Cooked

referral

a formal process directing a person, case, or issue from one agency or entity to another better suited to handle it

chubbing

A strategy used by one or more members to debate bills at length to slow down the legislative process and kill legislation. 

single member district

A district in which one official is elected rather than multiple officials. 

recognition

The power to control floor debate by recognizing who can speak before the House and the Senate.

floor action

The fourth step in the legislative process, during which a bill referred by a standing committee is scheduled for floor debate by the Calendars Committee.

breaking quorum

A strategy in which members coordinate a walkout from the chamber so that there is an insufficient number of member present to conduct business.

point of order

A technical objection raised by a member claiming there is an error in a bill; often used as a delay tactic by a bill's opponent.

introduction

The first step in the legislative process, during which a member of the legislature drafts a bill and files a copy of it with the clerk of the House or secretary of the Senate. 

amendment

The process of altering a bill by adding, subtracting, or replacing parts of the original language. 

bill

A proposed law that has been sponsored by a member of the legislature and submitted to the clerk of the House or Senate.

resolutions

Expressions of opinion on an issue by a legislative body. 

conference committee

A joint committee created to work out a compromise on House and Senate versions of a piece of legislation.

consideration by a committee

The third step in the legislative process, during which a bill is killed, amended, or heard by a committee.

one-person, one-vote principle

The principle that all districts should have roughly equal populations.

partisan gerrymandering

The drawing of political boundaries to benefit one party at the expense of the other.

concurrent resolutions

Resolutions that are of interest to both chambers of the legislature and must pass both the House and Senate and generally be signed by the governor.

standing committee

A permanent committee with the power to propose and write legislation that covers a particular subject, such as finance or agriculture.

regular session

The 140-day period, occurring only in odd numbered years, during which the Texas legislature meets to consider and pass bills.

legislature’s directive and supervisory powers

The legislature's powers over the executive branch; for example, the legislature determines the size of appropriations for state agencies.

simple resolutions

Resolutions that concern only the Texas House or Senate, such as the adoption of a rule or the appointment of an employee, and that do not require the governor's signature.

pigeonholing

A step in the legislative process during which bill is killed by the chair of the standing committee to which it was referred, as a result of the chair setting the bill aside and not bringing it before the committee.

joint resolutions

Resolutions that are commonly proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution or ratifications of an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that must pass both the House and Senate but that do not require the governor's signature.

speaker

The chief presiding officer of the House of Representatives; the Speaker is the most important party and House leader, and can influence the legislative agenda, the fate of individual pieces of legislation, and members' positions within the House.

line-item veto

The power of the executive to veto specific provisions (lines) of an appropriations bill passed by the legislature.

patronage

The resources available to higher officials, usually opportunities to make political appointments to offices and to confer grants, licenses, or special favors to supporters.

oversight

An effort through hearings, investigations, and audits to exercise control over the activities of executive agencies, boards, and commissions.

secretary of state

State official, appointed by the governor, whose primary responsibility is administering elections.

bureaucracy

The complex structure of offices, tasks, rules, and principles of organization that are employed by all large-scale institutions to coordinate the work of their personnel.

senatorial courtesy

In Texas, the practice whereby the governor seeks the indication that the senator from the candidate's home district supports the nomination.

plural executive

An executive branch in which power is fragmented because the election of statewide officeholders is independent of the election of the governor.

discretionary power

The authority to make decisions based on one's judgment.

legislative budget

The state budget that is prepared and submitted by the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) and that is fully considered by the House and Senate.

principal agent problem

A conflict in interests that can occur when one individual or group (the agent) takes actions on behalf of another individual or group (the principal).

rulemaking authority

The power of an agency to create regulations and policies that govern the behavior of individuals and organizations.

sunset advisory comission

A commission created in 1977 for the purpose of reviewing the effectiveness of state agencies.