Nondedicated funds
can be used for any purpose.
The average time spent on death row prior to execution is 252 days
False
what budget is comprised of funds for dedicated revenues that target money for specific purposes.
General Revenue-Dedicated Funds
Suppose you are a juror on a felony case. How many members of the jury would need to vote the same way to render a decision?
Any decision needs to be unanimous
The Supplemental Security Income program set the framework for today's unemployment insurance, and was originally limited only to people who were able to work and currently looking for a job.
False
When taking into consideration taxes on both gasoline and diesel, which of the following is true?
Texans pay the lowest fuel taxes out of the ten largest states.
The three main issues that have shaped education policy in Texas over the last 50 years have been
funding, desegregation, and educational excellence
Which of the following is used as an estimate of overall road usage?
vehicle miles traveled
Texas has a reputation of being a what state.
low service, low tax
The bulk of Federal Funds expenditures is in two areas: health and human services and education
True
The key issue at stake in Edgewood ISD v. Kirby was
whether the phrase "an efficient system of free public schools" from the Texas Constitution could be fulfilled through funding by local property taxes.
A person convicted of a third felony can be sentenced to life imprisonment based on
the "three strikes" provision
Which of the following statements about poverty in Texas is accurate?
The poverty rate in Texas is higher than the national average
Senate Bill 4 (SB 4), a 2017 law that enacted penalties for sanctuary cities, was opposed by many sheriffs because
they feared it would lead to people underreporting crimes.
When a town is too small to have its own police department, it must form a cooperation agreement with a neighboring town to provide policing services
False
The state legislature can impose a personal income tax without requiring voter approval
False
In sanctuary cities, sheriffs do not notify federal immigration authorities when an undocumented individual is arrested.
True
While many of the sources of revenue in Texas are dedicated to specific purposes, designated as "nondedicated," or come from the federal government, there are some funds that are not included in the specific budget categories. Where do we classify these funds?
Other Funds
In 2013 voters in Texas approved a constitutional amendment that dealt with water policy. What was included in this amendment?
The voters approved the creation of a dedicated water fund, known as the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT), through a transfer of $2 billion from the Rainy Day Fund.
Water policy in Texas is based on
a complicated system of private property rights.
What happens during the policy-making process?
governmental goals are identified, formulated, articulated into law, and evaluated
Money from the State Highway fund can be used to acquire rights of way for roadways.
True
Charter schools are funded by tuition paid by parents of those attending the schools, similar to traditional private schools.
False
Which program provides coverage for children in families with incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid
Children's Health Insurance Program
Public policy refers to the outputs of governmental institutions
True
If you are convicted of a misdemeanor, then you retain your right to vote.
True
In the first stage of the budgetary process, the governor's office develops a draft budget based on requests from state agencies.
False
Many suburban areas in Texas choose not to participate in the public transportation programs of central cities.
True
The Permanent School Fund (PSF) was established to provide funds for _______on the basis of ________.
primary and secondary schools in Texas; student attendance
If sentenced by a judge to probation, then you would most likely have to do which of the following?
have a steady job, report to your probation officer on a regular basis, abstain from drug and alcohol use, and pay any fines or restitution
It is through what process that the legislature legally authorizes a government agency or body to spend up to a particular amount of money?
appropriations
Because the budget process in Texas operates on a two-year cycle, Texas legislators have adequate time to gather information, carefully analyze it, and craft a detailed and accurate state budget.
False
Police departments are now required to report officer-involved shootings to the state.
True
When we talk about a progressive tax, we are talking about a type of tax where
individuals with a lower income pay less in taxes because of a lower tax rate than those with a higher income.
Proceeds from the sale of lottery tickets are the primary source of funding for the Permanent University Fund (PUF).
