Chapter 4

Question 1

A formal change to a bill made during the committee process or during floor debate in front of the whole chamber.

Answer 1

Amendment

Question 2

A proposed new law or change to existing law brought before a legislative chamber by a legislative member

Answer 2

Bill

Question 3

A bill regularly introduced in the Texas Senate to serve as placeholder at the top of the Senate calendar; sometimes called a stopper.

Answer 3

Blocking Bill

Question 4

The act of delaying action on the current bill before the Texas House of Representatives to prevent action on an upcoming bill.

Answer 4

Chubbing

Question 5

A rider that is not made public until after the legislature has voted on the bill; made public either when the bill goes to conference committee for reconciliation or when the gov. prepares to sign the bill into law

Answer 5

Closed Rider

Question 6

Unity within a group; in politics, when members of a political party or special caucus vote together on a bill or resolution.

Answer 6

Cohesion

Question 7

A formally organized group of legislators that assists the legislature in accomplishing its work, allowing a division of labor and an in-depth review of an issue or a bill before review by the entire chamber.

Answer 7

Committee

Question 8

A legislative act that expresses an opinion of the legislature must pass in both houses.

Answer 8

Concurrent Resolution

Question 9

An official legislative work group that meets on a limited basis to reconcile the different versions of a bill that has passed in the Texas House and Senate.

Answer 9

Conference Committee

Question 10

The advantage derived from incumbents’ ability to point to positive outcomes for which they are responsible.

Answer 10

Credit Claiming

Question 11

Language that makes a bill effective immediately upon being signed into law rather than subject to the customary ninety-day waiting period.

Answer 11

Emergency Clause

Question 12

An effort to kill a bill by engaging in unlimited debate and refusing to yield the floor to another member, ultimately preventing a vote on the bill.

Answer 12

Filibuster

Question 13

Period during which a bill is brought up before the entire chamber for debate

Answer 13

Floor Debate

Question 14

A party member who reminds legislators of the party’s position on a bill and encourages members to vote w/ the rest of the party caucus; assisted by 1-2 deputies.

Answer 14

Floor Leader

Question 15

A special legislative caucus in the state legislature that promotes and ideological agenda

Answer 15

Ideological Caucus

Question 16

A legislative work group that is created during periods when the legislature is not in session to provide oversight of the executive branch and monitor public policy

Answer 16

Interim Committee

Question 17

To officially bring a bill before a legislative chamber for the first time. Introducing a bill is the first step in the formal legislative process.

Answer 17

Introduce [a bill]

Question 18

A special legislative caucus in the state legislature that promotes bipartisan and cross-chamber support for policies and bills advocating positions inside a relatively narrow range of policy areas or political issues.

Answer 18

Issue Caucus

Question 19

A legislative act whose approval by both chambers result in amendment to the Texas Constitution; an amendment must be approved by voters at the next election.

Answer 19

Joint Resolution

Question 20

Language added to a bill on an unrelated or controversial topic in order to make the bill unacceptable to the majority of the legislature, which will then be more likely to vote against it.

Answer 20

Killer Amendment

Question 21

The group that develops a proposed state budget for legislative consideration

Answer 21

Legislative Budget Board

Question 22

The presiding officer of the Texas Senate, elected directly by the voters. Also serves on executive branch and assumes the duties of the gov. when the gov. is out of state, dies in office, resigns from office, or is impeached.

Answer 22

Lieutenant Governor

Question 23

The ability of the executive to selectively veto only some parts of a bill; in Texas available only on spending bills.

Answer 23

Line-Item Veto

Question 24

Process whereby a committee goes line by line through a bill to make changes without formal amendments.

Answer 24

Markup

Question 25

Special legislative caucuses in the state legislature that represent the unique concerns and beliefs of women and ethnic groups across a broad range of policy issues.

Answer 25

Minority and Women’s Caucuses

Question 26

The process whereby the legislature reviews policies and decisions of the executive branch to make sure that the executive branch is following the intentions of the legislature.

Answer 26

Oversight

Question 27

A party leader whose main job is to organize party members to vote for legislation on the floor.

Answer 27

Party Caucus Chair

Question 28

The organization of the members of a specific legislative chamber who belong to a political party; normally shortened to party caucus.

Answer 28

Party Legislative Caucus

Question 29

A presiding officer elected by the members of the Texas Senate; takes over when the lieutenant governor is unavailable.

Answer 29

President Pro Tempore

Question 30

The minimum number of members in a legislative body who need to be present for the body to conduct business; 11 in the Senate, 100 in the House.

Answer 30

Quorum

Question 31

A legislative act that expresses the opinion of the legislature on an issue or changes the organizational structure of the legislature.

Answer 31

Resolution

Question 32

An addition to a bill that deals with an unrelated subject, such as changing some aspect of law or pub. policy or spending money or creating programs in a specific member’s district.

Answer 32

Rider

Question 33

A form of voting for which a permanent record of each member’s vote is created; used with more important votes.

Answer 33

Roll Call Vote

Question 34

A temporary legislative work group created by the lieutenant governor or Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives for a special purpose; called a joint committee when the lieutenant governor and Speaker create a select committee with members from both chambers.

Answer 34

Select Committee

Question 35

A legislative act that addresses organizational issues; may be limited to a single house.

Answer 35

Simple Resolution

Question 36

The presiding officer of the Texas House of Representatives.

Answer 36

Speaker of the House

Question 37

Officer that presides over the House of Representatives when the Speaker is unavailable; akin to the president pro tempore in the Texas Senate.

Answer 37

Speaker Pro Tempore

Question 38

An organization of members of the state legislature who share a common interest or have constituencies with a common interest.

Answer 38

Special Legislative Caucus

Question 39

A permanent, chamber-specific formal work group that typically exists across sessions and across elections.

Answer 39

Standing Committee

Question 40

The way in which political parties align support for or opposition to bills

Answer 40

Structuring the Vote