Review #2 - Tex Gov - FS.pdf

Party Platform - statement of principles and political philosophy that a political party promises to enact if elected to office Political Socialization - the introduction of individuals into the political culture; learning the underlying beliefs and values on which the political system is based Co...

Party Platform - statement of principles and political philosophy that a political party promises to enact if elected to office Political Socialization - the introduction of individuals into the political culture; learning the underlying beliefs and values on which the political system is based County Executive Committee - the party group, made up of a party’s county chair and precinct chairs, that us responsible for running a county’s primary elections and planning county conventions State Convention - a party meeting held every two years for the purpose of nominating candidates for the statewide offices, adopting a platform, electing the party’s leadership, and in precedential election years selecting delegates for the national convention Primary Election - A ballot vote in which citizens select a party’s nominee for the general election Closed Primary - A primary election in which only registered members of a particular political party can vote General Election - The election in which voters cast ballots to select public officials Reapportionment - process that takes place every 10 years to determine how many congressional seats each state will receive Redistricting - Process of redrawing election districts and redistributing legislative representatives in the Texas House, Senate, and U.S. House Interest Group - An organization established to influence the governments programs and policies Lobbyist - An individual employed by an interest group who tries to influence governmental decisions on behalf of that group Political Action Committee (PAC) - A private group that raises and distributes funds for use in election campaigns Regular Session - The 140 day period, occurring only in odd-numbered years, during which the Texas legislature meets to consider and pass bills Biennial - Occurring every two years Single Member District - An electorate that elects only one representative for each district Constituent - A person who is represented by an elected official Constituent Service - Non-legislative activities legislators perform to assist people living in their districts, including writing letters of recommendation, giving speeches to civic groups, or working to solves a problems for someone in the community Bill - A proposed law that has been sponsored by a member of the legislature and submitted to the clerk of the House or Senate Local Bill - A bill affecting only units of local government, such as city, county, or special district Special Bill - A bill that gives and individual or a corporation a special exemption from state law General Bill - A bill that applies to all people and/or property in the state Standing Committee - A permanent committee with the power to propose and write legislation that covers a particular subject, such as finance or agriculture Veto - Governors power to turn down legislation passed by the House and Senate; can be overridden by a two-thirds vote of both the House and Senate Speaker - The chief presiding officer of the House of Representatives; the Speaker is the most important party and House leader, and can influence the legislative agenda, the fate of individual pieces of legislation and members’ positions within the house Lieutenant Governor - The second-highest elected official in the state and president of the state Senate Interest groups in Texas are organizations of citizens who band together to influence public policy. Lobbyist are hired to cultivate relationships with legislators and that of their clients’ interests. Lobbyists aim to gain access to policy makers to persuade them to support the positions of the interest group. Define interest groups, and describe the major ways they try to influence Texas government. Pg 179-185; 204 The process of how a bill becomes a law is similar to that at the federal level. A key difference is the governor’s use of the line-item veto which allows the governor to eliminate individual appropriations or line items in the state budget. Additionally, the lieutenant governor and the Speaker of the Texas House have exceptionally strong powers. The committee system plays a major role in shaping the legislative process. Trace the process through which law is made in Texas. Pg 223-233;243 Glenn Hager Who is the Comptroller of Public Accounts? Commissioner Dawn Buckingham Who is the Commissioner of the General Land Office? Sid Miller Who is the Commissioner of Agriculture? Christi Craddick Who is the chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission? Becky Hammon Who is the female pro basketball player that was the first female assistant coach in NBA history for the San Antonio Spurs and now Head Coach for the Las Vegas Aces of the WNBA?