False
In a felony case, before a defendant goes to trial, who grants a verdict that there is sufficient evidence to begin prosecution and that a threshold of probable cause has been met?
the grand jury
If you are convicted of a misdemeanor
you can be sentenced up to a year in jail, but do not lose your right to vote or to possess a weapon
Which of the following was one of the goals of the Affordable Care Act of 2010?
to increase access to health insurance coverage for people with preexisting conditions
The Select Committee on Public Education (SCOPE) presented 140 recommendations to the legislature in 1984, including one known as "No Pass, No Play" which stated that
students who did not pass a class with a grade of 70 could not participate in extracurricular activities for the next six-week grading period.
The most serious felony is ________, for which the penalty can be death or life imprisonment without parole
capital murder
After you are arrested, you will be arraigned before a judge where the charges against you will be explained.
True
Universities that are not eligible to receive funding from the Permanent University Fund (PUF), are eligible for funding from the
Higher Education Fund (HEF)
If there is a budget deficit during the biennium, then money can be used from the Economic Stabilization Fund (ESF)
with the approval of three-fifths of the members of both the Texas House and Texas Senate.
The core curriculum used at all public colleges and universities in Texas is developed and standardized by which agency?
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Which of the following make it unlikely that Texas will enact a personal income tax in the near future?
Voters approved constitutional amendments in 1993 and 2019 that would make it extremely difficult to create a personal income tax in Texas.
If the comptroller certifies the budget, then it is considered to be "balanced
True
In the Texas criminal justice system, crimes are classified as felonies or misdemeanors
True
Under the separate but equal doctrine in the 1920s and 1930s, the amount of money Texas spent on Black students was ________ the amount spent on White students in public schools
lower than
In Texas, the ____________________ is responsible for redistricting.
legislature
In Texas, teachers make up an important public employee interest group.
True
Poll taxes, such as those used in Texas, disenfranchised poor voters
True
The mass exodus of more affluent Whites from urban areas to suburban areas is sometimes referred to as
White flight.
Most interest groups tend to give campaign contributions to ______________________.
incumbents
EMILY's List is a national PAC that is funded by women and focuses on raising money for women candidates at which part of the campaign cycle?
the early part of the campaign cycle
Political action committees help interest groups bundle campaign donations.
True
Some lobbyists work for multiple clients at the same time.
True
________ is a system of representation that encourages third-party voting because it allows each political party representation in proportion to its percentage of the total vote.
Proportional representation
Texas requires people to designate party affiliation when registering to vote
False
The incumbency disadvantage leads interest groups to work more with challengers, seeing them as a better investment of limited resources
False
Between 2008 and 2018, countywide elections in Harris County
were swept by Democrats.
Primaries are the final elections to be held in the election cycle.
False
The fundamental principles and positions supported by a political party are explained in the
party platform.
The process of ________ is what introduces individuals to the political culture and helps people develop their own political beliefs and values
political socialization
Once a lobbyist has access to a member of the legislature, the lobbyist can
provide information about how specific policies can benefit the legislator's district.
The poll tax was made illegal in federal elections with the passage of the
Twenty-Fourth Amendment.
In Texas, political parties help candidates by providing
training for a campaign.
Most Texans are unlikely to contact public officials.
...
A lobbyist is an individual employed by a political action committee who tries to influence governmental decisions on behalf of that group
False
Why are Texas Republicans considered to be in a divided moment?
because there is tension between pro-business Republicans, who have traditionally dominated Texas politics, and the Tea Party movement that is becoming more influential within Texas politics and government
Texas used a system of early registration until 1971 that required which of the following:
Voters had to register to vote more than nine months before the general election and were required register to vote every year.
One major way for interest groups to promote the political interests of elected officials who support their viewpoints and oppose the interests of those who do not is by
contributing to campaigns.
The most recent census was conducted 2020, with a reapportionment completed soon after based on its results. Assuming the Texas population increased from its 2010 total, as a result of this reapportionment, Texas will most likely
gain seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Interest groups must make sure that they maintain their credibility with policymakers.
True