupants
A
PTS: 1
The Plural Executive MSC:
D
PTS: 1
The Plural Executive MSC:
B
PTS: 1
The Plural Executive MSC:
A
PTS: 1
The Plural Executive MSC:
A
PTS: 1
The Plural Executive MSC:
A
PTS: 1
Making Agencies Accountable
DIF:
MSC:
DIF:
MSC:
DIF:
Easy
Factual
Difficult
Factual
Moderate
REF: p. 215 | pp. 219–20 | p. 226
DIF:
Easy
REF: p. 219
DIF: Moderate
MSC: Factual
DIF: Moderate
MSC: Factual
DIF: Easy
MSC: Applied
DIF: Moderate
MSC: Applied
DIF: Moderate
MSC: Applied
DIF: Easy
Factual
DIF: Moderate
Factual
DIF: Easy
Factual
DIF: Easy
Factual
DIF: Moderate
Applied
DIF: Easy
MSC: Applied
REF: p. 217
REF: pp. 218–19
REF: pp. 224–25
REF: p. 225
REF: p. 225
REF: p. 226
REF: p. 226
REF: p. 228
REF: p. 229
REF: pp. 230–31
REF: p. 231
REF: p. 232
REF: p. 240