texas legislature f13

8/17/2019 Texas Legislature F13

1/40

23 The Texas Legislature


2/40

Structure

Texas LegislatureBicameral (2 chambers-House & Senate)

Meets for 14 !a"s in o!! "ears (2#$ 211$ etc%)

ni'ue because !oes not hae *rofessional+

legislature$ but has a citi,en legislature+

iti,ens .ee* their /obs$ in a!!ition to 0or.ing on

legislation

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/


3/40

Structure: Salary

Salar" .e*t lo0 relatie to other states an!

consistent 0ith in!ii!ualistic subculture+

an! !istrust of goernment

Salar" is $23session 15# *er !iem

Annual Salaries for Legislatures in last regular session

Most Populous States Annual Salary

alifornia #6$2#1

7lori!a 2#$8

9e0 :or. #$6

Texas $2

http://www.ncsl.org/Default.aspx?TabId=14785http://www.ncsl.org/Default.aspx?TabId=14785


4/40

Structure: Texas House and

SenateTexas House of ;e*resentaties16 membersre*resenting oer 18$ constituents (21)2-"ear terms

Texas Senate51 members$ re*resenting oer fter that 6? (half or 16-18) are electe! eer" 2 "rs

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/MnuHouse.aspxhttp://www.capitol.state.tx.us/MnuSenate.aspxhttp://www.capitol.state.tx.us/MnuSenate.aspxhttp://www.capitol.state.tx.us/MnuHouse.aspx


5/40

Structure: Membership Reqs

Senators must be

%S% citi,ens 0ho are 'ualifie! oters

state resi!ents for fie "ears

resi!ents of the !istrict for one "ear

at least 28 "ears ol!

House ;e*resentaties must be

%S% citi,ens 0ho are 'ualifie! oters state resi!ents for t0o "ears

resi!ents of the !istrict for one "ear

at least 21 "ears ol!


6/40

Structure: Representation in

the 83rd Senate 51 members@1#-12 ;e*ublican ma/orit" House 16 members@#6-66 ;e*ublican ma/orit" Aemogra*hics 7e0 0omen & minorities but that has change! (;an.e! 55r! in nation

for *ercentage 0omen la0ma.ers) biggest change in T Legislature (1#-#)increasing number of ;e*ublicansfrom 12%1 *ercent to 58%6 *ercent!uring 1#8s Senate ha! no ;e*ublicansTo!a" ;e*ublican ma/orit" an! has been for oer a !eca!e

T"*ical T legislatorC 0hite$ male$ Drotestant (more atholics in South T)$college e!ucate!$ la0"ers3businessman$ in 6s$ marrie!$ in ciic organi,ations$ hae

$ incumbenc"

Texas Blac. aucus Aemogra*hics changing because of Latino3Latina *o*ulation

http://www.senate.state.tx.us/assets/pdf/83FloorChart.pdfhttp://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/memberStatistics.cfmhttp://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/Women.cfmhttp://www.ncsl.org/legislatures-elections/legisdata/legislator-demographic-map.aspxhttp://texaslegislativeblackcaucus.com/members/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiIZNJ3-uikhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiIZNJ3-uikhttp://texaslegislativeblackcaucus.com/members/http://www.ncsl.org/legislatures-elections/legisdata/legislator-demographic-map.aspxhttp://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/Women.cfmhttp://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/memberStatistics.cfmhttp://www.senate.state.tx.us/assets/pdf/83FloorChart.pdf


7/40

ender !emographics


8/40

Race !emographics


9/40

"hat type o# legislature does

Texas ha$e%>% Drofessional

legislature

B% Darliamentar"

legislature

% iti,en legislature

A% nicamerallegislature


10/40

Leadership: Spea&er

The S*ea.er of the House is the chief *resi!ing officer of the House of;e*resentaties

Electe! b" all legislators at the beginning ofeach session

>**oints House committees

>ssigns bills an! resolutions to committees

The *o0er of recognition

Fotes on bills

o-chairs Legislatie ouncil$ Bu!get Boar!$an! >u!it ommittee

http://www.house.state.tx.us/speaker/welcome.htmhttp://www.house.state.tx.us/speaker/welcome.htm


11/40

Leadership: Lt o$ernor

The Lieutenant Goernor is the *resi!ingofficer of the Senaten!ii!uall" electe! b" all Texas oters

>**oints Senate committees>ssigns bills to committees

The *o0er of recognition

Fotes onl" to brea.s ties

o-chairs Legislatie ouncil $ Bu!getBoar!$ an! >u!it ommittee

>rguabl" the most *o0erful electe! officialin Texas

Trie! to run for %S% Senate & beat b" Te!

