Texas Politics Unit 4 & 5

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Fourth-Degree felony for non-violent crimes and carries an incarceration of six months to two years.

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State-Jail Felony

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Recording facts about an arrest and charges against the arrested person

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Booking

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Murder must be committed under certain circumstances resulting in death sentence or life in prison

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Capital Murder

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Procedure under which a convicted criminal is not sent to prison if he or she meets certain conditions stipulated by the judge

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Regular Probation

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Negotiate with the prosecutor to reduce a guilty plea to a felony 3-charge in favor of a plea to a misdemeanor

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Plea Bargain

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Book of definitions of the criminal laws in Texas and corresponding punishments

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Penal Code

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An early release of an inmate from prison, subject to certain conditions is called

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Parole

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Judge Wayne Justice's decision about overcrowding in Texas prisons resulted in Texas building more prisons

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Ruiz vs Estelle

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Before searching the trunk of a car that had been towed to the police pound 11 hours ago, police must satisfy this standard before opening

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Probable Cause

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Juvenile offenders are subject to this civil, not criminal, law code

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Family Law

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Probation officer to probationer:

You will be reporting to me in the office at least twice a month because you graded maximum supervision on this instrument that the department uses

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Risk & Needs Scale

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A US Supreme Court case held that the death penalty law as written was unconstitutional because it gave too much discretion to the prosecution, thereby providing an opportunity for discrimination in sentencing people to death

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Furman vs Georgia

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You are ineligible for probation on your felony offense because you were sentenced to years beyond this limit to qualify for probation

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10 Years

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A person successfully completing this program may avoid plea bargain or sentencing, as well as have charges dropped

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Diversionary Probation

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Standard of evidence to find liability in civil cases

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Preponderance of Evidence

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Following a guilty verdict, the jury must then proceed to this phase of trial

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Punishment Phase

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Judge to Jury:

I am instructing you to find the defendant Not Guilty

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Directed Verdict

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This group of offenses, based on section of Article 42.12 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, such as aggravated kidnapping, aggravated sexual assault, and indecency with a child, has nothing to do with gravitational pull, but they can pull down your changes getting probation

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3G Offenses

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Similar to a grand jury indictment, this charging document which is used frequently for misdemeanor cases, or when there is no grand jury, is called

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Information

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In making this type of plea, I might as well plead guilty because the consequences are the same as pleading guilty, however, this plea will be crucial should there be a future civil case. Plea of No Contest.

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Nolo Contendere

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In Texas, executions are now carried out with this method

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Lethal Injection

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The calculation of liability in monetary terms in civil cases is called

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Damages

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You do not want to receive this bad news from a grand jury, though you might at first mistake it as coming from a debt collecting agency

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True Bill

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This is the range of incarceration for a second degree felony, which may also included a fine of $10,000

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2 - 20 Years

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Prosecutor to Judge:

I challenge and object to the inclusion of this prospective juror in the final panel of jurors because he is biased

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Challenge for Cause

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Money used to get someone out of jail as surety or guaranty that they show up for their court date

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Bail

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Max time in county jail when charged with a misdemeanor A offense

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1 Year

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The punishment for a capital felony in Texas is death or life imprisonment with out this

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Parole

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As a prospective juror, I am called this

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Venireman

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"Old Sparky" is a nickname for

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Electric Chair

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This term describes the rate in which inmates released from prison are rearrested for a serious crime after a period of time

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Recidivism

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Inmates must serve this portion of their term or 15 years, whichever is less, to be eligible for parole in Texas

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1/3 of their Term

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"I find you guilty and sentence you to 10 years in prison, but I am suspending the execution of the punishment" is likely a statement from a judge about to sentence someone for what kind of probation?

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Regular or Adjudicated Probation

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"I find enough evidence to find you guilty, but I am not finding you guilty now" is likely a statement from a judge about to sentence someone to what kind of probation?

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Deferred Adjudication Probation

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A person is called before a court and is informed of the charges in a process know as

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Arraignment

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In this type of probation, the judge's sentence includes sending the offender to prison, and decides in 180 days whether to bring the offender back and place him on regular probation or direct that he continue serving his term in prison

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Shock Probation

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Because of overcrowding in some Texas prisons, the state has incarcerated some prisoners in privately run prisons. This arrangement is called

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Privatization

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This standard to validate a conviction requires that there is no other logical explanation that can be derived from the facts, except that the accused committed the crime as charged.

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Beyond Reasonable Doubt

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Prosecutor to Judge and Opposing Attorney:

I am striking Mr. X from the prospective juror list. I do not have to give a reason (the prosecutor availing himself of this).

