The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

It is important to know the rules whether you are playing a baseball game or participating in politics. Most of us think of ourselves as good citizens, but few of us know many of the basic rules that control how we are governed. The following is a small citizenship test containing matters that every Texan should know.

• Which state leader in Texas is not elected by the vote of the people?

• Governor

• Speaker

• Attorney general

• Which of the following are appointed by the governor of Texas?

• Secretary of State

• Land Commissioner

• Comptroller

• What is the salary of members of the Legislature? Both Senate and House.

a.$24,000 per year

b.$1,000 per month

c.$50,000 per year

• Under state's constitution when is the Legislature authorized to meet?

• Once per year

• Every other year

• When called to gather by the speaker of the House

• Under the Texas Constitution, must Texas budget be certified to be balanced?

True or False

• What is the only legislative action that cannot be vetoed by the governor?

• Constitutional amendment

• The budget

• How many members are in the state Legislature?

• 131

• 181

• The governor can call the Legislature to meet and consider only things submitted by him.

True or False

• A joint conference committee half by the speaker of the House and half by the lieutenant governor to adjust conflicts in bills passed by houses.

True or False

• The governor, unlike the president of the United States can veto only a portion of legislation and leave other portion standing. It's called line-item-veto.

True or False

While these are very basic items in the rules of the state Legislature, they are important as to the way the Legislature creates laws that we must adhere to. It will be as good idea to learn the political rules as well as of any of your favorite sport.