Deck 14: Building the Future: Public Policies for a Changing Texas

Question 1

The term "dreamers" refers to individuals protected under which of the following?

A) Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
B) Development, Reform, Evaluation, and Modernization Program
C) Refugee Resettlement and Assistance Program
D) Advocates for Victims of Crime

Answer 1

A

Question 2

According to the Federal Highway Administration, 19 percent of the 53,000 bridges in Texas are rated as

A) being "structurally deficient" or "functionally obsolete."
B) being in "fair" or "poor" condition.
C) having advanced safety features.
D) being overused by too much traffic.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

What are sanctuary cities?

A) parts of Texas where undocumented immigrants are given special treatment by local officials
B) localities where sheriffs do not notify federal immigration authorities when undocumented immigrants are arrested
C) a special type of general law city
D) parts of Texas where regulations regarding mandatory vaccinations for children do not apply

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Which of the following is the measurement of the total length of a road or a segment of a road?

A) centerline miles
B) lane miles
C) vehicle miles
D) road distance

Question 5

As cars and trucks become more fuel efficient,

A) they are becoming lighter, causing less wear and tear on the roads.
B) fewer Texans rely on personal cars or trucks for their daily transportation needs.
C) drivers are buying less gasoline, thereby reducing the amount of money collected by the state in fuel taxes.
D) there is less of a need to explore alternative transportation solutions such as high-speed trains.

Question 6

Which of the following accounts for both the length of the road and the width of the road, as indicated by the number of lanes?

A) paved miles
B) lane miles
C) road miles
D) official miles

Question 7

The high-speed bullet train project currently under development would connect which two cities in Texas?

A) Houston and Dallas
B) Houston and Austin
C) Austin and Dallas
D) Dallas and San Antonio

Question 8

_______________ have recently been used to pay for maintenance and construction of roads and highways.

A) Sales taxes on motor vehicles
B) Tolls
C) Vehicle registration fees
D) Taxes on public transportation fares

Question 9

Which agency is responsible for monitoring land crossings between Texas and Mexico?

A) Texas Border Patrol
B) U.S. Border Patrol
C) Texas National Guard
D) U.S. Border Enforcement Agency

Question 10

When taking into consideration taxes on both gasoline and diesel, which of the following is true?

A) Texans pay the lowest fuel taxes out of the ten largest states.
B) Texans pay higher fuel taxes to make up for having no personal income tax.
C) Texans pay lower fuel taxes because there is widespread public transportation system that needs to be subsidized.
D) The amount of fuel taxes paid by Texans is at the national average.

Question 11

Taken together, the sprawling cities and ________________ make it difficult to develop public transportation in most areas in Texas.

A) car-centric culture
B) political culture
C) pro-business culture
D) anti-business culture

Question 12

In 2015, approximately what percentage of the population living in Texas was born outside of the United States?

A) 16 percent
B) 27 percent
C) 35 percent
D) 5 percent

Question 13

Many sheriffs opposed SB 4 because

A) they feared it would lead to people underreporting crimes.
B) they believed that it would undermine cooperation between state and federal law enforcement agencies.
C) they thought that it gave local governments too much power over law enforcement issues.
D) it would encourage further illegal immigration into Texas.

Question 14

Although the use of toll roads allowed roads and highways to be built _________________, they are _________________.

A) without raising taxes; very unpopular with voters
B) quickly, often built using substandard materials
C) without public funds, only built in areas where they will make a profit
D) in areas with high levels of congestion, under the sole jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Transportation/Federal Highway Administration

Question 15

Part of the opposition to the high-speed train project

A) is due to the large tax breaks the train company will get.
B) is due to the unknown nature of the bullet train technology.
C) is due to rural landowners not wanting to sell their land to the state to improve the travel capabilities of urban dwellers.
D) is based on a concern about which cities it connects, and that the train should go to different destinations.

Question 16

It is estimated that undocumented immigrants paid ___________ in state and local taxes in 2014.

