tx chap 2

Question 1

republic of texas constitution(1836-1845)

Answer 1

• est term limits on president
• included sep of church and state
• est unitary gov
• had homesteads, community property and common law

Question 2

homesteads

Answer 2

owner occupied prop protected fr forced sales

Question 3

community property

Answer 3

property fr marriage owned equal by both spouse

Question 4

common law

Answer 4

law developed fr judicial rulings and customs over time

Question 5

constitution of 1845

Answer 5

• restricted power of legislature; est biennial mettings
• limit state debt to 100,000
• est long ballot ( independent election of executive and judicial officers)
• require 2/3 texas house to approve incorporation of banks/corporations

Question 6

constitution of 1861

Answer 6

• similar to 1845
• acknowledged texas as confederate state

Question 7

constitution of 1866

Answer 7

• nullified secession
• abolished salvery
• renounced confederate war debts
• reconstruction act of 1867; voided bc no satisfy republicans

Question 8

constitution of 1869

Answer 8

• centralized power in governor
• lengthened chief executive tern to 4 years and gave governor appointment powers
• provided annual legislative sessions
• accumulated massive gov debt

Question 9

constitutional convention of 1875

Answer 9

• cut saleries for gov officials and strip most governor powers
• limit property tax
• limit legislative sessions
• strengthened local government

Question 10

texas constitution today

Answer 10

• second longest
• has bill or rights like us con (stop discrimination based on sex, guarantee victim rights, no imprisonment for debt, no monopolies, no suspension of habeas corpus)
• has statutory law

Question 11

legislative branch

Answer 11

• 31 senate (26+ age, citizen, texas resident for 5yrs)
• 150 house ( 21+, citizen, texas resident for 2 yrs)
• senetor 4 year term fr single member district
• house 2 year terms
• biennial regular sessions ( limit up to 140 days)
• special sessions called by governor no more 30 day

Question 12

executive branch

Answer 12

• governor head ( 30+, citizen, texas resident 5yrs)
• no term limits
• plural executive: power divided among independent officers, 4yr term (governor, lieutenant gov, attorney gen, comptroller, commissioner of gen land office, 3 railroad commissioners(staggered 6 yr term))

Question 13

indirect appointive powers

Answer 13

tx gov can appoint supervisory boards but not operation directors for state agencies

Question 14

removal power

Answer 14

authority to fire appointed officals

Question 15

directive power

Answer 15

power issue binding orders to state agencies

Question 16

budgetary power

Answer 16

power recommend to leg budget for various executive agencies

Question 17

line item veto

Answer 17

power strike out section bill without veto entire bill

Question 18

judicial branch

Answer 18

fragmented court sysem- tx supreme court and texas court of criminal appeals
-county judges and justices of peace no need law degree
- partisan elections lead to long ballot

Question 19

vote eligability

Answer 19

cant vote under 18, certain convicted felons, or legally declared mentally incompetent
- no allow initiative, referendum or recall of officials

Question 20

initiatives

Answer 20

empower citizen to place proposal on ballot

Question 21

referendums

Answer 21

election allow voter determine if ordinance or stature will go into effect

Question 22

popular recall

Answer 22

special election remove official before end of term

Question 23

local gov

Answer 23

sub to state
- decentralize gov power
- structure = general law charter and home rule charter

Question 24

amendment procedures

Answer 24

2 steps
- proposal - need sup 2/3 total of each chamber(21 senator and 100 representatives)
- potential amendments added to ballot and voters vote