NEW TX Govt Test 2 Review: Judiciary, Criminal Justice, Education Policy, Ethics, Budget

Question 1

Which of the following state courts have appellate jurisdiction?

Accepted Answer

Court of Criminal Appeals, Court of Appeals, Texas Supreme Court

Question 2

Reforms to decrease incarceration in TX regarding low level drug offenders include...

Accepted Answer

creating specialty drug courts, easing parole criteria for non-violent offenders, in-prison treatment options

Question 3

The Texas Supreme Court and Court of Criminal Appeals have ___ judges each.

Accepted Answer

9

Question 4

All federal money, including Medicaid, comes to states from the Federal Govt

Accepted Answer

with rules the state must follow to keep $

Question 5

The Childrens' Health Insurance Program is for

Accepted Answer

poor kids whose parents make too much to qualify for Medicaid

Question 6

Which items receive 14% of the state's expenditures?

Accepted Answer

regulation, economic devolpment, buisness

Question 7

What is the most important issue in Texas's ability to carry out the death penalty today?

Accepted Answer

shortage of drugs needed to execute

Question 8

Many low level drug offenders are also dealing with ___ which prisons aren't able to deal with

Accepted Answer

mental illness, poverty, homelessness

Question 9

These schools take state public money but have different TEA accountability standards than other public schools

Accepted Answer

charter schools

Question 10

Which of the following is a local trial court in TX?

Accepted Answer

Municipal Courts, Probate Court, Justice of the Peace (JP) Court, County Court

Question 11

How were executions in TX performed after 1923 until 1964?

Accepted Answer

administered by the state, by electrocution

Question 12

What do policy makers take into account when passing laws...

Accepted Answer

state budget, federal law/court rulings, public opinion

Question 13

In order for Texas to have a state income tax...

Accepted Answer

TX voters must approve a constitutional amendment for it

Question 14

Which items receive 2/3's of the state's expenditures (tax money)?

Accepted Answer

education, health, human services

Question 15

The TX Legislature funds a commission to examine why wrongful convictions happen.

Accepted Answer

False

Question 16

Charter schools tend to have more _____ students than public schools.

Accepted Answer

Latino, African American, economically disadvantaged

Question 17

if "an efficient system of free public schools" included school financing was the question in this TX Supreme Court case

Accepted Answer

Edgewood v. Kirby

Question 18

Which jury determines guilt?

Accepted Answer

petit jury

Question 19

How many circuit courts of appeal does TX have?

Accepted Answer

14

Question 20

During the 20th century (i.e. 1900's) the ____ political party controlled Texas

Accepted Answer

Democratic

Question 21

The reason TX has wrongful convictions is because by law prosecutors must convict for a crime.

Accepted Answer

False

Question 22

Which Supreme Court case temporarily ended executions nationwide?

Accepted Answer

Furman v. Georgia

Question 23

With the exception of Municipal Court Judges, all TX judges become judge through...

Accepted Answer

Partisan Election

Question 24

The highest source of funding in the TX budget (after state sales tax) with the MOST dedicated funds?

Accepted Answer

money from the federal government

Question 25

Precints must be equal in population because

Accepted Answer

of a US Supreme Court Case that requires it, they elect commissioners from single-member districts

Question 26

Texas had ceased executions before the temporary ban from the US Supreme Court

Accepted Answer

True

Question 27

Laws that cover crimes, penalties, and correctional measures

Accepted Answer

Texas Penal Code

Question 28

What does it mean for TX to have a "bifurcated court system"?

Accepted Answer

TX has 2 courts of last resort

Question 29

Plessy v. Fergusson...

Accepted Answer

allowed states to pass laws that required segregation, was overturned by Brown v. Board of Education

Question 30

From 2004-2012, _ criminal cases had prosecutors who committed misconduct to obtain a conviction

Accepted Answer

91

Question 31

The rainy day fund in TX...

Accepted Answer

can only be used for emergency purposes, is legally known as the "Economic Stabilization Fund"

Question 32

The commissioner of education...

Accepted Answer

is appointed to a 4 year term, heads the Texas Education Agency, is appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate

Question 33

As chairman of TX SCOPE committee on K-12 public education, Perot showed contempt towards __ because ___.

Accepted Answer

athletic programs; students who were failing academically still played

Question 34

The US report, "A Nation at Risk (1983)" was important because it...