A) $1.6 billion
B) $10 million
C) less than $5 million
D) $578 million

Question 17

In order to become a naturalized citizen, you must

A) have entered the United States legally, been a resident of the United States for at least 5 years, and be able to demonstrate good moral character, knowledge of American government, and a basic command of English.
B) have at least one immediate family member who is already a U.S. citizen, been a resident of the United States for at least 10 years, and have working knowledge of both English and American government.
C) be able to demonstrate that you have a marketable skill, be sponsored by an employer, have entered the United States legally, been a resident for at least 5 years, and be able to speak English.
D) be able to demonstrate that you are employed, have been a resident of the United States for 10 years, have knowledge of U.S. government and history, and be fluent in English.

Question 18

According to the Texas Dream Act,

A) children who were brought to the United States illegally by their parents cannot be deported as long as they live with their parents.
B) undocumented immigrants living in Texas have the ability to pay in-state tuition at public universities in Texas.
C) undocumented immigrants living in Texas who arrived prior to age 15 are eligible to apply for permanent legal residency if they graduate from a Texas high school.
D) the top 2.5 percent of each graduating class of Texas high schools will receive tuition waivers at public colleges and universities in Texas.

Question 19

Having a widespread public transportation system is challenging for Houston because

A) the city has over 1,200 square miles of territory and it would be expensive to have bus or rail service for this large of an area.
B) since the area is vulnerable to hurricanes, public infrastructure projects require much more costly insurance coverage.
C) the Houston metro area spreads across multiple counties and there is not enough support from the regional council of governments to create the necessary regional transportation network.
D) voters have repeatedly rejected bond initiatives needed to fund the building of public transportation infrastructure.

Question 20

The largest source of funding for roads and highways on Texas comes from

A) user fees to use toll roads.
B) vehicle registration fees.
C) taxes on motor fuels.
D) federal grants.

Question 21

Which public university in Texas can trace its origins to the Texas Constitution?

A) Sam Houston State University
B) Texas A&M University
C) The University of North Texas
D) The University of Houston

Question 22

The 2012 State Water Plan discussed strategies to address both the short- and long-term water needs in Texas including

A) raising the tax on water to encourage conservation efforts and statewide water restrictions.
B) importing more water from surrounding states where water is more plentiful and encouraging more citizens to dig their own wells.
C) a focus on conservation and expanding and developing available surface water.
D) requesting federal funding to develop massive desalinization plants along the Gulf Coast and laws restricting the construction of in-ground pools.

Question 23

Normal schools were established in order to

A) train teachers.
B) provide free K-12 education to all children under the age of 18 in Texas.
C) help students with behavioral challenges continue to get an education.
D) provide technical and vocational skills courses.

Question 24

Which argument is made by supporters of a physical wall separating the United States and Mexico?

A) Immigration reform cannot be successful without a secure border, and the wall is the best way to secure the border.
B) The United States is one of the only countries in the world that does not have a physical barrier separating itself from its neighbors.
C) Physical barriers serve as a deterrent, and deterrence is the most successful long-term strategy to secure the border.
D) Physical barriers are a cost-effective security measure, and will end up saving significant amounts of money over the lifetime of the barrier.

Question 25

The Water Rights Adjudication Act created

A) a unified permit system related to surface water and well-defined underground streams.
B) a mechanism for landowners to dispute rulings by water districts that limited restricted pumping of groundwater on their property.
C) a system for local governments to work with the Texas Water Development Board to ensure that the state water plan provides an equitable distribution of water throughout the state.
D) a way to automatically transfer monies from the State Water Implementation Fund (SWIFT) to the State Water Implementation Revenue Fund (SWIRFT).

Question 26

Which goal is presented in the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's strategic plan titled "60x30TX" that was released in 2015?

A) Sixty percent of all students enrolled in all public colleges and universities in Texas will complete their degrees in at least 5 years by 2030.
B) Sixty percent of Texans between the ages of 25 and 34 will have completed a certificate or degree by 2030.
C) Sixty percent of all Texans will possess and be able to demonstrate "marketable skills" by 2030.
D) Sixty percent of college graduates will complete their degree with no loan debt by 2030.

Question 27

Community colleges are supported in part by ___________________.

A) local tax dollars
B) dedicated funding from the Permanent College Fund
C) dedicated funding from the Higher Education Fund
D) dedicated funding from the Texas Educational Fund

Question 28

Monies from the Available University Fund (AUF) can be used for which of the following purposes?

