State And Local Government Final Exam

Front 1

Constitution of Coahuila y Tejas (1827)

Back 1

- Adopted when texas was part of Mexico
- Unicameral legislature
- Elements of Common Law
- Texas' first experience with a constitution

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Constitution of the Republic (1836)

Back 2

- Adopted soon after the fall of The Alamo
- Short document modeled after the US Constitution( Bicameral legislature; elected president)
- Basically a xerox copy of the US Constitution

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Constitution of 1845

Back 3

- Came to be because we were trying to become a state rather than our own country
- Protected private homesteads from foreclosure
- Established a permanent fund for the support of public schools
-Arguably our best constitution ever!!

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Constitution of 1861

Back 4

- preceded the civil war
- When Texas seceded from the union in 1861, another constitution was adopted
- Greater protection was given to the institution of slavery and prohibiting the freeing of slaves

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Constitution of 1866

Back 5

- Post Civil War
- Complied with moderate reconstruction
- Based on the Constitution of 1845

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Constitution of 1869

Back 6

- Most oppressive constitution in America
- Power was centralized in the state government
- Powers granted to the Governor included appointment of other state officials and appointment of the judiciary
- First black representative was elected under this government

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Constitution of 1876

Back 7

- Written as a reaction to radical reconstruction
- Re-established traditional political relationships
-Aimed to prevent a repetition of the abuses in the Davis administration
- Reduced all terms of office to 2 years
- Court officials are elected now

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Texas Senators
(Term Limits and Requirements)

Back 8

- 4 year terms
- At least 26 years old
- Resident of the district for at least 1 year
- State resident for at least 5 years
- U.S. Citizen and registered voter

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Texas Representatives
(Term Limits and Requirements)

Back 9

- 2 year terms
- At least 21 years old
- Resident of the district for at least 1 year
- State resident for at least 2 years
- U.S. citizen and registered voter

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Executive Branch
(Terms and Qualifications)

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- 4 year terms
- governor must be citizen, resident of Texas for 5 years, and at least 35 years old

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Daniel Elazar's Model of Subcultures

Back 11

- Consists of 3 subcultures
- Individualistic
- Traditionalistic
- Moralistic

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Individualistic

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- Government provides stable political order in which individuals and groups can pursue their interests
- There is no such thing as the common good, it is about competition--it serves "me", not the common good
- Politics and government function as a market
- dominates Texas, along with Traditionalism

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Traditionalistic

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- A group that's in control and wants to stay in control
- Government serves the interests of the elites
- Limited interest in expanding participation in the decisions of govt
- Political parties and labor unions are viewed with distrust
- dominates Texas, along with Individualism

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Moralistic

Back 14

- View that it is a person Responsibility and Duty to participate in government
- Government serves the general interests or the general good of all

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Ethnic Breakdown in Texas

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Native Americans- less than half of 1%
Asian-Americans- 2.7%
African Americans- 11.3%
Hispanic- 32%
Anglo-American- 52.4% - 73%

Front 16

Ethnicity and Voting Turnout

Back 16

By Individual By Group
1. Blacks 1. Whites
2. Whites 2. Hispanics
3. Hispanics 3. Blacks

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First Degree Felony
(District Court)

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- 5-99 years or Life imprisonment
- Maximum fine of $10,000
Offenses include: Murder, Theft of property valued $200,000 or more

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Second Degree Felony
(District Court)

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- 2 to 20 years imprisonment
- Maximum fine of $10,000
Offenses include: Aggravated Assault, Theft of property valued between $100,000 - $200,000

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Third Degree Felony
(District Court)

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- 2 to 10 years imprisonment
- Maximum fine of $10,000
Offenses include: Theft of property values between $20,000 - $100,000, Unlawfully taking a weapon to school

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State Jail Felony
(District Court)

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- 180 days to 2 years imprisonment
- Maximum fine of $10,000
Offenses include: Theft of property valued between $15,000 - $20,000; Illegal Recruitment of athletes if value of benefit is between $1,500 - $20,000

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Class A Misdemeanor
(Constitutional County Courts & County Courts-at-law)

