California State Legislative Election 1996 National Political Awareness Test

Abortion

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning abortion in California.

1. Abortions should always be legally available.
- X

2. Abortions should be legally available when the procedure is completed within the first trimester of pregnancy.
- No Answer

3. Abortions should be legal only when the pregnancy resulted from incest, rape, or when the life of the woman is endangered.
- X

4. Abortions should always be illegal.
- No Answer

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

6. California government funding should not be provided to clinics and medical facilities that provide abortion services.
- No Answer

Affirmative Action

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding affirmative action in California.

1. California government should prosecute cases of discrimination in the public and private sector.
- No Answer

2. California government should provide no affirmative action programs.
- No Answer

3. Support legislation to require that appointments to government agencies be balanced with respect to various minority groups.
- X

4. California state university system should consider preferences to minority students applying for college admission.
- X

5. Do you believe that California government should recognize same-sex marriages?
- Yes

6. Do you support the California Civil Rights Initiative to end most affirmative action in California?
- No

Budgetary

Indicate what changes you support (if any) concerning levels of funding for the following categories. Select one number only.

1. Abortion
- Maintain Status

2. Affirmative Action
- Slightly Increase

3. Border Security
- Maintain Status

4. Education
- Greatly Increase

5. Environment
- Slightly Increase

6. Health Care
- Slightly Increase

7. Law enforcement
- Maintain Status

8. Welfare
- Maintain Status

Children & Families

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding child & family issues in California.

1. Increase funding for family support programs to prevent teen pregnancy and family break-up.
- X

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

3. Deny or suspend state-issued permits and licenses to parents who are delinquent in paying court-ordered child support.
- No Answer

Crime

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) to address crime in California.

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

2. Expand and promote "community policing" programs.
- No Answer

3. Support "truth in sentencing" for violent criminals so they serve their full sentences without parole.
- 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 offenses.
- No Answer

7. Require mandatory life sentences for third-time, violent felons.
- No Answer

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

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

10. Decriminalize the possession and private use of certain illegal drugs such as marijuana.
- No Answer

11. Strengthen penalties and sentences associated with drug-related crimes.
- No Answer

12. Implement a chain gang program for prisoners which requires inmates to perform labor wearing leg irons in chained work groups.
- No Answer

13. Require affluent prisoners to pay the cost of their incarceration in state prison.
- X

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

Crime (Juvenile)

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) to address juvenile crime in California.

1. Prosecute juveniles who commit murder or other serious violent crimes as adults.
- X

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

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

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

5. Support "zero-tolerance" policies requiring expulsion of students who bring weapons to school or sell drugs on school grounds.
- X

6. Allow cities to impose mandatory curfews for minors in high crime areas.
- X

7. Increase state funding for community programs that focus on preventing youths from joining gangs.
- No Answer

8. Allow courts to hold parents accountable for a minor child who possesses a firearm.
- No Answer

Economic Development

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning California's economic development.

1. Increase state funds for improving the state's transportation system, including major roadways, railways, public transit, and airports.
- X

2. Provide low interest loans and tax credits for expanding, start-up or relocating businesses.
- X

3. Expand legalized gambling (e.g. casino gambling, slot machines).
- No Answer

4. Reduce state government regulations on the private sector.
- No Answer

5. Remove state government controls or caps from wages, prices, rents, profits, production, and interest rates.
- No Answer

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

7. Increase state funding for programs to re-train unemployed workers.
- X

8. Increase state taxes on gasoline to pay for mass transit services and safety improvements to streets and highways.
- No Answer

9. Support the phasing out of rent control.
- No Answer

10. Create tax incentives for first-time home buyers.
- X

11. Support legislation to increase the California minimum wage.
- X

12. Grant employers the legal right to require employees to work more than eight hours per day.
- No Answer

Education

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding California's education system.

1. Increase state funds for professional development and salaries of public school faculty.
- No Answer

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

3. Encourage private or corporate investment in certain public school programs.
- No Answer

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

5. Support charter schools where teachers and professionals receive state authorization and funding to establish new schools.
- No Answer

6. Require the use of state-wide achievement standards for all state public schools.
- X

7. Emphasize local control of education as long as the school district meets basic state standards.
- X

8. Support sex education programs which stress abstinence.
- X

9. Support sex education programs which stress safe sexual practices.
- No Answer

10. Increase state funds for school security (e.g. metal detectors, truancy officers).
- X

11. Provide state funding for programs which increase students' access to the Internet and other telecommunications networks.
- X

12. Allow teachers to be fired for "unsatisfactory performance" rather than the stricter "incompetence" standard.
- X

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

14. Establish single-sex magnet schools as options for parents and students.
- No Answer

Environment

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning California's environment and natural resources.