A) to guarantee a bond issued by the University of Texas System to build a new dormitory on the campus of one of its system schools
B) to pay for operational costs of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
C) to supplement financial aid offers made to students enrolled in the Toward Excellence Access and Success Grant Program (TEXAS Grant)
D) to pay for operational expenses on the campus of any public university in the state

Question 29

Water policy in Texas is based on

A) federal law mandating all aspects of water use in Texas.
B) a complicated system of private property rights.
C) the fact that Texas has no major rivers, lakes, or aquifers.
D) fear that Texas is in a permanent state of drought.

Question 30

What happens if members of the Texas National Guard who are deployed at the border see someone illegally crossing the border?

A) They have to notify the Border Patrol to make the arrest. The Texas National Guard is part of the military, and members of the military cannot generally arrest anyone.
B) They are allowed to detain the individual for no more than 36 hours before transferring custody to federal officials. The Texas National Guard has a custodial arrangement with federal law enforcement agencies.
C) They catch the individual and then release the individual on the other side of the border. The Texas National Guard is responsible for implementing the program known as "catch and release."
D) They issue an audible warning to stop, and if the individual does not stop, they have permission to use force. There are signs posted along the border that it is a live fire area.

Question 31

The Constitution of 1876 created a Permanent University Fund (PUF) from the sale of what?

A) livestock and other agricultural products
B) certain public lands
C) oil and natural gas exports
D) exports of furniture and other manufactured goods

Question 32

Seven states, including Texas, sued the federal government in May 2018 arguing that DACA was unconstitutional because

A) it violated the separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches of government described in the U.S. Constitution.
B) it violated the 10th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
C) it violated the division of powers between the federal and state governments described in the U.S. Constitution.
D) it violated powers granted to the president in Article III of the U.S. Constitution.

Question 33

How many major water reservoirs are currently in Texas?

A) 53
B) 8
C) 188
D) 101

Question 34

When it was originally established, which institutions in Texas could receive funding from the Higher Education Fund (HEF)?

A) The Texas State Technical College, universities, and health-related institutions that are not eligible for or included in PUF funding could get funding from the HEF.
B) Any public college or university in Texas could receive funding from the HEF.
C) Funding from the HEF would be restricted to public two-year colleges in Texas.
D) Only colleges and universities that have an enrollment of over 8,000 could receive funding from the HEF.

Question 35

Which agency is responsible for developing a standardizing core curriculum used at all public colleges and universities in Texas?

A) Texas State Board of Education
B) Texas Department of Education
C) Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
D) Texas Commission on Higher Education

Question 36

How are tuition and fee schedules set at public universities in Texas?

A) University presidents submit requests to their system's Board of Regents who set the tuition and fee schedules.
B) The Texas Legislature sets the tuition and fee schedules based on requests submitted by university presidents.
C) University presidents set the tuition and fee schedules based on the needs of their individual campuses.
D) Voters approve tuition and fee schedules every other year after they are proposed by the legislature during the regular legislative sessions.

Question 37

In 2018, the Trump administration announced a "zero tolerance" policy designed to deter people from crossing the southern border illegally. Which of the following was a consequence of this policy?

A) Portions of the Texas National Guard were permanently "federalized" to implement the policy.
B) Vacant schools have been leased by the federal government as temporary detention centers.
C) the separation of minor children from their parents for extended periods of time
D) A new division of the U.S. Border Patrol has been created to implement this policy.

Question 38

Texas has _____ university systems.

A) three
B) six
C) five
D) four

Question 39

Most of the water in Texas is for

A) national defense purposes.
B) home consumption by households.
C) irrigation.
D) additional water supplies for neighboring states.

Question 40

The law of capture, as it pertains to water policy in Texas, essentially means that

A) the state owns the water rights because it is sovereign over Texas residents.
B) the federal government has the right to capture water in Texas because of the supremacy clause in the federal Constitution.
C) the first person to capture the water by pumping it out of the ground owns it.
D) the state can capture and tax any business that uses state water without reporting usage statistics to the state water board.

