Texas Govt 2306: Chapter 13

What is the first step in the policy-making process?

problem identification

What is/are the most important and most difficult step in the policy-making process?

problem identification and agenda setting

What aspect of Texas's governmental structure helps it to avoid the legislative problem of making a hasty decision due to pressure from constituents?

its biennial structure

The policy adoption process is usually

lengthy and complex.

If the language in a law, rule, or regulation is clear and precise, the law, rule, or regulation

can still be interpreted in an unintended manner.

Which theory of changes in policy suggests that most government officials make small, gradual changes?

incremental change

In the garbage-can theory of organizational choice, most issues

move up and down in the garbage.

How common is it for decision makers and institutions adopt a solution without alteration?

It is rare.

Thanks to ______, public policy analyses in and out of government seek to figure out the effectiveness, efficacy, and economics of a policy.

computers and analytic software

Why did Governor Perry veto a version of a bill restricting texting while driving?

He didn't want to restrict Texans due to public policy.

What have political scientists warn in their own study about using policy liberalism indexes when studying state policy?

Most policy variation in the states is not due just to ideological differences.

What circumstance might lead the policy implementation stage to be skipped altogether?

The new policy is largely symbolic.

Virginia Gray's policy liberalism index uses which of the following policy indicators?

conditions for TANF benefits
abortion laws
gun control laws
tax progressivity
right-to-work laws

According to the SPI and Gray indices, Texas is one of the most ______ states in the country.

conservative

In the garbage-can theory of organizational choice, lawmaking is

chaotic.

Which stage of James Anderson's idealized policy cycle often does not occur at all?

policy evaluation

Right-to-work laws tend to reduce the power of unions because

employees tend to opt out of paying agency fees.

_________ __________ is a common measure of state policy ideology that can be used to compare the 50 states.

policy liberalism

How is corporate income tax structured in Texas?

There is no corporate income tax.

The State Policy Index (SPI) relies upon ______ policies.

200

In the Gray index, Texas ranks roughly in the middle for which of the following policy indicators?

gun laws

In 2011, Texas enacted Senate Bill 18, which updated the use of eminent domain to offer more protection to

landowners.

How does Texas deal with the issue of worker injury protection and compensation?

Texas allows injured employees to sue their employers for damages.

Governor Abbot signaled his intent to get the government "out of the business of picking winners and losers" by

eliminating the Texas Emerging Technology Fund.

Since 2003, when it was begun, the Texas Enterprise Fund has awarded companies nearly ______ in incentives.

$600 million

True or false: As of 2015, doctors, lawyers, engineers, and accountants in Texas do not need to pay an annual licensing fee.

True

Texas places heavy restrictions on the use of ______, the process whereby the government can take private land for a public purpose with compensation.

eminent domain

How does the U.S. Chamber of Commerce rate Texas in the business friendliness of its civil liability system?

39th

Criticisms of Texas's amalgamation of pro-business policies has drawn criticism from which of the following?

liberal Democrats
free-market libertarian Republicans

In the national discussion about reducing licensing requirements, as well as in Texas,

conservatives and liberals actually agree that reduction is better.

Management and control of the administration of Medicare and Medicaid in Texas include which of the following?

doctors
health care providers
the state

True or false: Because Texas has the highest percentage of uninsured people in the nation, the state quickly established its own health care exchange upon passage of the Affordable Care Act.

False

Nationally, the percentage of the population without health insurance is approximately ______ (which includes states that did not expand Medicaid).

9 percent

In a lawsuit brought against a company when a product or service causes injury and the company may be liable, Texas's civil liability system favors

the company.

Which of the following statements about the 1991 Robin Hood Plan are correct?

The courts ruled that the plan violated the Texas Constitution.
It consolidated property taxes within 188 units called county education districts.

A tax _________ means that the government is allowing a business to pay fewer or no property taxes for a specified period.

abatement

To qualify for Medicare, a recipient must

be over age 65.

The Affordable Care Act was ultimately upheld by a ______ vote in the U.S. Supreme Court.

5-4

The largest source of local funding for schools in Texas is

property taxes.

How difficult is it to qualify for Medicaid in Texas?

It is very difficult; the guidelines are strict.

What do most wealthy districts do when they exceed the cap on property wealth per district that is set by current laws?

Send money to the state.

As of 2012, beginning in third grade and continuing throughout students' public education, the academic performance of students in Texas is measured by what standardized test?

STAAR

Who or what sets the rules and regulations for Medicare and Medicaid?

the federal government

In ______, differences in school funding became a statewide issue in Texas when parents in San Antonio filed a lawsuit challenging the financing of schools.