1. Enact tougher environmental standards to encourage the sale of cleaner burning fuels throughout California.
- X

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

3. Require a cost/benefit analysis be completed to determine the economic impact of any proposed environmental regulations before they are implemented.
- No Answer

4. Require the state to reimburse citizens limited in utilizing privately owned lands due to state-sponsored environmental regulations.
- No Answer

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

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

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

8. Maintain minimum environmental quality as mandated by current federal regulations.
- X

9. Promote the sale of pollution credits to encourage industries to decrease the amount of pollution.
- No Answer

10. Support legislation which would give more control to states and localities in dealing with environmental issues in border areas.
- No Answer

11. Provide state funds for incentive programs that reward farmers for conserving soil and using minimal fertilizers and pesticides.
- X

12. Do you support the construction of facilities to house commercial low-level radioactive waste in California?
- No

Government Reform

Do you support the current law which limits terms of the following California officials?

1. State Senators (8 years) and Representatives (6 years)
- Undecided

2. Governor (two 4-year terms)
- Undecided

3. Do you support amending the U.S. Constitution to require a balanced federal budget?
- No

4. Do you support requiring limits on individual contributions to state legislative candidates?
- Undecided

5. Do you support requiring limits on PAC contributions to state legislative candidates?
- Undecided

6. Do you support requiring limits on corporate contributions to state legislative candidates?
- Yes

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

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

9. Do you support partial funding from state taxes for state level political campaigns?
- Yes

10. Do you support initiatives to privatize segments of California state government?
- No

11. Do you support limits or bans on campaign contributions from out-of-state contributors?
- Undecided

Gun

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

1. Support expanding the nationwide federal ban on the public sale of assault weapons to include all forms of semi-automatic weapons.
- No Answer

2. Increase state restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms.
- No Answer

3. Maintain all state registration procedures and state restrictions on possessing firearms.
- X

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

5. Eliminate all state bans and measures that restrict law-abiding citizens from obtaining firearms.
- X

6. Allow law-abiding citizens to carry concealed firearms that are legally owned and registered.
- X

Health Care

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning California's health care system.

1. Expand state funding for pre-natal and infant care programs available in the state, including immunizations.
- X

2. Provide tax incentives to assist small businesses in providing health care to their employees.
- X

3. Ensure that California citizens have access to basic health care through managed care, insurance reforms, or state funded care where necessary.
- No Answer

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

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

6. Allow otherwise uninsured families and the self-employed to deduct health insurance premium costs from their pre-tax income.
- X

7. Assist seniors and disabled persons in having access to home- and community-based health care to enable them to remain at home.
- X

8. Enact legislation which allows citizens and small employers to pool their health insurance purchasing power.
- X

9. Request a waiver from the federal government to provide Medicaid services through managed care programs.
- No Answer

10. Support legislation requiring health insurance providers to cover certain medical services (as in new regulation requiring coverage to domestic violence victims).
- X

11. Support programs in schools and workplaces which will provide California residents with AIDS/HIV prevention information.
- X

12. Require reporting of HIV infection by health care professionals in the same manner that other communicable diseases are reported.
- No Answer

13. Support increased government regulation of managed care facilities.
- X

Immigration

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding issues relating to immigration to California.

1. States with higher numbers of immigrants should receive extra federal aid to provide necessary medical and social services.
- X

2. Support legislation to establish English as the official and recognized language of California.
- No Answer

3. Provide state-funded health care and education for children of illegal immigrant parents.
- X

4. Follow Proposition 187 requirement that all state benefits for illegal immigrants, except emergency medical assistance, be terminated.
- No Answer

5. Support legislation which would sanction employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants.
- X

State Taxes

Please indicate the changes you will support (if any) concerning California's tax levels for the following categories.

1. Alcohol Taxes
- Slightly Increase

2. Business Taxes
- Slightly Decrease

3. Capital Gains
- Slightly Increase

4. Income Taxes (incomes less than $75,000)
- Slightly Decrease

5. Income Taxes (incomes greater than $75,000)
- Slightly Increase

6. Property taxes
- Slightly Decrease

7. Sales taxes
- Maintain Status

8. State Fees
- Maintain Status

9. Do you support a flat tax structure for state income taxes?
- No

Welfare

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding California's welfare system.

1. Provide child care services for welfare recipients who work or attend school.
- X

2. Allow welfare recipients with small children to work and still receive state health and child care until they become self-sufficient.
- No Answer

3. Require that able-bodied welfare recipients receive job training, attend school, or work in order to receive welfare benefits.
- X

4. Require that unwed mothers under the age of 18 live with a parent or guardian (if possible) to receive welfare benefits.
- X

5. Limit the welfare benefits given to recipients if they have additional children.
- No Answer

6. Provide two parent families living in poverty the same welfare benefits as one parent families.
- No Answer

7. Eliminate government-funded welfare and advocate privately funded assistance to people in need.
- No Answer

8. Impose a two-year limit on welfare benefits for recipients who are able to work.
- No Answer

9. Require mothers to identify their child(ren)'s father in order to receive welfare benefits.
- X

Legislative Priorities

Explain what your two main legislative priorities will be if elected to the California State Legislature. If any of your priorities will require additional government funding, explain how you intend to obtain the additional funding.
- No Answer