California Public Policy Exam Review
Course Introduction
California Public Policy examines the processes, institutions, and challenges that shape policymaking in the state of California. The course explores the historical, political, and economic context of major policy areas, including education, health care, housing, transportation, environmental regulation, and immigration. Emphasis is placed on understanding how diverse interests, state and local governments, and citizen initiatives impact the formulation and implementation of policy. Students will also analyze contemporary policy debates and the unique dynamics of Californias governance, including its direct democracy tools, budget system, and the role of demographic change.
Recommended Textbook
Governing California in the Twenty-First Century 5th Edition by J. Theodore Anagnoson
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10 Chapters
301 Verified Questions
301 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/study-set/273 Page 2
Chapter 1: California Government: Promise and Practice
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/4474
Sample Questions
Q1) How many representatives from California serve in the House of Representatives?
A) 41
B) 39
C) 55
D) 53
Answer: D
Q2) From 2008 to 2012, what was California's poverty rate?
A) 8.5 percent
B) 13.7 percent
C) 15.3 percent
D) 16.2 percent
Answer: C
Q3) From 2008 to 2012, California's median household income compared to the national median was
A) $8,000 lower.
B) $8,000 higher.
C) almost the same.
D) unknown due to a lack of data.
Answer: B
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Page 3
Chapter 2: The Constitution and the Progressive Legacy
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/4475
Sample Questions
Q1) In what year was California's second constitution written?
A) 1849
B) 1879
C) 1882
D) 1900
Answer: B
Q2) What political party played a significant role in California's 1879 constitution?
A) Republican
B) Whig
C) Democrats
D) Workingmen
Answer: D
Q3) In California, the initiative
A) is used to recall elected leaders.
B) is used to suspend laws passed by the legislature.
C) is used by the legislature to introduce new laws.
D) allows citizens to propose laws.
Answer: D
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Chapter 3: Interest Groups and the Media in California
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/4476
Sample Questions
Q1) In 2012, lobbyists represented approximately ________ interest groups.
A) 1,000
B) 1,800
C) 2,552
D) 3,468
Answer: D
Q2) Interest groups make political contributions to candidates for public office through organizations that are called
A) political parties.
B) political action committees.
C) corporate network groups.
D) interest group networks.
Answer: B
Q3) PACs are
A) Pollution Air Colloquiums.
B) Provisional Aqua Controllers.
C) Professional Aviation Consultants.
D) Political Action Committees.
Answer: D
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Page 5
Chapter 4: Parties and Elections in California
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31 Verified Questions
31 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/4477
Sample Questions
Q1) One theory is that third parties in California act as A) lobbyists.
B) spoilers.
C) a drain on public funding of campaigns.
D) issue "killers."
Q2) What are some of the reasons that campaigns in California are expensive?
A) Propositions 11 and 34
B) limitations placed on campaign contributions, a multi-party system, and interest groups
C) a strong political party system, and the law that bans political advertisements during the months of October and November
D) media, political consultants, and weak political parties
Q3) How has the initiative process fared in California, and what criticisms of it have been made?
Q4) Most of the money spent in the 2010 gubernatorial race was spent on A) get-out-the-vote campaigns.
B) public opinion polling.
C) campaign workers' salaries.
D) TV and radio advertising.
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Chapter 5: The California Legislature
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/4478
Sample Questions
Q1) Making sure that legislation is implemented by the bureaucracy in the manner intended by the legislature is called
A) legislature practice.
B) constituent service.
C) oversight.
D) representation.
Q2) What are the major differences between the U.S. Congress and the California legislature?
Q3) What are the two types of representation?
A) forward and reverse
B) formal and informal
C) delegate and trustee
D) political and delegation
Q4) What are some of the negative aspects of term limits on the California legislature?
Q5) Since California elections are winner-take-all elections, it has the impact of
A) excluding minorities from public office.
B) excluding third parties from holding seats in the state legislature.
