Texas Legislative Quiz
Welcome to the Texas Legislative Quiz. Take this quiz to increase your knowledge about the Texas Legislature.
Texas Legislative Quiz
How many days comprise a Regular Session of the Texas Legislature?
The answer is: 140 days
The 86th Texas Legislature began on January 8 and concludes on May 27.
Once a Regular Session has concluded, a Special Session of the Legislature may be called to consider additional topics. Which of the following officials may call a Special Session?
The answer is: The Governor
There is no limit to the number of Special Sessions that a Governor may call.
True or False: If an item is deemed an Emergency Item by the Governor, then the Legislature MUST take up and pass legislation related to the topic.
The answer is: False
The Governor’s declaration of an Emergency Item allows the Legislature to bypass certain scheduling limitations, but lawmakers are under no formal obligation to take-up and pass Emergency Items.
The Speaker of the House is selected by whom?
The answer is: The 150 Texas State Representatives
The Speaker is chosen on the first day of the session. Though multiple members may have filed to run for Speaker in the lead-up to the session, a contested election on the actual date of the vote is rare.
Which official presides over the Senate?
The answer is: The Lieutenant Governor
The Lieutenant Governor is responsible for making committee appointments and deciding which bills are brought-up for a vote.
The longest-serving current member of the Texas House joined the body in 1969, and has served continuously since then. Who is that State Representative?
The answer is: Rep. Tom Craddick
The Texas Senate is comprised of how many members?
The answer is: 31
Based on the 2010 Census, each Senate seat was drawn to represent about 806,000 constituents.
Due to what’s referred to as the “three-fifths rule,” it generally takes the agreement of 19 Senators to take-up a bill on the Senate floor.
The current Speaker of the Texas House is:
The answer is: Dennis Bonnen
This is Bonnen’s first term as Speaker. Straus and Laney are former Speakers, while Turner is the Leader of the House Democratic Caucus.
Which of the following committees is charged with crafting the state budget in the Texas House:
The answer is: House Appropriations Committee
The House Appropriations Committee is comprised of 27 members and divides up into subcommittees to focus on specific articles of the budget.
A so-called “Sunset Bill” is legislation that would:
The answer is: Renew a State Agency
In addition to renewing a State Agency, Sunset legislation could also eliminate an agency, combine it with others, or enact statutory changes to help the agency run more efficiently.
In a rule adopted this session, what was banned from the floor of the Texas Senate?
The answer is: Jeans