Question 41

In 2013, voters in Texas approved a constitutional amendment that dealt with water policy. What was included in this amendment?

A) The voters approved the creation of a dedicated water fund, known as the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT), through a transfer of $2 billion from the Rainy Day Fund.
B) The voters formalized the "Law of Capture" as part of the Texas Constitution.
C) The voters approved the addition of a new article to the Texas Constitution dedicated to water policy, similar to the sections of the Constitution that deal with education and public lands.
D) The voters formalized access to clean water as a basic right that is included in the Texas Bill of Rights.

Question 42

One of the primary duties of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) is to coordinate policy and decisions related to funding for colleges and universities in Texas.

Question 43

The proposed bullet train between Dallas and Houston would use French train (TGV) technology.

Question 44

The Texas Dream Act was signed into law by Governor George W. Bush.

Question 45

The primary source of funding for the Permanent University Fund (PUF) is from sales of lottery tickets.

Question 46

More than one-half of the water used in Texas comes from

A) ocean desalinization plants.
B) lakes and streams.
C) aquifers.
D) rainwater collected in holding ponds.

Question 47

Tax increases or toll roads must be used to adequately fund needed growth and maintenance of Texas's roads and highways.

Question 48

The Higher Education Fund (HEF) is funded through General Revenues portion of the state budget.

Question 49

In the case of Edwards Aquifer Authority v. Burrell Day and Joel McDaniel (2012), farmers argued that

A) the rights to the water in the aquifer were beyond the reach of the federal government because of a long-standing precedent dating back to Mexican common law.
B) since they owned the land above the aquifer, they had rights to water within the aquifer.
C) they had water rights because they had prior claim pursuant to Texas sovereignty under federalism.
D) they had water rights based on the eminent domain doctrine of the federal Constitution.

Question 50

Unless the Texas government starts allocating more money to higher education, it is going to be difficult to meet the goals of the 60x30TX plan.

Question 51

Why did Texas build reservoirs through the state?

A) They are more cost effective than drilling into aquifers for general water use.
B) They are the best tools available for effective water treatment.
C) They are used help control flooding and to better distribute water during droughts.
D) They are used primarily to recharge aquifers.

Question 52

The Texas Groundwater Act is responsible for

A) creating the system of water districts that manage the groundwater supply in Texas.
B) managing water control and improvement districts in Texas.
C) regulating access to and management of all sources of water in Texas.
D) the creation of drainage, conservation, and reclamation districts in Texas.

Question 53

In sanctuary cities, sheriffs do not notify federal immigration authorities when an undocumented individual is arrested.

Question 54

The gasoline tax in Texas is indexed to inflation.

Question 55

Thirty-five percent of the total population in Texas is in the United States illegally.

Question 56

The term "lane miles" is often used as an estimate of road usage.

Question 57

The Texas Water Development Board is responsible for

A) administering the Texas Water Bank.
B) enforcing water-related environmental regulations.
C) managing and conducting research related to water policy.
D) coordinating with neighboring states and the federal government to share best practices related to water policy.

Question 58

Texas has four "flagship" institutions that have helped define education policy in the state.

Question 59

According to SB 4, Texas would help pay for portions of the border wall between the United States and Mexico that would be built in Texas.

Question 60

Attorney General Ken Paxton joined with other states in petitioning the federal government to continue the program known as DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals).

Question 61

What challenges does Texas currently face concerning transportation? What solutions are proposed to deal with these challenges? Describe the political constraints faced by policy-makers when trying to address transportation needs in Texas.

Question 62

Describe the 60x30TX strategic plan. What challenges will Texas have in terms of implementing this strategic plan?

Question 63

Explain some of the legal aspects of water policy in Texas, including the law of capture and important court decisions.

Question 64

Groundwater and surface water are regulated by the same laws.

Question 65

According to the law of capture, private property owners are not entitled to water taken from under the land they own.

Question 66

The majority of the water in Texas comes from rivers.

Question 67

The Texas Water Development Board has to develop a state water plan every 10 years.

Question 68

How does immigration policy reflect the inherent tensions within federalism?

Question 69

Conservation plays a key role in the groundwater initiatives since some of the state's aquifers are being overused.