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Peremptory Challenge

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One method by which a nonviolent offender obtains credits, such as 75 days for every 30 days actually served in prison, is due to good behavior. The credit is known as this.

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Good Time

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This government agency in Texas is responsible for statewide criminal justice for adult offenders, including probation, the prison system, state jails, and correctional facilities

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Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ)

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Number of jurors in a felony trial

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12 Jurors

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Number of jurors in a misdemeanor trial jury

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6 Jurors

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To indict, this minimum number of jurors in a grand jury must be obtained

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9 of 12

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He was sentenced to 30 days in jail, but served no time because he was not able to post bail and sat 30 days in jail until his court sentencing date. He received credit for what?

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Time Served

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To be eligible for parole in Texas, a prisoner must serve a third of the sentence or this number of years, whichever is less

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15 Years

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To qualify to be tried as an adult in some serious crimes, a juvenile must be no less than this age

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14 Years Old

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Violent and repeat offender juveniles are placed in the institutional division of this agency

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Texas Youth Commission (TYC)

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No probation exceeds this number of years

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10 Years

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The term that describes a proceeding where two parties - plaintiff and defendant - appear before an impartial judge

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Adversary Proceeding

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This term refers to the questioning of prospective jurors by the prosecution and defense. Sounds French.

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Voire Dire

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All juvenile cases are handled by this type of court

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Juvenile Court

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Juveniles this age and over may be tried as an adult in certain serious crimes

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14 Years Old

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Age-wise, adult felony offenders may qualify for boot camp if they are at least 14 years old, but young than...

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26 Years Old

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An arrest must satisfy this standard, which requires that an arresting officer have reasonable grounds that a crime has been committed

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Probable Cause

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As a statement of priorities, the budget allocates the most expenditure to these two major areas

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Education & Health and Human Services

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Fragmentation of the Texas Executive branch into independent agencies was done by various legislatures in order to avoid the issue of power becoming this

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Centralized Power

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State agencies were created by the Texas Constitution and the Texas legislature. Some of them are sometimes created as a result of these citizen activities over an issue.

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Citizens Complaints & Interest Groups

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You may enjoy watching sunsets, but you do not want your agency to be unfavorably targeted by this commission whose mission is to recommend to the Texas legislature the continuance, merging, or abolition of state agencies every 12-year cycle.

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Texas Sunset Advisory Commission

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Elite access, vigor and vision of the leadership, and resources are three important factors in an agency's success in achieving these

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Public Policy or Policy Goals

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The ability of business leaders to meet directly with decision-makers, such as bureaucrats, to resolve issues, is described with this term

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Elite Access

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Largest single employer in Texas

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State of Texas

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Acquiring a government job because of party loyalty without regard to ability is known as

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Patronage

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A system that hires employees based on their expertise and competency is called

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Merit System

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In Texas, this system replaced the merit system

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Centralized Compensation & Classification System covering most of the Executive Branch

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This board, which reviews textbooks for use in public schools, has sometimes caused embarrassment across the state and with the legislature because of its extreme ideological battles such as evolution vs creation, the roles of Moses and Christianity in American law and the writing of the US Constitution, and the nature of Islam as a religion of peace.

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State Board of Education (SBOE)

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This board whose commissioner is appointed by the Governor, administers the Foundation School Program Fund, temporarily assumes control of school districts that fall below standards, and control of school districts which are in violation of the Texas Education Code.

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Texas Education Agency (TEA)

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These schools are an alternative where public schools have not performed well, draw students from across school districts, but do not receive total funding from the legislature.

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Charter Schools

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TEKS and STAAR are associated with what state education programs?

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Testing

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Texas has two flagship universities

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University of Texas and Texas A&M

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In Texas, this board regulates colleges and universities and approves all their new degree programs

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Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

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These three universities in Texas are considered tier one research institutions nationally

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University of Texas

Texas A&M

Rice University

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The governance of Texas community college districts, of which there are 50 in Texas, is performed mainly by

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Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

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The University of Texas and Texas A&M are governed by this board, whose members are appointed by the Governor

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Board of Regents

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The US Supreme Court prohibited the use of this as the only determining factor to admission to a public university or college

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Race

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The case of Fisher v University approved this broad approach to diversify admission to the University of Texas

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Holistic Approach

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This commission administers the Temporary Assistance for Need Families (TANF), Medicare assistance, and Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP)

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Texas Health & Human Services

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According to this rule for admission, any graduate from a private or public high school in Texas that graduates in the top 10% of his or her graduating class is guaranteed admission to a Texas public college or university regardless of test scores.

