Texas Government 11-14

at-large election

an election in which officials are selected by voters of the entire geographical area, rather than from smaller districts within that area

county clerks

public official who is the main record-keeper of the county

county commissioner

government official (four per county) on the county commissioners' court whose main duty is the construction and maintenance of roads and bridges

county commissioners' court

the main governing body of each county; has the authority to set the county tax rate and budget.

county tax assessor-collector

public official who maintains the county tax records and collects taxes owed to the county

district attorney

public official who prosecutes the more serious criminal cases in the district court

home-rule charters

the rules under which a city operates; local governments have considerable independent governing power under these charters

municipal utility district (MUD)

a special district that offers services such as electricity water, sewage, and sanitation outside the city limits

school district

a specific type of special district that provides public education in a designated area

special district

a unit of local government that performs a single service, such as

distributive policy

a policy that collects payments or resources broadly but concentrates direct benefits on relatively few

domestic policy

policies focused on the citizens of the U.S. and their well being

entitlement

a program that guarantees benefits to members of a specific group or segment of the population

Gilmer-Aikin Laws

education reform legislation passed in 1949 that supplemented local funding of education with public monies, raised teachers' salaries, mandated a minimum length for the school year, and provided for more state supervision of public education

gun control

the set of laws or policies that regulate the manufacture, sale, transfer, possession, modification, or use of firearms by civilians

gun rights

"the right to bear arms" is a person's right to possess weapons for their own defense

HCERA

The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 combines revised portions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act with the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA), which amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA). The HCERA was signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 30, 2010 at Northern Virginia Community College.

libertarians

people who believe that government almost always operates less efficiently than the private sector and that its actions should be kept to a minimum

Medicaid

a federal and state program financing medical services for low-income citizens

Medicare

an entitlement health insurance program for older people and retirees who no longer get health insurance through their work

New Deal

President Franklin D. Roosevelt's 1930s programs to stimulate the national economy and provide relief to victims of the Great Depression

policy analysts

people who identify all possible choices available to a decision-maker and assess the potential impact of each

policy advocates

people who actively work to propose or maintain public policy

public policy

the broad strategy government uses to do its job; the relatively stable set of purposive governmental behaviors that address matters of concern to some part of society

public policy approach

a comprehensive method for studying the process through which issues come to the attention of government decision-makers, and through which policies are formulated, adopted, implemented and evaluated.

redistributive policy

a policy in which costs are born by a relatively small number of groups or individuals, but benefits are expected to be enjoyed by a different group in society

regulatory policy

a policy that regulates companies and organizations in a way that protects the public

safety net

a way to provide for members of society experiencing economic hardship

Social Security

a social welfare policy for people who no longer receive an income from employment

ad valorem taxes

taxes that multiply the appraised value of a property by a tax rate set by the governing body of the local government.

appropriations

authorization by the legislature to a government agency or body to spend up to a particular amount of money

Biennial Revenue Estimate (BRE)

a detailed forecast of the revenue that the state is expected to take in over the next biennium that is prepared by the comptroller's office

debt

the total amount the government owes across all years

deficit

the annual amount by which expenditures are greater than revenues

discretionary spending

government spending that Congress must pass legislation to authorize each year

excise taxes

taxes applied to specific goods or services as a source of revenue

fiscal policy

the use of government revenue collection (mainly taxes) and expenditure (spending) to influence the economy

mandatory spending

government spending earmarked for entitlement programs guaranteeing support to those who meet certain qualifications

progressive tax

a tax that tends to increase the effective tax rate as the wealth or income of the tax payer increases

regressive tax

a tax applied at a lower overall rate as individuals’ income rises, thus, the tax burden falls more heavily on lower-income individuals

severance taxes

taxes imposed on the removal of natural resources within a taxing jurisdiction, which are most commonly imposed in oil-producing states within the United States; resources that typically incur severance taxes when extracted include oil, natural gas, coal, uranium, and timber

strategic plan

a plan that includes 1) a mission statement, 2) a statement about the goals of the agency, 3) a discussion of the population served by the agency, 4) an explanation of the means that will be used to achieve these goals, and 5) identification of the measures to be used to assess the agency's success in meeting these goals

assigned counsel

private lawyers appointed by judges to provide legal representation for indigent defendants in serious criminal cases; the lawyer's fee is determined by and paid by the county

bail

a payment of money allowing the accused to be freed pending trial

civil laws

rules and regulations which govern transactions and grievances between individual citizens.

civil liberties

limitations on the power of government, designed to ensure personal freedoms

civil rights

guarantees of equal treatment by government authorities

criminal justice

the enforcement of criminal law.

criminal law

division of the law concerned with actions which are dangerous or harmful to society as a whole, in which prosecution is pursued not by an individual but by the state. The purpose of criminal law is to 1) provide the specific definition of what constitutes a crime and to 2) prescribe punishments for committing such a crime. No criminal law can be valid unless it includes both of these factors.

constitutional law

the body of law which defines the role, powers, and structure of different entities within a state, including the executive, legislature, and the judiciary; as well as the basic rights of citizens and the relationship between the central government and state, provincial, or territorial governments. In Texas, constitutional law includes the national constitution and the Texas state constitution.

double jeopardy

a prosecution pursued twice at the same level of government for the same criminal action

due process clause

provisions of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments that limit government power to deny people “life, liberty, or property” on an unfair basis; it is a guarantee that people will be treated fairly and impartially by government officials when the government seeks to fine or imprison them or take their personal property away from them.

economic liberty

the right of individuals to obtain, use, and trade things of value for their own benefit

eminent domain

the power of government to take or use property for a public purpose after compensating its owner; also known as the takings clause of the Fifth Amendment

exonerate

clears of conviction based on evidence of innocence.

grand jury

jury that determines whether sufficient evidence is available to justify a trial; grand juries do not rule on the accused's guilt or innocence

indictment

official charges against an accused individual

Miranda warning

a statement by law enforcement officers informing a person arrested or subject to interrogation of his or her rights

plea bargain

an agreement between the defendant and the prosecutor in which the defendant pleads guilty to the charge(s) in question or perhaps to less serious charges, in exchange for more lenient punishment than if convicted after a full trial

public defender

a salaried lawyer who is funded by the government or by grants who represents indigents in Texas in some counties or for some types of cases

prison

a facility in which inmates are forcibly confined and denied a variety of freedoms under the authority of the state. Prisons are most commonly used within a criminal justice system

probation

a suspension of the jail or prison sentence.

selective incorporation

the gradual process of making some guarantees of the Bill of Rights (so far) apply to state governments and the national government

self-incrimination

an action or statement that admits guilt or responsibility for a crime