ru, (Tea Dart" can!i!ate)

http://www.ltgov.state.tx.us/http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/LtGov/Ltgov.htmhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TP6pVFZwrHghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TP6pVFZwrHghttp://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/LtGov/Ltgov.htmhttp://www.ltgov.state.tx.us/


12/40

Leadership: Sources o# the

Leadership's (o)er

9o ma/orit" an! minorit" *art" lea!ersLimite! a**ointments base! on *art" affiliation

Less *artisan than at fe!eral leel (in theor"@in recent"ears 'uite a bit of turmoil oer *art")

The S*ea.er an! Lt% GoernorIs *o0ers come fromrules ote! on in each chamber

Iron Texas Star+

Similar to the iron triangle at the national leel>genc"$ congressional committee$ an! interest grou*Texas mo!el inclu!es t0o more interests@the lieutenant

goernor an! the s*ea.er of the house an! the goernor(0ith the item eto oer the state bu!get)


13/40

*ommittees

Stan!ingDermanent$ single-chamber$ la0ma.ing authorit"

onference

Tem*orar"$ !ual-chamber$ la0ma.ing authorit"JointDermanent$ !ual-chamber$ a!isor" authorit"

(Legislatie Bu!get Boar!)

SelectTem*orar"$ single or !ual-chamber$ a!isor"

authorit" (House Select ommittee$ Emergenc"

Dre*are!ness)


14/40

+iennial sessions o# the

Legislature

Texas onstitution s*ecifies regular legislatie sessions

Biennial - sessions eer 2 "ears beginning secon! Tues!a" in Januar" of o!!-numbere!

"ears & goes for no longer than 14 !a"s (b" Ma" 51)

onl" 1 of states to hae biennial sessions


15/40

,genda clearing

Biennial sessions create *roblems for the legislatureLimits the abilit" to !eal 0ith the agen!a

reates trouble clearing the agen!a at the en! of thelegislatie session

*rior to 1##5 big *roblem

about


16/40

-ssues: ,genda 2./

;ules *asse! 2# *reent the consi!eration

of ne0 bills 0ithin the last 1 !a"s

24 hours *roi!e! to House members to stu!"

ma/or legislation *rior to floor actions

Aone to curb the amount of last minute

legislation

oncerns about Ghost Foting

211 sessionC Dro*ose!C $5@HouseK 5$512@Senate

15 la0s *asse!

http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/politics/ghost-voting-continues-in-texas-househttp://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/politics/ghost-voting-continues-in-texas-house


17/40

Special Sessions 0

+et)een Sessions

Goernor ma" call a s*ecial sessionGoernor sets the agen!a & onl" !eals 0ith issue

Goernor 0ants a!!resse!

alle! b" Goernor for no more than 5 !a"s

*roblems 0ith s*ecial sessionsex*ensie$ har! on legislators$ increases 0or.loa!

Bet0een legislatie sessionsCMembers sere on interim committees

Members maintain other full-time /obs


18/40

"hich o# the #ollo)ing is 1T one o#

the points o# the Texas -ron Star4%

>% >genc"

B% ongressional

committee% nterest grou*

A% Goernor

E% Businesses


19/40

(o)ers o# the Legislature

Legislatie *o0ersC *assing bills an! resolutions

Bills often intro!uce! at same time in both chambers to

moe it more 'uic.l";eenue bills must originate in the House

9on-legislatie *o0ersConstituent *o0ers

Electoral *o0ersnestigatie an! Ju!icial Do0ers

Airectie an! Su*erisor" *o0ers


20/40

+ills

>n"one can 0rite a bill$ but onl" legislators can

intro!uce a bill%

Six Ste*s 7rom Bill to La0C

ntro!uction;eferral

Stan!ing ommittee >ctionHouse ommittees

Senate ommittees7loor >ction

onference ommittee

GoernorIs Signature or Feto

http://www.house.state.tx.us/committees/welcome.htmhttp://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/senate/Commit.htmhttp://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/senate/Commit.htmhttp://www.house.state.tx.us/committees/welcome.htm


21/40


22/40


23/40

Resolutions

;esolutions> more limite! sco*e an! lac.s the force of a

*ublic la0%

5 t"*es of resolutionsConcurrent resolutionsSimilar to sim*le but nee! both chambers$ a!/ournment

Joint resolutionsMeans of announcing *ro*ose! constitutional amen!ments to

*ublic

Sim*le resolutionsHouse.ee*ing$ *roce!ural rules$ birth!a" 3 congratulator"

announcements


24/40

Re$enue

Strict limits on legislatie authorit"

authori,ing state !ebt

om*troller re'uire! to ensure fun!s are

aailable *rior to a**ro*riations being *asse!

