Texas Legislature

Redistricting

The process of redrawing the boundaries of legislative districts, conducted every 10 years following the census.

Gerrymandering

Drawing legislative district boundaries in a way that establishes an unfair political advantage for a group.

Biennial

Occurring every two years; Texas regular legislative sessions are held biennially.

Speaker of the House

The leader of the Texas House of Representatives, currently Dan Phelan.

Lieutenant Governor

The leader of the Texas Senate, often considered the most powerful person in Texas state government.

Impeachment Charges

House of Representatives may bring these charges against statewide officers; the Senate holds the trial.

District Population Equality

Legislative districts must have approximately equal populations, determined by the census.

House of Representatives Qualification

Must be a U.S. citizen, a 2-year Texas resident, a 12-month resident of the district, and at least 21 years old.

Senate Qualification

Must be a U.S. citizen, a 5-year Texas resident, a 12-month resident of the district, and at least 26 years old.

Compensation for Legislators

Texas legislators receive $600 per month, plus $221 per day during session, but this is often not enough to live on.

Constitutional Amendments in Texas

Proposed by the legislature and submitted to voters for ratification; requires a two-thirds vote in both houses.

Legislative Process Steps

Adoption of rules, introduction of a bill, committee review, readings, debates, and final vote.

Per Diem

Daily allowance legislators receive during the session, currently set at $221.

Current Demographic Makeup

Texas legislature includes 112 males and 38 females in the House; 21 males and 10 females in the Senate.

Partisan Breakdown of Legislature

House has 83 Republicans and 67 Democrats; Senate has 18 Republicans and 13 Democrats.

Age in Legislature

Texas House has members in their 30s to 70s; none under 30. Senate is predominantly 50 and older.

Voting on Bills

A bill must go through three readings and majority votes in both chambers before going to the governor.

Governor's Actions on Bills

The governor can sign, veto, or let a bill become law without a signature within 10 days.

Veto Override

The legislature can override a governor's veto with a two-thirds vote in both chambers.

Legislative Sessions

Regular sessions last for 140 days and are held every odd-numbered year; special sessions are called by the governor.

Revenue Raising Bills

Must originate in the House of Representatives, similar to rules in U.S. Congress.

Population in Legislative Functioning

Texas has a part-time legislature despite having a population and economy equivalent to many countries.