1968

Texas has ______ four-year higher education institutions.

37

Texas high school students are allowed to retake end-of-course tests in English, math, science, and social studies for which of the following reasons?

These can be retaken for any reason.

A decision by the Texas state legislature to allow state colleges and universities to set the rate of tuition charged to students led to

"deregulated" tuition.

The cost of recent reductions in spending on higher education by the state have been borne primarily by

students and parents.

There are multiple types of higher education institutions in Texas, but the most numerous are the

community and junior college districts.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2016 Texas ranked where in the number of uninsured people in a state?

highest

State universities will not receive any state funding for classes taken by a student that

extend beyond the 120 required for graduation.

What is the enforcement body for the Texas State Board of Education?

the Texas Education Authority

The Higher Education Assistance Fund was created to

support those schools that do not receive funding by the PUF.

During the 1980s and 1990s, state universities could set and charge fees for

student services only.

At the time open enrollment in Texas state universities ended, African American and Hispanic students accounted for about 20 percent of enrollment. In an attempt to increase minority enrollment, many colleges and universities began ______ programs.

affirmative action

According to the Texas comptroller's office, from 2002 to 2007 (fiscal years), the Texas state budget was "cut in terms of real dollar, per student funding for universities" by approximately how much?

20 percent

In what year was affirmative action effectively eliminated from higher education admissions policies in Texas?

1996

In 2017, the Legislative Budget Board reported that the state of Texas appropriated ______ for higher education.

$19 billion

As of 2014, Texas mandates that every student will have to take and pass a 42-hour fundamental components curriculum of classes that are identified

by the Higher Education Coordinating Board.

What is the definition of a "capital project" for which universities must seek funding outside of the regular state budget?

long-term investment projects requiring large sums

The Top Ten Percent rule has adversely affected

some high-performing students at better high schools.

From the 1950s to the 1970s, what was required for admission to a state university in Texas?

a Texas high school diploma

In a 2016 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court ______ the University of Texas's "consideration of race as part of its [admissions] process."

upheld

The U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Grutter v. Bollinger

overturned the Hopwood decision.

True or false: Texas has traditionally had more restrictive gun laws than many other states.

True

Higher education students in Texas can now receive a rebate of $1,000 if they graduate within three credit hours of what is required for their degree. How is this rebate funded?

likely through fees

The Top Ten Percent rule has positively affected

high-performing students at small rural schools.

How did the Fisher decision (2013) affect the University of Texas's admissions policy?

It did not change the university's policies.

What was the effect of the Hopwood decision in Texas?

It ended affirmative action practices in Texas state schools.

Which of the following is true of Texas's restrictions on firearm permits and carry rights?

Texas allows licensed individuals to carry concealed handguns on the premises of an institution of higher education.
Texas allows licensed gun owners to openly carry firearms.

Which of the following accurately describes gay adoption in Texas?

Texans are allowed to adopt without consideration of their sexual orientation.

The 1973 case ______ ruled that the Texas law banning abortions was unconstitutional.

Roe v. Wade

Which of the following describes Green Card holders?

legal permanent residents

In June 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges ruled

all state bans on gay marriage unconstitutional.

The opinion in Roe v. Wade was based on the constitutional right to

privacy.

National Guard troops began patrolling the Texas-Mexico border in

2018.

The application of the Top Ten Percent rule had its greatest effect on

the University of Texas.

In terms of finances, Texas's illegal immigration population disproportionately impacts

local governments.
hospitals.

Undocumented immigrants are eligible to receive which of the following?

K-12 education
emergency medical care

U.S. immigration policy is set at the ______ level.

federal

What was the ultimate fate of President Obama's Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) plan?

It was blocked after a 2016 U.S. Supreme Court deadlock decision.

In November 2005, Texas voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment to

ban gay marriage.

Governor Abbott ______ President Trump's requests for National Guard troops to patrol the Texas-Mexico border.

supports

For the purposes of water rights in Texas, water is measured in

acre feet.

In what year was the last Texas state comptroller's report on the financial effects of a large undocumented immigrant population?

2006

What was the result of the Supreme Court case Plyler v. Doe?

All states are required to provide K-12 education for undocumented immigrants and their children.

Recent federal immigration policy has focused on

the apprehension and deportation of people who are in the country illegally.

Which of the following is true of surface water rights in Texas?

Texas owns the surface water, but citizens can get the right to use a certain amount of it.

The Texas ___________ Act allows children born in Texas to illegal immigrant parents to pay the in-state college tuition rate, as long as the student promises to apply for legal resident status as soon as possible.

DREAM