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Top 10% Rule

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Regulating oil and gas production is probably the most important duty of this commission from the standpoint of the rest of the United States

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Texas Railroad Commission

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This agency regulates electric providers in Texas

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Public Utility Commission

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This term means that business practices are mainly governed by market forces and the elimination of government restrictions, thereby allowing free market to prevail.

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Deregulation

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Homeowners' insurance is regulated by this Texas commissioner

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Texas Commissioner of Insurance

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80,000 miles of roads and highways have been constructed and maintained by this agency

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Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT)

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90% of public transportation in Texas is carried out by this mode of transportation

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Bus

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This industry is the 3rd largest industry in Texas

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Tourism

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This agency coordinates environmental policies in Texas, and enforces state and some federal air and water quality standards.

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Texas Commission of Environmental Quality (TCEQ)

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This state agency is charged with insuring a supply of safe drinking water for colonias Hispanic settlements along the Rio Grande.

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Texas Water Development Board

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Under this rule, landowners own the water below their property.

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Rule of Capture

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The alliance among bureaucrats, interest groups, and legislative committees - with respect to a policy area - is called...

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Iron Triangle

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In terms of renewable energy sources, Texas leads the nation in this

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Wind Energy

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This term describes government decisions regarding revenues, expenditures, and borrowing.

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Fiscal Policy

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The traditional Texas fiscal policy is the achievement of a balanced budget through what about taxes and public spending?

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Low Taxes & Low Services

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This term describes the fund also known as "rainy day" fund

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Economic Stabilization Fund

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To raise revenue, most Texans prefer these types of taxes that put a greater burden on lower incomes and less on higher incomes

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Regressive Tax

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This group in Texas pays the most taxes in proportion to their income

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Poorest 20%

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The largest source of nontax revenue in Texas comes from this level of government

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Federal

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This type of tax has the potential of being the largest source of taxes, but it is not collected in Texas

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State Income Tax

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This Texas state tax refers to the revenue collected from many businesses

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Franchise Tax

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"Pay-as-you-go" budget results in Texas having this budget

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Balanced Budget

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A budget where expenditures exceed revenue and must be supplemented by borrowing, as in the federal budget, is described as

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Deficit Budget

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The Texas Constitution requires that the state's spending should be balanced with projected State ________________

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Revenues

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This fund measures the state's fiscal health and is available to the Texas legislature for general appropriation purposes.

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General Revenue Fund

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This tax is considered the most significant revenue producing tax in Texas

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Sales Tax

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Taxes on alcohol, mixed drinks, and tobacco are referred to as these kinds of taxes

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Sin Tax

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This official who administers most taxes in Texas

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Comptroller of Public Accounts

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This state tax is levied on a natural resource taken from the Earth

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Severance Tax

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Regarding tax burden on its citizens, Texas ranks this among the 50 states

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Bottom - 48th

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Federal funds have historically made up this percent of Texas' revenue

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30% - 35%

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These constitute the largest share of public land revenue

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Oil Lease Fees & Royalties

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An increase in Texas' bond debt must be approved by these

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Texas Bond Review Board

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These are the beginning and end dates of the fiscal biennium budget year

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September 1 of Odd Numbered Years to August 31 of Following Year

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This board is the most influential budgeting organization in Texas

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Legislative Budget Board

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This official provides the projected revenue levels to the Governor and Legislature

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Comptroller of Public Accounts

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That the Governor and the Legislature submit budget proposals is know as this type of budgeting

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Dual Budget

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This percent of state expenditure in Texas goes to Education

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40% - 45%

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The second largest single expenditure item by functional class of the Texas government goes to these

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Public & Secondary Education

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This official determines if state agencies have spend public funds in accordance with the law

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State Auditor

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The wealth equalization fund passed by the Texas legislature, popularly called this, requires school districts with wealth to transfer money to poor school districts.

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Robin Hood Plan

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Wealthy school districts, those with tax base equal to $319,500 or more per student, are called these schools, referring to a chapter of the Education Code.

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Chapter 41 Schools

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The operation of instructional program at most state universities is funded primarily through the

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State Legislature

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This program allows parents to lock in the cost of future tuition and fees at a state university or college

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Texas Tomorrow Fund

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Compared to the rest of the nation, Texas ranks this in number of children without health insurance

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Highest

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This acronym stands for Children's Health Insurance Program

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CHIP

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A high school graduate near the top of the class who has taken the recommended curriculum, and who meets economic need criteria may qualify for this program that pays full tuition at state institutions.

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Texas Grant Program

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The Texas Transportation Commission uses funds from this source as its newest means of financing Texas highways.

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Tolls