PSCI 1040 TX 5 THE TEXAS EXECUTIVE Governor the state s top executive office holder Plural Executive A fragmented system of authority under which most statewide executive officeholders are elected independently of the governor This arrangement which is used in Texas places severe limits on the governor s power Lieutenant governor the presiding officer of the Senate This officeholder also becomes governor if the governor dies becomes incapacitated or is removed from office To be governor 30 years old U S Citizen Most have lived in Texas for at least five years No individual can be excluded from office because of religious beliefs A governor can be removed from office through impeachment proceedings initiated in the state House of Representatives and conviction by the state Senate in a trial of the impeachment charges Texas does not have a recall process for officeholders The lieutenant governor replaces the governor if he leaves office for any reason The governor can outline their legislative priorities in their State of the State address The governor can communicate with lawmakers throughout the session Governor can call and set the agenda Governor can veto legislation The governor can call special sessions but it is risky because their influence and reputation are on the line Veto the power of the governor to reject or kill a bill passed by the legislature Line item veto the power of the governor to reject certain parts of an appropriation or spending bill without killing the entire measure The governor of Texas has weaker budgetary authority than most governors The Texas governor does not appoint major office holders Staggered terms A requirement that members of state boards and commissions appointed by the governor serve terms that begin on different dates This is to assure that a board maintains a level of experience by guarding against situations in which all board members leave office at the same time Senatorial courtesy an unwritten policy that permits a senator to block the confirmation of a gubernational appointee who lives in the senator s district Governor can grant executive clemency Governor is responsible for extradition requests Military Powers Governor serves as commander in chief to the states military forces Governor chooses staff that share his beliefs Former Governors Bill Clements Ann Richards George W Bush Rick Perry Attorney General the state s chief legal officer He or she represents the state in lawsuits is responsible for enforcing the state s antitrust consumer protection and other civil laws and issues advisory opinions on legal questions to state and local officeholders This elected official has little responsibility for criminal law enforcement Comptroller of public accounts the state s primary tax administrators and revenue estimator It is an elective problem Pay as you go A constitutional prohibition against state government borrowing money for its operating budget Commissioner of the General Land Office An elected official who manages the state s public lands and administers the Veterans Land Program which provides low interest loans to veterans for the purchase of land and houses Commissioner of Agriculture an elected official responsible for administering laws and programs that benefit agriculture Secretary of state Administers state election laws grants public charters to corporations and processes the extradition of prisoners to other states The governor appoints this officeholder Texas railroad commission a three member elected body that regulates oil and natural gas production and lignite mining in Texas State Board of Education A fifteen member body whose members are elected by districts as responsibility over textbook selection curriculum standards for public schools and permanent school fund investments
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