Chapter 8 The Texas Executive Branch LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Chapter 8 The Texas Executive Branch

LEARNING OBJECTIVES LO 8. 1 Describe the governor’s office and the characteristics of the typical Texas governor. LO 8. 2 Analyze both the governor’s powers of persuasion and the limits on them. LO 8. 3 Analyze the structure and characteristics of the Texas bureaucracy. LO 8. 4 Analyze the political relationships among executive agencies, the public, interest groups, and elected officials. LO 8. 5 Evaluate strategies for holding state agencies accountable. LO 8. 6 Apply what you have learned about the state’s executive branch. Copyright © 2018 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. 2

THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE: QUALIFICATIONS, TENURE AND STAFF 1 OF 4 • Qualifications and Elections üEthnicity and Gender • Historically, Anglo and male üCareer • Business or law üToday a Republican • 1978: first Republican governor in 100+ years Copyright © 2018 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. 3

Fort Worth Star-Telegram/MCT/Getty Images THE GOVERNOR Texans elected Republican Greg Abbott as the state’s

THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE: QUALIFICATIONS, TENURE AND STAFF 2 OF 4 • Qualifications and Elections continued üThe Nomination • Democratic primary: lost its luster • Republican primary: contest between businessoriented conservatives and ideological conservatives üWell-Funded Campaigns Copyright © 2018 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. 5

THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE: QUALIFICATIONS, TENURE AND STAFF 3 OF 4 • Tenure, Removal, Succession, and Compensation üGovernor: 4 -year term, no term limits üRemoval by impeachment üCompensation • Set by legislature at $153, 750 annually • Among highest in nation Copyright © 2018 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. 6

THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE: QUALIFICATIONS, TENURE AND STAFF 4 OF 4 • Staff üEvaluating appointees üLegislative liaisons üBudget preparation üCommunications and scheduling üPlanning Copyright © 2018 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. 7

THE GOVERNOR’S POWERS OF PERSUASION 1 OF 7 • Informal (extralegal) powers üPowers that are not stated in rules, a law, or a constitution, but are usually derived from these legal powers • Formal (legal) powers üPowers stated in rules, a law, or a constitution Copyright © 2018 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. 8

THE GOVERNOR’S POWERS OF PERSUASION 2 OF 7 • The Governor as Chief of State üCeremonial role üInternational function üFederal-state relations • Governor may request federal aid in times of a disaster, drought, or an economic calamity Copyright © 2018 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. 9

THE GOVERNOR’S POWERS OF PERSUASION 3 OF 7 • Governor as Party Chief üNational

THE GOVERNOR’S POWERS OF PERSUASION 4 OF 7 • Legislative Tools of Persuasion üMessage power üEmergency item üBudget powers üVeto • No pocket veto • Line-item veto • Threat of a veto Copyright © 2018 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. 11

THE GOVERNOR’S POWERS OF PERSUASION 5 OF 7 • Legislative Tools of Persuasion continued

THE GOVERNOR’S POWERS OF PERSUASION 6 OF 7 • The Governor as Chief Executive üAppointive Powers • Interest group concerns • The influence of the Senate • Senatorial courtesy • Bureaucratic concerns Copyright © 2018 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. 13

THE GOVERNOR’S POWERS OF PERSUASION 7 OF 7 • The Governor as Chief Executive üRemoval Powers üLaw Enforcement Powers üMilitary Powers üClemency Powers Copyright © 2018 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. 14

THE TEXAS ADMINISTRATION 1 OF 9 • Elected Executives and the Plural Executive System üLieutenant Governor • Part of executive branch • President of the senate • Ex officio chair of Legislative Budget Board and the Legislative Council Copyright © 2018 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. 15

THE TEXAS ADMINISTRATION 2 OF 9 • Elected Executives and the Plural Executive System continued üAttorney General • Lawyer for all officials, boards and agencies • Interprets constitution through opinions • Represents state in civil and criminal litigation • Attorney general’s opinion Copyright © 2018 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. 16

THE TEXAS ADMINISTRATION 3 OF 9 • Elected Executives and the Plural Executive System continued üComptroller of Public Accounts • Manages financial activities of state government • Chief tax collector • Certifies state’s approximate biennial revenue Copyright © 2018 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. 17

THE TEXAS ADMINISTRATION 4 OF 9 • Elected Executives and the Plural Executive System continued üCommissioner of Agriculture • Administers laws for both consumer and labor protection which can create conflict of interest üCommissioner of the General Land Office • Manages and collects income from rentals and leases for state-owned lands Copyright © 2018 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. 18

THE TEXAS ADMINISTRATION 5 OF 9 • Appointed Executives üSecretary of State üAdjutant General üHealth and Human Services Commissioner üInsurance Commissioner üCommissioner of Education Copyright © 2018 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. 19

APPOINTED EXECUTIVES Copyright © 2018 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. 20

THE TEXAS ADMINISTRATION 6 OF 9 • Boards and Commissions üElective boards • Texas Railroad Commission • Texas State Board of Education üAppointed boards • Texas Commission on Environmental Quality üEx officio boards • Texas Bond Review Board Copyright © 2018 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. 21

THE TEXAS ADMINISTRATION 7 OF 9 • Characteristics of Bureaucracy üSize • Has increased dramatically üPrivatization • Conservative support • Contract spoils Copyright © 2018 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. 22

THE TEXAS ADMINISTRATION 8 OF 9 • Characteristics of Bureaucracy continued üHierarchy • Texas state government not arranged hierarchically • But, evidence of hierarchy in Texas Department of Transportation Copyright © 2018 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. 23

THE TEXAS ADMINISTRATION 9 OF 9 • Characteristics of Bureaucracy continued üNeutrality • No statewide civil service (or merit) system; Texas relies on patronage • Attempts to depoliticize with independent board and commission system • Local governments use nonpartisan elections üExpertise Copyright © 2018 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. 24

THE BUREAUCRACY, POLITICS, AND PUBLIC POLICY 1 OF 5 • Clientele Groups üBenefit directly from agency programs üAgency-clientele alliance • • Share information Have common attitudes and goals Exchange employees Agency capture Copyright © 2018 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. 25

THE BUREAUCRACY, POLITICS, AND PUBLIC POLICY 2 OF 5 • The Governor üAgencies need for support depends on governor’s formal and informal powers • Appointive powers important • Governor’s support provides greater bargaining power with legislators and interest groups Copyright © 2018 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. 26

THE BUREAUCRACY, POLITICS, AND PUBLIC POLICY 3 OF 5 • Public Policy and the Iron Texas Star üRelationship between political actors • • Interest groups Lieutenant governor Speaker Legislative committees Governor Administrators Boards and commissions Copyright © 2018 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. 27

THE IRON TEXAS STAR MODEL Copyright © 2018 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. 28

THE BUREAUCRACY, POLITICS, AND PUBLIC POLICY 4 OF 5 • The Legislature, the Lieutenant Governor, and the Speaker üAgencies dependent on legislative allies üSupport of lieutenant governor and speaker most important • Plus finance and appropriations committees, Legislative Budget Board, Legislative Council Copyright © 2018 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. 29

THE BUREAUCRACY, POLITICS, AND PUBLIC POLICY 5 OF 5 • The Control of Information ü Agencies control to benefit agency or constituent interests • Administration of the Law üAdministrative review üAdministrative law enforcement Copyright © 2018 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. 30

BUREAUCRATIC ACCOUNTABILITY 1 OF 2 • Accountability to the People üElective accountability • Accountability to the Legislature • Accountability to the Chief Executive üReformers advocate cabinet system Copyright © 2018 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. 31