Texas State Legislative Election 1998 National Political Awareness Test

Abortion

Indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning abortion.

1. Abortions should always be legally available.
- X

2. Abortions should be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy.
- No Answer

3. Abortions should be legal only when pregnancy resulted from incest, rape, or when the life of the woman is endangered.
- No Answer

4. Abortions should be legal only when the life of the woman is endangered.
- No Answer

5. Abortions should always be illegal.
- No Answer

6. Abortions should be limited by waiting periods and parental notification requirements.
- No Answer

7. Prohibit the late-term abortion procedure known as "partial-birth" abortion.
- No Answer

8. Support "buffer zones" by requiring demonstrators to stay at least 15 feet away from abortion clinic doorways and driveways.
- X

9. Other
- No Answer

10. Should Texas government funding be provided to clinics and medical facilities that provide abortion services?
- Yes

Affirmative Action

Indicate the principles you support (if any) concerning affirmative action. State government agencies should take race and sex into account in the following sectors:

1. College and university admissions
- Yes

2. Public employment
- Yes

3. State contracting
- Yes

4. Other
- No Answer

Crime

Indicate which principles you support (if any) to address crime.

1. Increase state funds for construction of state prisons and for hiring of additional prison staff.
- No Answer

2. Support contracting with private sector firms to build and/or manage state prisons.
- No Answer

3. End parole for repeat violent felons.
- X

4. Expand the use of the death penalty for additional circumstances relating to murder.
- No Answer

5. Oppose the death penalty.
- No Answer

6. Implement penalties other than incarceration for certain non-violent offenders.
- X

7. Inform communities when a convicted sex offender moves into the community.
- X

8. Increase state funds for programs which rehabilitate and educate inmates during and after their prison sentences.
- X

9. Decriminalize the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes.
- No Answer

10. Strengthen penalties and sentences for drug-related crimes.
- X

11. Strengthen penalties and sentences for sex offenders.
- X

12. Lower the limit defining drunk driving to .08 blood alcohol content.
- No Answer

13. Prosecute juveniles who commit murder or other serious violent crimes as adults.
- No Answer

14. Provide funding for military-style "boot camps" for first-time juvenile felons.
- X

15. Support laws requiring restitution to crime victims at the personal expense of the criminal.
- X

16. Strengthen and enforce penalties for those committing "hate crimes" directed against a specific group.
- X

17. Other
- No Answer

Economy and Employment

Indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning the economy and employment.

1. Provide low interest loans and tax credits for starting, expanding, or relocating businesses.
- X

2. Reduce state government regulations on the private sector in order to encourage investment and economic expansion.
- No Answer

3. Support limits on cash damages in lawsuits against businesses and professionals for product liability or malpractice.
- No Answer

4. Increase funding for state job-training programs that re-train displaced workers or teach skills needed in today's job market.
- X

5. Ban the casino-style slot machines known as "eight-liners".
- No Answer

6. Support using local tax money to finance the building of sports stadiums.
- No Answer

7. Other
- No Answer

Education

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding education.

1. Increase state funds for professional development of public school teachers and administrators.
- X

2. Encourage private or corporate investment in public school programs.
- X

3. Provide parents with state-funded vouchers to send their children to any participating school (public, private, religious).
- No Answer

4. Favor charter schools where independent groups receive state authorization and funding to establish new schools.
- No Answer

5. Support sex education programs which stress abstinence.
- No Answer

6. Support sex education programs which stress safe sexual practices.
- X

7. Increase state funds for school construction and facility maintenance.
- X

8. Increase state funds for hiring of additional teachers.
- X

9. Endorse teacher-led voluntary prayer in public schools.
- No Answer

10. Require students to pass a state basic skills exam before being promoted.
- No Answer

11. Emphasize local control of education as long as the school district meets state health and safety standards.
- X

12. Allow parents to send their children to the public school of their choice.
- X

13. Advocate bilingual education programs in public schools.
- X

14. Increase state funding for school security.
- X

15. Fund public school education in Texas by increasing state taxes rather than local property taxes.
- X

16. Provide state-funded tuition and fees to any Texas student accepted by a college or university as long as they maintain a 2.8 GPA.
- X

17. Other
- No Answer

Environment & Energy

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the environment and energy.

1. Require the use of cleaner burning fuels in order to prevent pollution.
- X

2. Support "self-audit" legislation which creates incentives for industries to audit themselves and clean up pollution.
- No Answer

3. Require a cost/benefit analysis to determine the economic impact of proposed environmental regulations before they are implemented.
- X

4. Require the state to fully compensate citizens when environmental regulations limit uses on privately owned land.
- No Answer

5. Provide funding for recycling programs in Texas.
- X

6. Request added flexibility from the federal government in enforcing and funding federal environmental regulations.
- No Answer

7. Suspend participation in unfunded, federally mandated environmental protection legislation.
- No Answer

8. Restructure the electric utility industry to allow consumers to choose their power company.
- No Answer

9. Urge the U.S. Congress to amend the 1973 Endangered Species Act, to limit habitats eligible to be designated endangered.
- No Answer

10. Support "right-to-know" laws for workers exposed to hazardous substances.
- X

11. Support building a low-level radioactive waste dump near Sierra Blanca.
- No Answer

12. Other
- No Answer

13. State environmental regulations should not be stricter than federal law.
- No

Government Reform

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding government reform.