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- 1 year imprisonment
- Maximum fine of $4,000
Offenses include: Manufacture, sale or possession of a counterfeit handicapped parking tag

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Class B Misdemeanor
(Constitutional County Courts & County Courts-at-law)

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- 180 days imprisonment
- Maximum fine of $2,000
Offenses include: Theft of property valued between $20 - $500, Engaging in computer assisted hunting (if animal is in Texas)

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Class C Misdemeanor
(Justice of the Peace Courts and Local/Municipal Courts)

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- No Imprisonment
- Max fine of $500
Offenses include: Theft of property valued less than $20, Advertising, selling or preparing term papers or reports used by others

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Grand Jury

Back 24

- Composed of 12 citizens who may be chosen at random or selected by a judge from a list of 15-20 county residents recommended by a judge appointed Grand Jury Commission
- Serves from 3-6 months
- Determines if there is enough evidence present to indict the person accused of committing the crime

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Petit Jury

Back 25

- A trial jury composed of 6 or 12 members
- Responsible for hearing the trial then determining guilt or innocence

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Local and Municipal Court Judge
(Term Limits and Requirements)

Back 26

- Terms are set by city
- Qualification are set by city
- Appointed by council or elected; determined by city charter

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Justice of the Peacee Court Judge
(Term Limits and Requirements)

Back 27

- 4 year terms
- No qualifications required
- Elected in Partisan precinct-wide election

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Constitutional County Court Judge
(Term Limits and Requirements)

Back 28

- 4 year terms
- Must be "well informed" in Texas laws
- No law degree required
- Elected in Partisan county-wide elections

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Statutory County Court Judge
(Term Limits and Requirements)

Back 29

- 4 year terms
- At least 25 years old
- Licensed attorney with at least 4-5 years experience
- 2 years county residence
- Elected in Partisan county-wide elections

Front 30

District Court Judge
(Term Limits and Requirements)

Back 30

- 4 year terms
- must be between 25-74 years old
- Licensed attorney with at least 4 years experience
- 2 years county residence
- Elcected in Partisan county-wide elections

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Court of Appeals Judge
(Term Limits and Requirements)

Back 31

- 6 year terms
- Must be between 35-74 years old
- Licensed attorney with at least 10 years experience
- Elected in Partisan district-wide elections

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Court of Criminal Appeals Judge
(Term Limits and Requirements)

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- 6 year terms
- Must be between 35-74 years old
- Licensed attorney with at least 10 years experience
- Elected in Partisan statewide elections

Front 33

Supreme Court Justice
(Term Limits and Requirements)

Back 33

- 6 year terms
- Must be between 35-74 years old
- Licensed attorney with at least 10 years experience
- Elected in Partisan statewide

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Edmund Jacks Davis
(E.J. Davis)

Back 34

- Former Union Army General, elected first Republican governor of Texas
- His administration (1870-1874) was one of the most corrupt in Texas history

Front 35

Constitution of 1869

Back 35

- the new fundamental law called for annual sessions of the legislature, a 4 year term for the governor and other executive officers and gubernatorial appointments of judges

Front 36

3 Ways to Allocate Power

Back 36

- Unitary: all power resides in the central government (National Government)
- Federal: a way of organizing a nation so that two or more levels of government have formal authority over the same area and people. Share of power between State and National.
- Confederate: the national government is weak and most or all of the power is in the hands of its components (such as states)

Front 37

Application of CSCC

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- Council-Manager form of government
- Mayor Ben White (elected at large)
- 6 Council Members (elected at large)

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Application of BCC

Back 38

- Council-Manager form of government
- Mayor Mark Conlee
- Mayor Pro Temp Mike Southerland
- 5 Council Members (Single Member Districts)

Front 39

Project Grants

Back 39

State/local government apply for a grant and compete against each other for limited funds

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Formula Grants

Back 40

Based on a prescribed formula such as the poverty level

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Types of Federalism

Back 41

Vertical Federalism: is the relationship between the National and the State levels.
Horizontal Federalism: is the relationship between State and State levels

