Texas Legislature 101

Houser Academy:Texas Legislature 101

Lesson Objectives

Learners will understand the role and composition of the Texas legislature

Learners will understand the lawmaking process in Texas

Learners will understand how they can influence housing legislation

Image: Adobe

Course Outline:

1. The role of the Texas Legislature
2. The players involved in lawmaking
3. Texas’s lawmaking process
4. How state lawmaking affects local policy
5. Housing advocacy at the Legislature

Texas legislature 101

The role of the Texas Legislature

• Three branches of Texas government:
• Executive
• Judicial
• Legislative

• Process established by Texas Constitution

• Enacted laws are called statutes
• Statutes must not conflict with the Constitution
• If they do, they’ll likely be challenged in court

Texas legislature 101

The players involved in lawmaking

• Composed of 150 members
• Elected by voters for 2-year terms
• Members represent districts that are redrawn every 10 years (after the Census)
• House members elect a Speaker of the House, who serves as the presiding officer

House of Representatives

Texas legislature 101

The players involved in lawmaking

• Composed of 31 members
• Elected by voters for 4-year terms
• Members represent districts that are redrawn every 10 years (after the Census)
• The presiding officer of the Senate is the Lieutenant Governor
• Elected at-large by the state every 4 years

Senate

Texas legislature 101

The players involved in lawmaking

• Elected at-large by the state for a 4-year term
• The Governor has veto power
• Veto power is an example of how the executive branch is given oversight over the legislative branch

Governor

Texas legislature 101

The lawmaking process: schedule

• The Legislature meets every two years, from January through May
• Members convene at the state capitol in Austin
• After the regular session is over in May, the Governor may call special sessions

Texas legislature 101

The lawmaking process: proposed bills

• Potential laws, or bills, are presented by legislators in both chambers (the House and the Senate)
• Where do ideas for bills originate?
• The public
• Interest groups, lobbyists, and activists
• In response to committee studies

Texas legislature 101

The lawmaking process: committees

• Proposed bills are referred to committees, formed at the beginning of each session

• Committees review proposed bills and determine which bills are reported out to the floor of a chamber for a vote by all members
• Many bills do not receive a majority vote and “die” in committee
• The public may testify at committee meetings

Texas legislature 101

The lawmaking process: voting and enactment

• Bills reported out of committee are deliberated by all members

• If both chambers pass the proposed bill, the bill is sent to the Governor

• The Governor has 3 options: sign, veto, or allow to become law without signature
• A 2/3 majority vote in both chambers is required to overrule a veto

Texas legislature 101

1. How does state lawmaking affect local policy in my community?
2. How can I get involved in state lawmaking to benefit my community?

Texas legislature 101

How state lawmaking affects local policy

• Cities in Texas are divided into classes:
• Home rule cities (all the big cities) look to the state to limit their power, not grant it
• Extensive governing autonomy, but can’t conflict with Texas’s Constitution or statutes
• In contrast, general law cities may only exercise powers granted to them by the state

Texas legislature 101

How state lawmaking affects local policy

• Political tension exists between the state and local level in Texas, particularly in larger home rule cities
• The Legislature may pass statutes to preempt local laws that legislators do not like
• Example of preemption: 2015 source of income discrimination

Texas legislature 101

Housing advocacy at the legislature

Transcript: “Well, I think the most important thing that people can do is reach out to their individual legislators. One of the beauties of Texas Housers Academy is we have people from all over the state: there’s nothing more powerful than a state representative or a senator hearing from someone they represent about a problem they’re aware of or experiencing and a suggested fix to that. Legislation starts with constituents of elected officials and the more voices we can get – whether its an email or a phone call or showing up to testify at a hearing in support or opposition to legislation – that’s probably the one more important thing we can be doing.”

Texas legislature 101

Housing advocacy at the legislature

VOTE!

Texas legislature 101

Links to Resources

• Look up your senator and representative
• Click on their names to view their contact information

• If you’re interested in learning about or following proposed bills

• If you’re interested in following committee meetings to see schedules, agendas, and opportunities for public testimony:

• House of Representatives

• Senate

Texas legislature 101