The Texas Legislature

Chapter 23

O’Connor and Sabato

American Government: Continuity and Change

The Texas Legislature

In this chapter we will cover…1. The Roots of the Legislative Branch

2. The State Constitution and the Legislative Branch of Government

3. Legislative Membership: Representing the Public 4. How the Texas Legislature is Organized

5. The Lawmaking and Budgeting Function of the Legislature 6. How the Legislature Makes Decisions7. The Legislature and the Governor

Roots of the Legislature in Texas

Roots in Mexican legislature (Mexican provinces of Tejas and Chohuila)

1836 Texas independence - Constitution of Republic of Texas calls for bicameral Congress

1846 Texas joins Union - Republic of Texas legislature dissolved and first Texas Legislature convenes

Legislature dominated by Anglos During Reconstruction – African Americans in Texas

Legislature (1869/1874… then reduced in #s) End of Reconstruction meant the end of representation for

African Americans

State Constitution & the Legislative Branch of Government Texas legislature – bicameral (Senate has

31 members and House of Representatives has 150)

Constitution sets term limits, compensation, and requirements for office

Legislative session – every two years Constitution provides for regular and special

sessions

Legislative Membership: Representing the Public Issues of representation include

-Nature of representation

-How to achieve representation

-Equality of representation Determining representation

-Districts and redistricting

-Reelection rates& membership turnover

Legislative Membership: Representing the Public

Demographics of representationoccupation education religiongender race agepolitical party ideology

Organization of Texas Legislature Leaders

Lieutenant GovernorSpeaker

Committees (subunit of the legislature) Types of committees

standingproceduraljointconferenceinterim

Organization of Texas Legislature Power and Influence

Legislative Party Caucus (same party identification) Leadership/Opposition – the House

Texas Constitution requires that legislature elect one of their members to be head of House called the “Speaker” (influence and power)

Leadership and Opposition - the SenateConstitution calls for lieutenant governor to be leader of the

Senate (influence and power)Lieutenant governor in Texas is a very powerful position

Ideological Voting Pattern in the Texas House of Representatives

Lawmaking & Budgeting in the Texas Legislature Bills and Resolutions Rules of the process whereby a bill becomes

a law adopted by legislative chambers embody constitutional limits

Bills are filed, committeed, read, calendared, filibustered, amended, engrossed, and signed

Basic Steps in the Texas Legislative Process

Lawmaking & Budgeting in the Texas Legislature Budgeting process Texas has biennial budget Role of the Governor and Legislative Budgeting Board Balanced budget requirement Budgeting process includes: consideration of balanced

budget requirement, comptrollers revenues estimates, proposed budget by governor and the LBB, spending limits, and governor’s line item veto authority

How the Legislature Makes Decisions decision process – complex involving many

players (voters, lobbyists, judges, media, etc.) Growth and dependency on support staff is focal

point of institutionalization of legislatures Lobbyist influence and role is of special concern

in the development of public policy Campaign finances and election lines become

blurred

The Legislature & the Governor In Texas governors may be weak in terms of

executive branch control but strong players in the legislative process

The Governor and special sessions Governor’s veto power over legislation

In Texas governors veto rarely overridden due to nature and timing veto power