Texas Government Exam
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24 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 Top 5 Revenue Sources | Federal Income ($41.4 bill), Sales tax ($19.6 bill), Bond and Note Proceeds ($16.4 bill), Other ($7.8 bill) and Investments ($7.4 bill) |
| Top 5 Spending Categories | Public Assistance Payments ($34 bill), Intergovernmental Payments ($28.2 bill), Interfund Transfers/Others ($14.9 bill), Salaries and Wages ($10.6 bill) and Employee Benefits ($7.5 bill) |
| Plural Executive Branch | All executive officers (except Secretary of State) are elected independently making them directly answerable to the public as opposed to the governor |
| Executive Branch | Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Comptroller of Public Accounts, Land Commissioner, Attorney General, Agriculture Commissioner, Texas Railroad Commission, State Board of Education, Secretary of State |
| Governor | Commander-in-chief of state militia, can convene legislature, no term limit |
| Lieutenant Governor | President of the Senate, controls the budgeting process as a leader of the Legislative Budget Board |
| Comptroller of Public Accounts | responsible for collecting substantially all tax revenue owed to the Sate, collects and remits the local portion of tax revenue to cities, counties, and special districts, operates various pre-paid college tuition funds operated by state |
| Land Commissioner | administers use of all state-owned lands, authorizes exploration and exploitation of public lands, must reconcile the economic use of natural resources with environmental protection and conservation |
| Attorney General | handles legal related activities every time a lawsuit is filed against or by the state, provide support and advice to local officials, promote public awareness on crime and safety issues |
| Agricultural Commissioner | enforces food inspection, animal quarantine, licensing, disease and pest control, and promoting exports. |
| Texas Railroad Commission | three members serving staggered terms, regulates state and interstate railroads, oil and gas industry, trucking, and mining |
| State Board of Education | 15 board members from districts across state, oversee instruction, school initiatives, and school finances |
| Secretary of State | administers elections, maintains some financial records |
| House of Representatives | 150 members from single-member districts, 68% republican, lower house, leader is Speaker of the House |
| Senate | 31 members from single-member districts, 61% Republican, upper house, leader is Lieutenant Governor |
| Judicial Branch | 5 levels of Courts: Supreme Court (1), Court of Criminal Appeals (1), Court of Appeals (2; major cities), District Courts (3, trials for general jurisdiction), County Courts (3), Commissioners Courts (4), Courts of Justice of the Peace (lowest court) |
| Texas Supreme Court | hears only civil cases, no criminal cases EXCEPT when the defendant is a juvenile |
| Court of Criminal Appeals | hears only criminal cases, does NOT hear criminal cases where defendant is a juvenile |
| Political culture | classical liberalism, social conservatism, and populism |
| Classical Liberalism | primary political value placed on political arrangements that allow for the fullest exercise of political liberty as long as the rights of others are not unreasonably restricted |
| Social Conservatism | traditional hierarchical social relations, opposes social change |
| Elections | held every two years (even-numbered), first Tuesday after first Monday in November |
| Special Elections | fill mid-term vacancies in state legislature, vote on proposed elections to state Constitution, select city council members |
| Voting Requirements | citizen of U.S., at least 18, registered to vote, resident of Texas for at least 30 days, no convicted felons, must be mentally competent |
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