Do you support amending the Texas Constitution to limit the number of terms of the following officials?

1. State Senators and Representatives
- No

2. Governor
- No

Do you support limiting the following types of contributions to state legislative candidates?

1. Individual
- No

2. PAC
- No

3. Corporate
- No

4. Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
- Yes

5. Do you support imposing spending limits on state level political campaigns?
- Undecided

6. Do you support partial funding from state taxes for state level political campaigns?
- Undecided

7. Do you support requiring proof of U.S. citizenship at the time a person registers to vote?
- Yes

8. Would you vote to ratify an amendment to the U.S. Constitution requiring an annual balanced federal budget?
- Undecided

9. Other
- No Answer

Gun

Indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning gun issues.

1. Ban the sale or transfer of all forms of semi-automatic weapons.
- X

2. Increase state restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms.
- X

3. Maintain state restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms.
- No Answer

4. Ease state restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms.
- No Answer

5. Repeal state restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms by law-abiding citizens.
- No Answer

6. Favor allowing citizens to carry concealed firearms.
- No Answer

7. Require manufacturers to provide child-safety locks with firearms.
- X

8. Other
- No Answer

Health

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding health issues.

1. Provide tax incentives to small businesses who provide health care to their employees.
- X

2. Ensure that citizens have access to basic health care, through managed care, insurance reforms, or state funded care where necessary.
- X

3. Support the Texas Healthy Kids Corporation, a private non-profit organization that provides low-cost health insurance for uninsured children.
- X

4. Transfer more existing Medicaid recipients into managed care programs.
- No Answer

5. Use state funds to continue some Medicaid coverage for legal immigrants.
- X

6. Limit the amount of damages that can be awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits.
- No Answer

7. Guaranteeing medical care to all citizens is not a responsibility of state government.
- No Answer

8. Require health maintenance organizations to give patients complete doctor choice.
- X

9. Other
- X

Social

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding social issues.

1. Increase state funding for programs to prevent teen pregnancy.
- X

2. Provide tax credits for businesses that provide child care for their employees.
- X

3. Increase state funds to provide child care to children in low-income working families.
- X

4. Deny or suspend state-issued permits and licenses to parents who are delinquent in paying court-ordered child support.
- X

5. Favor banning smoking in public places.
- No Answer

6. Increase state funding for Head Start in order to serve additional children and/or increase services from a half to a full day.
- X

7. Increase state funding for community centers and other social agencies in areas with at-risk youth.
- X

8. Support state funding of programs for at-risk youth such as guaranteed college loans and job training and placement.
- X

9. Other
- No Answer

10. Do you believe that the Texas government should include sexual orientation in Texas' anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes

11. Do you believe that the Texas government should recognize same-sex marriages?
- Undecided

State Budget

Indicate the funding levels you will support for the following general categories. Select one level only.

1. Border Security
- Slightly Increase

2. Education (K-12)
- Greatly Increase

3. Education (Higher)
- Slightly Increase

4. Environment
- Greatly Increase

5. Health care
- Slightly Increase

6. Law enforcement
- Slightly Increase

7. Transportation infrastructure (highways, roads, bridges)
- Maintain Status

8. Welfare
- Slightly Increase

9. Other
- No Answer

State Taxes

Indicate the tax levels you will support. Select one level only.

1. Alcohol Taxes
- Slightly Increase

2. Capital gains taxes
- No Answer

3. Cigarette taxes
- Slightly Increase

4. Corporate taxes
- Slightly Decrease

5. Gas taxes
- Slightly Decrease

6. Property taxes
- Greatly Decrease

7. Sales taxes
- Maintain Status

8. Other
- No Answer

9. Do you support implementing a state income tax in Texas?
- Yes

Welfare

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding welfare.

1. Maintain the current time limits on welfare benefits.
- No Answer

2. Require able-bodied welfare recipients to enroll in the state's welfare-to-work program in order to receive benefits.
- X

3. Increase employment and job training programs for welfare recipients.
- X

4. Provide tax incentives to businesses who hire welfare recipients.
- X

5. Provide child care for welfare recipients who work.
- X

6. Increase access to public transportation for welfare recipients who work.
- X

7. Allow welfare recipients to remain eligible for benefits while saving money for education, starting a business, or buying a home.
- X

8. Limit benefits given to recipients if they have additional children while on welfare.
- No Answer

9. Require unwed teenage mothers to live with parents or in a group home to receive welfare benefits.
- No Answer

10. Eliminate government-funded welfare programs.
- No Answer

11. Other
- No Answer

Legislative Priorities

Please explain what your two main legislative priorities will be if elected. Please explain how you would obtain any additional government funding needed to implement these priorities.
- No Answer