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The Texas Legislature

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

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The Texas Legislature

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  1. The Texas Legislature Chapter 23 O’Connor and Sabato American Government: Continuity and Change

  2. 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 Decisions 7. The Legislature and the Governor

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. Legislative Membership: Representing the Public • Demographics of representation occupation education religion gender race age political party ideology

  7. Organization of Texas Legislature • Leaders Lieutenant Governor Speaker • Committees (subunit of the legislature) • Types of committees standing procedural joint conference interim

  8. 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 Senate Constitution calls for lieutenant governor to be leader of the Senate (influence and power) Lieutenant governor in Texas is a very powerful position

  9. Ideological Voting Pattern in the Texas House of Representatives

  10. 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

  11. Basic Steps in the Texas Legislative Process

  12. 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

  13. 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

  14. 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

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