Texas *er ca*ita state !ebt lo0 as a result


25/40

+ill +loc&ing

7ilibuster (Senate)C Texas State Senator Bill

Meier hol!s 0orl! recor! for filibuster in 1#

b" tal.ing for 45 hours straight

hubbingC a!!ing senseless amen!ments to

bills to ma.e them un-*assable or !ebating a

bill of no interest to *reent the intro!uction of

a controersial billDoc.etingC *resi!ing officers *oc.et bills

rather than sen! them to the floor

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REU_cfdRWi8http://www.texastribune.org/texas-politics/texas-house-of-representatives/texplainer-what-is-chubbing/http://www.texastribune.org/texas-politics/texas-house-of-representatives/texplainer-what-is-chubbing/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REU_cfdRWi8


26/40

*onstitution

Members of either chamber ma" intro!uce a

/oint resolution to amen! the constitution

Joint resolution is a**roe! b" 235 ote

Foters *ass the amen!ment to the constitution

b" a sim*le ma/orit"


27/40

5lectoral

;e!istricting affects *art" re*resentationAone eer" 1 "ears after the fe!eral census21 census & Texas re!istricting

16 Texas House an! 51 Texas Senate !istrictsne-*erson$ one-ote *rinci*le

211 T re!istricting minorit" ote !ilution challenge

hen legislature fails to re!istrict

Legislatie ;e!istricting Boar! (L;B) !eci!es7inal *lan a**roe! b" a 5 /u!ge *anelMa/orit" Minorit" regions 21 census

http://www.texastribune.org/audio/2010/jun/02/drawing-lines/http://www.tlc.state.tx.us/redist/process_lrb.htmlhttp://www.texastribune.org/library/data/census-2010/http://www.texastribune.org/library/data/census-2010/http://www.tlc.state.tx.us/redist/process_lrb.htmlhttp://www.texastribune.org/audio/2010/jun/02/drawing-lines/


28/40

5lectoral 6 Redistricting 2///

21 Aemocratic ma/orit" in Texas legislature sets out

boun!aries

22 elections ;e*ublicans ta.e control of Texas

legislature25 Ma/orit" Lea!er Tom AeLa" begins organi,ing to

re!istrict lines that ha! been !ra0n

AeLa" relies on Texans for a Republican Majority

T;MD> 0or.e! 0ith Aela" to create ;e*ublican

controlle! !istricts follo0ing the 2 census

oncerns that AeLa" funneling monies through

organi,ations in iolation of cam*aign finance la0s

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/70377/june-08-2006/better-know-a-district---texas--22nd---tom-delayhttp://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/70377/june-08-2006/better-know-a-district---texas--22nd---tom-delay


29/40

5lectoral 6 Redistricting 2///

Aemocrats unha**" about re!istricting flee state to .ee* from

being calle! into session

T House 0ent to .lahoma for 4 !a"s to *reent a 'uorum

62 Aemocrats .no0n as the Niller As+

T Senate 0ent to 9e0 Mexico for almost 2 months to

*reent a 'uorum

11 Aemocrats .no0n as the Texas 11+

Sto**e! a 'uorum being calle! in >ustin so T legislaturecoul! not ote

Go% Derr" calle! 5 s*ecial sessions before re!istricting *lan

*asse!

7inall" resole!$ but after much struggle

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-may-14-2003/austin-powerlesshttp://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-may-14-2003/austin-powerless


30/40

5lectoral

Ma* of current !istricts

State legislature !eci!esHouse !istricts

Senate !istricts

%S% ongressional Aistricts

http://gis1.tlc.state.tx.us/http://gis1.tlc.state.tx.us/


31/40

5lectoral

League of United Latin Am. Citizens v. Perry (28) 6-4

S Su*reme ourt u*hel! challenge to the 25

re!istricting *lan of T ;e*ublican-frien!l"

congressional election boun!ariesourt concerne! about !isenfranchisement of Latino

oters in South & est Texas

oncern in Aistrict 26 about 0hether racial

gerr"man!er 7or the most *art$ allo0e! re!istricting *lan to stan!