Accepted Answer

said national test scores were declining, led TX to create SCOPE & investigate its education issues, said functional illiteracy was increasing nationally

Question 35

What are possible outcomes if TX continues to serve poor & minority students badly?

Accepted Answer

increase in prison population, higher cost of welfare, decrease in tax revenue, lower average incomes

Question 36

How do we measure the success of welfare reform?

Accepted Answer

reduction in # of people receiving welfare, increase in # of people who enter the workforce

Question 37

The single largest source of revenue collected by the TX is...

Accepted Answer

sales tax

Question 38

Approximately how many Texans are uninsured?

Accepted Answer

25%

Question 39

Dropout rates in Texas tend to be highest for

Accepted Answer

Latino students, all students from low socio-economic (i.e. poor) backgrounds, African American students

Question 40

If you commit murder, you are exempt from the death penalty if...

Accepted Answer

you are intellectually disabled, you were not mentally competent when you committed the crime, you are mentally ill, you were under 18 years of age when the crime was committed

Question 41

Who is responsible for governing public universities in Texas?

Accepted Answer

a board of regents

Question 42

To meet the long term water needs of TX, the water development board has recommended

Accepted Answer

expanding & developing surface water, a focus on conserving water

Question 43

You are eligible for the death penalty if you...

Accepted Answer

murder a victim under 10 years of age, murder someone while committing a felony, murder a cop, firefighter or prison employee on duty

Question 44

How many members are on the State Board of Education?

Accepted Answer

15

Question 45

Which court acts as a small claims court?

Accepted Answer

Statutory County Courts at Law, Justice of the Peace (JP) Courts, Constitutional County Courts

Question 46

In order to be found liable in a civil case, how many jurors must rule against the defendant?

Accepted Answer

10 out of 12 in state court, 5 out of 6 in local court

Question 47

The use of the death penalty is decreasing in US but increasing in TX

Accepted Answer

False

Question 48

The TEA administers the states education. Some of its most significant powers are..

Accepted Answer

administers testing for elementary & secondary schools, development of state curriculum, accrediting schools, distributes state and federal funds

Question 49

Which of the following are sources of revenue for TX?

Accepted Answer

gas tax, franchise/business tax, sales tax

Question 50

From 1989-2014, ___ people were exonerated in TX based off of DNA evidence

Accepted Answer

38

Question 51

Texas is known as being a ____ state.

Accepted Answer

low tax, low service

Question 52

Major issues in TX education policy over the past several decades

Accepted Answer

excellence in educational achievement, desegregation, equitable funding

Question 53

How are members of the State Board of Education (SBOE) selected?

Accepted Answer

elected from single member districts

Question 54

The Permanent School Fund...

Accepted Answer

guarantees bonds issued by local school districts, gives $ to schools based on attendance

Question 55

Regarding clemency, the Governor can ...

Accepted Answer

solely grant a 30 day reprieve, reduce a sentence w/ recommendation from board of pardons, grant pardon w/ recommendation from board of pardons

Question 56

In order to be found guilty in a criminal case, the verdict must be ____ .

Accepted Answer

unanimous

Question 57

In TX, a person w/ mental illness is __ more likely to be incarcerated.

Accepted Answer

8 times

Question 58

According to TX Constitution, TX public school must...

Accepted Answer

be equitably funded, be efficient, be free

Question 59

The pay-as-you-go system in TX...

Accepted Answer

bans deficit financing, requires TX to have bonds if it needs to borrow money, requires the state to only spend the money it has

Question 60

How long are the terms for judges on state courts with appellate jurisdiction?

Accepted Answer

6 years staggered

Question 61

Which agency is responsible for collecting data on hate crimes in TX?

Accepted Answer

the Texas Department of Public Safety

Question 62

Which of the following groups comprise the majority of TX students?

Accepted Answer

Latinos

Question 63

When the legislature faced a shortfall in 2003, it...

Accepted Answer

cut funding to higher education, deregulated cost of tuition

Question 64

Major challenges facing education policy in Texas include

Accepted Answer

minority students are increasing, high percentage of students who are not proficient in English Language, economically disadvantaged students increasing

NEW TX Govt Test 2 Review: Judiciary, Criminal Justice, Education Policy, Ethics, Budget

Questions 89

NEW TX Govt Test 2 Review: Judiciary, Criminal Justice, Education Policy, Ethics, Budget

Questions 89