C) reducing the cost of running for office.
D) increasing the number of women office holders.
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Chapter 6: The Governor and the Executive Branch
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) The official who enforces state laws and oversees district attorneys in California is the
A) secretary of state.
B) controller.
C) attorney general.
D) superintendent of public instruction.
Q2) The superintendent of public instruction is
A) a member of the state board of equalization.
B) the only member of the plural executive elected on a nonpartisan basis.
C) appointed by the governor.
D) oversees higher education in the state of California.
Q3) This member of the plural executive is a major political competitor for the governor and can set his or her own political agenda.
A) secretary of state
B) attorney general
C) superintendent of public instruction
D) lieutenant governor
Q4) Why is the role of the governor in the budget process and his line-item veto power considered among his strongest powers?
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Chapter 7: The California Judiciary
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/4480
Sample Questions
Q1) What arguments have been made in favor of appointing judges in California rather than electing them? What are the concerns regarding the election of judges in California?
Q2) In California, Proposition 215
A) mandates that all instructions in K-12 classrooms be conducted in English.
B) bans educational, social, and medical services for people that are not legal residents.
C) provides for medical use of marijuana.
D) banned same-sex marriage.
Q3) Describe the process by which judges are appointed to the appellate courts in California. How long can they serve?
Q4) The largest financial contributions to most judicial races come from A) attorneys.
B) firemen and police officers.
C) prison guards.
D) teachers.
Q5) What kind of caseload do the California courts have? How do the courts expedite the disposition of civil and criminal cases?
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Chapter 8: The State Budget and Budgetary Limitations
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/4481
Sample Questions
Q1) Fees for students attending the California State University and community colleges have
A) remained the same.
B) dropped substantially.
C) been reduced by federal subsidies.
D) increased substantially.
Q2) California's bond rating has been increased to A from just above junk status mainly because
A) the state's income no longer fluctuates.
B) the state's revenues have increased in recent times.
C) the governor no longer uses the line-item veto.
D) the state's population desires to pay higher taxes.
Q3) The Legislative Analyst's Office provides
A) advice to the governor.
B) nonpartisan and independent reviews of the budget.
C) recommendations on bond issues.
D) advice to the legislature.
Q4) Cite some examples of how various propositions have limited the ability of the state government in California to allocate and spend tax revenues.
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Chapter 9: Local Government
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) The process of municipal incorporations, by which a city is created, is usually initiated by
A) the governor and the supreme court.
B) the mayor and the city council.
C) the county Local Agency Formation Commission.
D) the state legislature and Franchise Tax Board.
Q2) A "sanctuary city" refers to
A) a city that can be used by the state during a war to house and protect immigrants that are seeking political asylum.
B) the process that a city must follow to be sovereign and officially recognized by county, state, and federal governments.
C) a city that has laws to protect city, county, and state workers that expose government corruption.
D) a city that assures equal access to city services regardless of immigrant status.
Q3) What are the functions of county governments in California and how are they organized?
Q4) Explain how Dillon's Rule impacts local governments in California and how it is applied.
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11
Chapter 10: Public Policy in California
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/4483
Sample Questions
Q1) The company that rebuilt the stretch of the Bay Bridge that connects San Francisco and Oakland was a(n)
A) American company.
B) Chinese company.
C) Canadian company.
D) Swedish company.
Q2) Why do levees pose a major problem in California? How has the state dealt with the problem?
Q3) In California, why is it a challenge for Medi-Cal beneficiaries to get access to doctors?
A) Many medical practices limit the number of Medi-Cal patients.
B) Many medical practices prefer Medi-Cal patients, which causes limited availability for appointments due to the high number of patients.
C) Many medical practices are using advanced technology for procedures not covered by Medi-Cal.
D) Medi-Cal can only be used for emergency medical situations.
Q4) What is the condition of California's infrastructure? What can be done about it?
Q5) What is public policy? What are some of the challenges California faces in creating and implementing public policy?
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