;e!istricting reisite!

http://www.oyez.org/cases/2000-2009/2005/2005_05_204http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-january-30-2012/lou-dobbshttp://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-january-30-2012/lou-dobbshttp://www.oyez.org/cases/2000-2009/2005/2005_05_204http://www.oyez.org/cases/2000-2009/2005/2005_05_204


32/40

5lectoral

Shelby County v. Holder (215) 6-4 FactsC Foting ;ights >ct (1#86) - O 6 *rohibits certain states from

changing election la0s & *roce!ures 0ithout *re-clearance from the

S Justice Ae*t% or an alternate 5-/u!ge *anel in A% O 4b !efines

those states (those 0ith a recent histor" of !iscrimination 0hen theF;> 0as 0ritten)%

QuestionC Aoes the rene0al of Section 6 of the Foter ;ights >ct un!er

the constraints of Section 4(b) excee! ongressI authorit" un!er the

7ourteenth an! 7ifteenth >men!ments$ an! therefore iolate the Tenth

>men!ment an! >rticle 7our of the onstitutionPHolingC O 4b is unconstitutional because it im*oses current bur!ens

that are no longer res*onsie to the current con!itions in the oting

!istricts in 'uestion+ an! !oes not reflect an" changes that hae

occurre! since it 0as enacte!%

Texas still !ealing 0ith re!istricting issues

http://www.oyez.org/cases/2010-2019/2012/2012_12_96http://txredistricting.org/http://txredistricting.org/http://www.oyez.org/cases/2010-2019/2012/2012_12_96


33/40

-n Shelby Co. v. Holder 72/39 the Supreme *ourt

declared preclearance unconstitutional.

>% True%

B% 7alse% The" onl" hel!that the current

*roce!ure for

!efining 0hich statesmust go through the

*reclearance *rocess

is unconstitutional%


34/40

-n$estigati$e 0 ;udicial

nestigatieersight of arious state agencies (agencies

re*ort to legislature)

Sub*oena 0itnesses an! com*el !ocuments(committees$ /oint 3 single chamber)

Ju!icial

;esembles national leel im*eachment an! trial *rocee!ings


35/40

!irecti$e 0 Super$isory

Su*erision of the bureaucrac" through the

bu!getar" *rocess an! the Sunset >ct%

Texas Sunshine La0s to facilitate *ublic

information

Texas *en Meeting la0s to facilitate

*artici*ation

http://sunshinereview.org/index.php/Texas_Public_Information_Acthttp://sunshinereview.org/index.php/Texas_Open_Meetings_Acthttp://sunshinereview.org/index.php/Texas_Open_Meetings_Acthttp://sunshinereview.org/index.php/Texas_Public_Information_Act


36/40

Legislati$e -mmunities

mmune to being sue! for slan!er or hel!

accountable for statements ma!e !uring the

course of legislatie *rocee!ings

9ot exten!e! outsi!e of those *rocee!ings

Ma" not be arreste! 0hile atten!ing legislatie

meetings or traeling to or from those

meetingsExce*tion if charge! 0ith treason$ felon"$ or

breach of *eace


37/40

-ssues: Lobbyists

Thousan!s of lobb"ists attem*t to conince

legislators to su**ort the interests the"

re*resent%

Thought that there is more *ressure on citi,en

legislature+ but not clear

Texas Ethics ommission trac.s lobb"ists

http://www.ethics.state.tx.us/dfs/loblists.htmhttp://www.ethics.state.tx.us/dfs/loblists.htm


38/40

The Texas Legislature meets<

>% annuall"%

B% in een "ears%

% in o!! "ears%A% at the bar eer"

7ri!a"%

Th t t l i l t i ibl # d i


39/40

The state legislature is responsible #or dra)ing

congressional district lines a#ter the census is

ta&en e$ery / years in a process called<

>% re!istricting%

B% ote !ilution%

% rea**ortionment%A% *reclearance%


40/40

,dditional Resources

The Legislatie ouncil (;eie0 *ro*ose!

constitutional amen!ment !escri*tions)

Texas State Secretar" of State (fin! out 0hose

running for office 0here)

TexLeg nternshi* *rogram

Senator Gregor" Luna Legislatie Scholar 7e

llo0s DrogramTexLege a** for iDa!$ iDo!$ iDhone
http://www.tlc.state.tx.us/http://www.sos.state.tx.us/http://www.rodneyellis.com/tliphttp://tshrc.org/luna-scholars-fellows-program/http://tshrc.org/luna-scholars-fellows-program/http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/texlege/id326478866?mt=8http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/texlege/id326478866?mt=8http://tshrc.org/luna-scholars-fellows-program/http://tshrc.org/luna-scholars-fellows-program/http://www.rodneyellis.com/tliphttp://www.sos.state.tx.us/http://www.tlc.state.tx.us/

texas legislature f13

Documents