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Pluralist Theory

Back 42

- Pluralist theory contends that many centers of influence compete for power and control over public policy, with no one group or set of groups dominating
- Pluralists view bargaining and compromise as essential ingredients in our democracy
- argues that interest group activity brings representation to all as groups compete and counterbalance one another

Front 43

Elitist Theory

Back 43

- elite and theory contends that society is divided along class lines and that an upper-class elite rules
- Wealth is seen as the basis of power, and a few powerful Americans are the policymakers
- argues that a few interest groups (mostly the wealthy) have most of the power

Front 44

De-Alignment

Back 44

A member of a political party abandons his allegiance and claims Independence

Front 45

Re-Alignment

Back 45

Occurs when a member of a political party shifts to the opposite party

Front 46

Interest Groups and Policy Subsystems

Back 46

- Iron Triangles are an example of policy subsystems.
- composed of key interest groups interested in a particular policy, the government agency in charge of administering the policy, and the members of congressional committees and subcommittees handling the policy

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Party Organization

Back 47

Precinct Chair- elected in primary; serves 2 years; organize precinct political campaigns and precinct activities
County Executive Committee- Precinct chairs serve collectively;organizes and manages the party primary; certifies election returns; fills vacancies in party positions
County Chair- Leads the county executive committee; elected by primary voters; responsible for day to day operations of the party
State Executive Committee- 64 members including state and vice state chair; Man and Woman elected from each of the 31 state senatorial districts to serve

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Precinct Chair

Back 48

- 1st in hierarchy
- elected in primary; serves 2 years; organize precinct political campaigns and precinct activities

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County Executive Committee

Back 49

- 2nd in hierarchy
- Precinct chairs serve collectively;organizes and manages the party primary; certifies election returns; fills vacancies in party positions

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County Chair

Back 50

- 3rd in hierarchy
- Leads the county executive committee; elected by primary voters; responsible for day to day operations of the party

Front 51

State Executive Committee

Back 51

- 64 members including state and vice state chair; Man and Woman elected from each of the 31 state senatorial districts to serve

Front 52

Texas Senate

Back 52

- 31 members
- Elected by district
- Presiding officer is Lt. Governor who is elected statewide for a 4 year term

Front 53

Texas House of Representatives

Back 53

- 150 members
- elected by district
- Presiding officer is Speaker of the House who is elected to a two year term in a open vote by the members.

Front 54

Elections in Texas

Back 54

- Primaries occur on the FIRST TUESDAY of march
- General Elections take place on the FIRST TUESDAY following the FIRST MONDAY in November of EVEN numbered years
- Special Elections are state gubernatorial elections that take place in NOVEMBER of EVEN years in between presidential elections

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Plural Executive Offices

Back 55

These are the FOUR offices that the Governor and Lt. Governor share power with

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Lieutenant Governor
(Dewhurst)

Back 56

- Popularly Elected
- Serves as President of the Senate

Front 57

Attorney General
(Abbott)

Back 57

- represents the state government in lawsuits and provides legal advice to state and local officials

Front 58

Land Commissioner
(Patterson)

Back 58

- Responsible for collecting taxes, keeping accounts, estimating revenue and serving as a treasurer for the state.

Front 59

Comptroller of Public Accounts
(Combs)

Back 59

- Oversees the state's extensive land holdings and related mineral interests, especially oil and gas leasing, for the benefit of the Permanent School Fund

Front 60

Agriculture Commissioner
(Staples)

Back 60

- Heads Texas' Dept. of Agriculture, which promotes the sale of agricultural commodities and regulates pesticides, aquaculture, Esq. quality, weights and measures and grain warehouses

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Substantive Committees

Back 61

- Appointed by the House speaker
- Considers bills and resolutions related to the subject identified by its name and may recommend passage of proposed legislation to the appropriate committee

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Procedural Committee

Back 62

- These house committees consider bills and resolutions relating primarily to internal legislative matters

Front 63

Select Committee

Back 63

- Created independently by the speaker
- a select committee may work on emergency legislation early in a session before substantive committees are appointed