7: The Texas Legislature
- Page ID
- 129125
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)After reading this chapter, you should be able to:
- Describe the structure of the Texas legislature.
- Explain the effect of limitations on the legislature due to its brief and infrequent sessions.
- Assess some of the issues surrounding the demographic composition of the Texas legislature.
- Trace how legislation is considered and enacted.
- Evaluate the issues and controversies around how electoral districts are drawn.
Key Terms and Concepts: bicameral; supermajority; biennial; regular session; special session; single-member district; citizen legislature; constituents; constituent services; bill; joint resolution; concurrent resolution; simple resolution; standing committee; joint committee; interim committee; conference committee; impeachment; speaker of the House; lieutenant governor; chair appointments; floor recognition; pigeonholing; filibuster; veto; line-item veto; apportionment; one person, one vote standard; redistricting; gerrymandering
Each August, Texas has a “tax-free weekend.” School supplies, clothes and shoes can be purchased for a few days without the addition of Texas’s 6.25 percent sales tax—which is really 8.25 percent in cities like Houston that add an additional percentage point for city government and one for the local transit authority (Figure 7.1).
What about college textbooks? How much are you spending on books this semester? Some of our students are required to buy engineering and science books that retail for $300 or more each semester.
Representative Terry Canales, a Democrat from Edinburg, wants to give Texas college students a break, too. In the 2019 session of the Texas legislature, Representative Canales filed House Bill 21, which would have established two tax-free weeks for college textbooks—one in August, the other in January—right before the beginning of each long semester.1 The bill was referred to the House Ways and Means Committee, which handles all tax legislation, where it died quietly. Why wouldn’t legislators want to let college students save on textbooks?
The Texas legislature operates very differently from the United States Congress in several ways. One of the most important is that the Texas Constitution requires the state to have a balanced budget. Accordingly, every bill considered by Texas lawmakers comes with a price tag called a “fiscal note”—the Legislative Budget Board’s best estimate of that bill’s impact on the state treasury. As it turns out, exempting college textbooks from the sales tax during the weeks most of them are purchased would cost the state more than thirty million dollars a year, and would have cost local governments another nine million dollars.2 Bills that cost the state and local governments money have a tough time getting votes because legislators know that lost revenue means either reducing government services or finding another source of funding to replace that lost revenue.
Representative Canales remains undeterred, however, having filed the same proposal as H.B. 174 for the Texas legislature’s 2021 session.
- 7.1: Structure of the Texas Legislature
- This page outlines Article 3 of the Texas Constitution, which establishes a bicameral legislative branch with a Senate and House of Representatives. It includes rules such as a balanced budget requirement and limits biennial sessions to 140 days to control government power and safeguard individual liberties. The governor can call special sessions lasting up to 30 days.
- 7.2: Membership in the Texas Legislature
- This page discusses the Texas Constitution's goal of a citizen legislature, characterized by part-time, low-paid legislators, predominantly wealthy and older, with limited diversity. It outlines the political transition from a Democratic majority to a Republican-dominated legislature since the 1970s. Despite Republican control peaking by 2010, urban population growth has allowed Democrats to increase their representation significantly by 2021.
- 7.3: Role and Responsibilities of the Texas Legislature
- This page outlines the responsibilities of Texas elected officials, emphasizing law-making, budget management, constituent services, and political fundraising. It details the legislative process, types of bills, resolutions, and non-legislative powers like impeachment. The content references historical figures, recent legislative sessions, significant events, and issues like property tax assistance for the elderly and disabled, highlighting governance and voter engagement in Texas.
- 7.4: Leadership and Organization of the Texas Legislature
- This page discusses the Texas legislature's non-partisan operation compared to the U.S. Congress, highlighting the significant powers of the Speaker of the House and Lieutenant Governor in appointing committee chairs. Speaker Dade Phelan's diverse appointments in 2021 signal inclusivity, while Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick's Republican-favoring choices illustrate a trend towards partisanship.
- 7.5: How a Bill Becomes a Law in Texas
- This page explains the Texas legislative process, detailing how bills are initiated, reviewed, and voted upon in the House and Senate. After electing a speaker and adopting rules, bills undergo committee review, floor debates, and final votes needing a majority for passage. The role of conference committees in resolving amendments and the governor's powers, including the line-item veto, are highlighted.
- 7.6: Other Players in the Legislative Process
- This page outlines the legislative process in Texas, highlighting the roles of key officials and agencies, including the Comptroller of Public Accounts, who issues revenue estimates and certifies bills. Interest groups and legislative staffers also impact decisions, while independent media provide critical coverage despite declining traditional outlets. Constituents are empowered to engage directly with lawmakers, ensuring public input is incorporated into legislation.
- 7.7: Issues and Controversies - Redistricting and Representation
- This page discusses Texas's redistricting process, which occurs every ten years following the Census. It highlights the shift from rural to urban representation, the challenges presented by data delays, and the ongoing issue of partisan gerrymandering. The text underscores the impact of these practices on electoral outcomes and fair representation, particularly for communities of color, citing historical context, political analyses, and notable figures who advocate for true representation.
- 7.8: Conclusion
- This page discusses the challenges faced by Representative Canales' bill to exempt college textbooks from sales tax, emphasizing the competition with other legislative proposals and limited state resources. Key factors influencing its progress include committee referrals, public hearings, and the impact of legislative staffers, mainly college students.
- 7.9: Critical Thinking Questions
- This page discusses Texas legislative processes, highlighting the Senate's supermajority requirement versus the House's simple majority, gubernatorial veto powers, biennial budgeting, and redistricting. It analyzes the impact of these elements on legislative effectiveness and democracy, weighing the pros and cons of a biennial budget and critiquing redistricting's partisan nature. The text prompts a detailed examination of these topics.
1. H.B. 21 by Canales, https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup...=86R&Bill=HB21
2. Fiscal Note for H.B. 21, https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/86...l/HB00021I.htm)