Texas Government Test 5 (Chapters 9 & 10) – Flashcards
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The constitutionally weak executive structure in Texas shows the influence of anti-Reconstruction forces that opposed the policies of
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E. J. Davis
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Acts of the Texas legislature and the selection of appointed leaders made Governor Rick Perry
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more powerful than most earlier governors
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The governor of Texas is constitutionally allowed to serve
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unlimited terms
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The Texas Constitution requires that the governor and all other elected officials acknowledge
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the existence of a Supreme Being
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Which of the following would be eligible to serve as Texas governor, according to the state constitution?
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A 40-year-old Mexican citizen who has resided in Texas for twenty years
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In 1978, Texans elected ___________, their first Republican governor since Reconstruction
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William Clements
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It is common for governors to repay major contributors to their election campaigns with​
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appointments to key policymaking positions
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To gain support for their legislative agendas, Texas governors rely on all the following, except their
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strong constitutional powers
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In 2014, Rick Perry became the second Texas governor in history to ​be
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indicted on criminal charges
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The governor of Texas is compensated with
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​a salary of $150,000 per year, along with staff and maintenance for a personal residence
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The governor's success in dealing with lobbyists, legislators, and the media depends primarily on
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input and support of staff
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The size of the Texas governor's staff has recently
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been shrunk by Governor Perry to 266 persons
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In political terms, the principal function of the governor's staff is to
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protect their boss from adverse situations
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If the governor cannot finish his or her term, the officials who are in the line of succession include the
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lieutenant governor, president pro tempore of the Senate, Speaker of the House, attorney general, chief justices of the fourteen courts of appeals
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The governor of Texas may be removed from office through a procedure known as
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impeachment
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Should the governor and lieutenant governor both be out of the state at the same time,
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the president pro tempore of the Senate becomes acting governor
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Regarding the constitutional language relating to the removal of the governor, which statement is not correct?
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A governor may be removed by legislative "address."
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Which of the following factors had most to do with the removal of Governor Ferguson?
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A conflict with the University of Texas
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Which of the following is true of a governor's informal power?​
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It stems from popularity with the public and is based on traditions, symbols, and ceremonies
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Which official is responsible for ensuring that gas pumps, grocery store scales, and other meters are accurate?
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Texas commissioner of agriculture
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Which of the following is true of Governor Perry's use of social media?
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He made aggressive of multiple social media accounts to enhance his informal powers
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The appointed state official responsible for elections and voter registration is the
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secretary of state
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Which of the following executives is not appointed by the governor?
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Texas attorney general
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By law, gubernatorial appointees to a compensated office must
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be confirmed by a two-thirds vote of the Texas Senate
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When the governor consults with a senator from an appointee's home district to obtain support for a nomination, the governor is respecting the tradition of
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senatorial courtesy
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The governor can avoid Senate confirmation of an appointee by
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making a recess appointment
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Failure of the Senate to confirm a gubernatorial recess appointment prevents the governor from
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reappointing that person to the same position
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Limitations to the governor's appointment powers includes all the following, except
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a lack of recess appointment power
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Which of the following is true regarding the Texas governor's removal power?
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It is limited to the governor's own agency board appointees
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The governor's "military power" extends to all the following organizations, except the
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Texas Maritime Commission
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The constitutional role of "commander-in-chief" allows the Texas governor to use the Texas National Guard and State Guard to do all the following, except
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deploy military forces overseas
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The governor (with Senate approval) appoints the five members of the _____________ , the important law-enforcement agency that heads the Department of Public Safety
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governor of Texas
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Which of the following is not a way that Texas military units have been used since the year 2000?
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They were used to impose martial law during race riots in Dallas sparked by events in Ferguson, Missouri
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In Texas, the primary responsibility for enforcing the law rests with the
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municipal police and county sheriff's departments
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In times when quick but limited action is needed, a direct law-enforcement power that may be exercised by the governor is
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taking command of the Texas Rangers
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The governor's most significant constitutional budget power is
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vetoing all or part of the biennial legislative appropriations act
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A Texas governor can use "executive orders" to accomplish all the following, except
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punish elected officeholders
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If the governor wishes to make an official public announcement declaring a state of emergency, he can use
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a proclamation
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The governor's legislative powers include all the following, except
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appointing the chairs of legislative committees
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The Texas Enterprise Fund is an example of the governor using the power of state government to pursue
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economic development
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The most direct legislative power of the governor is his or her
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veto authority
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Which of the following is true of attempts by the legislature to override a governor's veto?
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Overriding a veto has occurred only once since the O'Daniel administration in 1941
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In legislative matters, the governor of Texas
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has absolute veto power without challenge once the legislature has adjourned
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The main judicial power of the governor of Texas is
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filling vacancies arising in state, district, and appellate courts
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Which of the following is not true of Governor Perry's impact on the state judiciary?
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Perry only appointed less than 50 judges and had little impact on the judiciary
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What distinguishes a full pardon from a conditional pardon?
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A full pardon restores civil right
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In the case of a person facing a death sentence, the governor of Texas may independently
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grant one 30-day stay of execution of a death sentence
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The term plural executive refers to the fact that in Texas
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most top executive officials are elected
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Which executive official primarily serves legislative functions?
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Lieutenant governor
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Which executive official represents the state in civil court, issues advisory opinions on legal questions, and enforces child support orders?
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The Texas attorney general
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The Texas attorney general can initiate quo warranto proceedings, which
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challenge an official's right to hold public office
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As an attorney general, Greg Abbott frequently used the power of his office to
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sue the federal government
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Administering the state's tax system, and acting as its treasurer is the job of the Texas
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comptroller of public accounts
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The comptroller of public accounts has the constitutional power to
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certify that appropriations bills passed by the legislature can be covered by expected revenue
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Promoting consistency in accounting across state agencies is the job of the Texas
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comptroller of public accounts
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Which of the following is not a role of the Texas land commissioner?
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Administering the state's severance taxes
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If an oil company wants to drill on public land, from whom would it secure the drilling lease?
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Commissioner of the General Land Office
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The Texas Veteran's Land Board and state veterans cemeteries fall under the office of the
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Texas land commissioner
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Which of the following is not a role of the Texas agriculture commissioner?
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Leasing public lands for mineral exploitation
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Texas law requires that the commissioner of agriculture be a practicing​
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farmer
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How many state agencies in Texas are substantially independent from the governor?
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Around 200
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Fragmentation of the Texas executive branch into independent agencies was done by various legislatures to
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avoid the issue of power becoming too centralized
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State agencies within Texas were created by the
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Texas Constitution and Texas legislature
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The mission of the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission is to
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recommend the merging, abolition, or continuation of state agencies
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State agencies are sometimes created as a result of
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citizen complaints and outrage over an issue
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State agencies are occasionally reorganized, merged, or abolished under a process called
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sunset review
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"Red tape" contributes to the image of most bureaucracies as
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inefficient
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Bureaucracies in Texas​
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​influence policy outcomes by the decisions they make
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Three factors that are important in determining a state agency's success in achieving its policy goals are
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elite access, vigor and vision of their leadership, and resources
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Over the years criticism has been leveled at the Health and Human Services Commission and the Texas attorney general for
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a lack of drive in pursuing nursing home violations
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The ability of business leaders to meet directly with high ranking bureaucrats to resolve issues is called
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elite access
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By 2012, how many employees did the state of Texas have?
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311,000
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The largest single employer in Texas is
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the state of Texas
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Acquiring a government job based on political loyalty, without regard to ability, is called
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political patronage
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A system that hires employees based on their expertise and competency is called a
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merit system
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Which policy regarding state employees is set by the legislature?
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Salary and compensation
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Which employs the most people in Texas?
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All ​local governments taken together
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The system that replaced the merit system in Texas was a
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centralized compensation and classification system
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Controversy has surrounded the State Board of Education due to its
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extremist ideological positions
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The approximate number of independent school districts in Texas is
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1,237
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Texas's commitment to education began with which state constitution?
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1836
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Decisions by local school boards and superintendents are primarily shaped by
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state rules
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Conservative members of the State Board of Education tend to be
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Anglo Republicans
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In recent years, Texas public school students have been increasingly
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ethnic or racial minorities and the economically disadvantaged
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Which of the following individuals has the most influence over Texas K-12 education?
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The commissioner of education
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One of the most contentious issues facing the State Board of Education in recent years has been
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review of textbooks
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Which of the following makes policies that affect independent school districts and approves textbooks for public schools?
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State Board of Education
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The Texas Workforce Commission
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operates the workers compensation program that assists workers injured on the job
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Which of the following is not a responsibility of the Texas Education Agency?
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It creates attendance zones for individual public elementary and secondary schools
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The Texas commissioner of education gets into office as a result of an appointment by the
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Texas governor, with confirmation by the Texas Senate
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Which of the following is not true of charter schools in Texas?
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They receive total funding from the legislature
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The current Texas testing program (STAAR) is controversial because
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​it requires end-of-course tests for some subjects
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How many community college districts are there in Texas?
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50
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The two widely recognized ''flagship'' state universities in Texas are
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the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University College Station
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Which of the following is not considered a "tier-one" national research university in Texas?
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Baylor University
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The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
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recently saw its power reduced through the sunset process
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The governance of Texas community colleges is performed mainly by
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local boards of trustees
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Colleges and universities in Texas are most influenced by the
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Higher Education Coordinating Board
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In the case of University of California v. Bakke (1978), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that __________ could be considered as one factor along with other criteria to achieve diversity in higher education
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race
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The Coordinating Board's plan to increase minority enrollment and success in Texas colleges has​
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​never been implemented
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In the case of Fisher v. University of Texas, the Supreme Court held that to use race as a criterion for admission,
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both a and b are correct
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It appears that the student bodies of UT-Austin and Texas A&M
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have become more diverse
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In recent years, Texas's poverty rate has been
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15-23 percent of the population
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Under the national Affordable Care Act​, Texas
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refused federal funds for Medicaid expansion and has one of the highest rates of uninsured citizens of all the states
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Which of the following sets human service policy in Texas for those agencies that administer such policy?
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The commissioner of Health and Human Services
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The Health and Human Services Commission in Texas administers all the following, except
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Social Security benefits
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Imagine you are a 19-year-old mother of one child, a recipient of public assistance, and a resident of Dallas County. Which of the following most threatens you?
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The cap on consecutive and lifetime receipt of cash public assistance benefits
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The Lone Star Card is used by a recipient of public assistance
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to obtain food items in a grocery store
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The state-federal program that provides direct cash payments to poor children and their families is
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Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
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Assume that you are a newly divorced, 27-year-old mother of two nondisabled children; your former husband has run off and cannot be located to make child support payments; you never graduated from high school; and you own no property. You are definitely ineligible for
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Medicare
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Which of the following is true
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​Texans age 15-24 account for the majority of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
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The purpose of the payroll tax collected by the Texas Workforce Commission is to
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provide unemployment compensation
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In Texas, education, health, and human services expenditures account for __________ of the state's budget
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three-fourths
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Which interests tend to benefit most from Texas business and regulatory policies?
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​Business
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The Texas Railroad Commission has responsibility for all the following, except
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breaking up railroad monopolies
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Probably the most important duty of the Texas Railroad Commission from the standpoint of the rest of the United States is
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regulating the production of oil and natural gas
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Electric providers in Texas are regulated by the
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Public Utilities Commission
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Elimination of government restrictions and allowing free market forces to prevail is called
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deregulation
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The ability of the Public Utilities Commission to regulate communication in Texas is somewhat limited by the
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policies of the national government
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The Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) has constructed and maintains more than __________ miles of roads and highways
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80,000
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In response to a shortage of highway funding, Texas has attempted to
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shift to additional privately constructed toll roads
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Ninety-five percent of public transportation in Texas is by
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bus
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In Texas,
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the parks system is the responsibility of the Texas Environmental Quality Commission
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The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
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enforces state and some federal air and water quality standards
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Environmental policies in Texas are coordinated by the
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Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
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Because of its growing population, industry, and irrigation-based agriculture, Texas faces serious shortages of
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water
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Under the "rule of capture," underground water is controlled by
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individual landowners
