“No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen.”
— U.S. Constitution, Article I, section 2, clause 2
The Constitution placed notably few hurdles between ordinary citizens and becoming a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives. The founders wanted the House to be the legislative chamber closest to the people—the least restrictive on age, citizenship, and the only federal office at the time subject to frequent popular election. The Constitution requires that Members of the House be at least 25 years old, have been a U.S. citizen for at least seven years, and live in the state they represent (though not necessarily the same district). And Article VI, clause 3 requires that all Members take an oath to support the Constitution before they exercise the duties of their office. In Federalist 52, James Madison of Virginia wrote that, “Under these reasonable limitations, the door of this part of the federal government is open to merit of every description, whether native or adoptive, whether young or old, and without regard to poverty or wealth, or to any particular profession of religious faith.”
Origins
The constitutional qualifications for office originate in British law. Members of the House of Commons had to live in the shires or boroughs they represented, although that was rarely done in practice. The founders used that example to motivate the requirement that Members of the House live in the state they represent. This would increase the likelihood that they would be familiar with the people’s interests there, but there was no mention during the debates about living in the same district. The district system emerged later as states dealt with how to fairly organize their congressional delegations.
Citizenship
At the time the U.S. Constitution was written, the British prevented anyone born outside England or its Empire from serving in the Commons, even if the individual had subsequently become a citizen. By mandating that an individual be a citizen for at least seven years, the founders attempted to strike a balance between preventing foreign interference in domestic politics and keeping the House of Representatives close to the people. The founders also did not want to discourage immigration to the new country by shutting off the government to new arrivals.
Age
The founders initially set 21, the voting age, as the minimum age to serve in the House. During the Federal Constitutional Convention, though, George Mason of Virginia moved to make the age 25. Mason said that there should be a period between being free to manage one’s own affairs and managing the “affairs of a great nation.” Convention Delegate James Wilson of Pennsylvania objected to the suggestion that any further restrictions be placed on House membership, and cited the service of William Pitt as a counterexample. Pitt, who held office at the time of the Convention, was the youngest prime minister in British history at the age of 24. Nevertheless, Mason’s amendment passed seven states to three.
The House and Its Members
Article I, section 5 of the Constitution provides the House with the authority to determine whether Members-elect are qualified to be seated. For instance, William Claiborne of Tennessee became the youngest person to ever serve in the House when he was elected and seated in 1797 at the age of 22. The House also seated Claiborne at the age of 24, when he won re-election. The House, however, has not always been so lenient. Representative John Young Brown of Kentucky was first elected to the House in the 36th Congress (1859–1861) when he was 24, but the House refused to administer the oath of office to him until he was 25—after the first session of the Congress was over.
For Further Reading
Farrand, Max, ed. The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787. Rev. ed. 4 vols. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1937.
Madison, James, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay. The Federalist Papers. New York: Penguin Books, 1987.
Story, Joseph. Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States. 3 vols. Boston, 1833.
Texas State Senate | |
General Information | |
Party control: | Republican |
Session start:[1] | January 10, 2023 |
Session end:[1] | May 29, 2023 |
Term length: | 2-4-4 year system |
Term limits: | None |
Redistricting: | Legislature-dominant |
Salary: | $7,200/year + per diem |
Members | |
Total: | 31 |
Democrats: | 13 |
Republicans: | 18 |
Other: | 0 |
Vacancies: | 0 |
Leadership | |
President: | Dan Patrick (R) |
Elections | |
Last election: | November 8, 2022 |
Next election: | November 5, 2024 |
The Texas State Senate is the upper chamber of the Texas State Legislature. Alongside the Texas House of Representatives, it forms the legislative branch of the Texas state government and works alongside the governor of Texas to create laws and establish a state budget. Legislative authority and responsibilities of the Texas State Senate include passing bills on public policy matters, setting levels for state spending, raising and lowering taxes, and voting to uphold or override gubernatorial vetoes.
The Texas State Senate meets in the state capitol building in Austin, Texas.
Texas enacted new state legislative districts on October 25, 2021. After both sets of legislative district maps passed their respective chambers, the House and Senate both approved maps for the other chamber's districts on October 15, 2021. The House approved the Senate map by an 81-60 vote, and the Senate approved the House map by an 18-13 vote.[2] Gov. Abbott signed both maps into law on October 25, 2021.[3]These maps took effect for Texas' 2022 legislative elections.
In April 2022, the state of Texas said it will redraw legislative district boundaries before the 2024 elections. In a filing for a motion to stay in League of United Latin American Citizens, et al., v. Abbott, et al., Texas said, “Between now and the 2024 elections, the Texas Legislature will enact legislation regarding state legislative seats as required by article III, section 28 of the Texas Constitution... Specifically, article III, section 28 of the Texas Constitution requires that “[t]he Legislature shall, at its first regular session after the publication of each United States decennial census, apportion the state into senatorial and representative districts, agreeable to the provisions of Sections 25 and 26 of” Article III of the Constitution. In this instance, due to the U.S. Census Bureau’s delays in releasing the necessary data, that first regular session is the 2023 regular session. The State has already acknowledged that while federal law required the State to reapportion sooner than 2023, that does not relieve the State of its obligation to enact redistricting legislation in 2023 as required by its Constitution.”[4] Click here for more information about redistricting after the 2020 census.
Texas has a Republican trifecta. The Republican Party controls the office of governor and both chambers of the state legislature. |
This page contains the following information on the Texas State Senate.
- Which party controls the chamber
- The chamber's current membership
- Partisan control of the chamber over time
- Elections in the chamber and how vacancies are filled
- A district map
- How redistricting works in the state
- Legislation currently under consideration
- Legislative session dates
- Legislative procedures, such as veto overrides and the state budget process
- A list of committees
Party control
Current partisan control
The table below shows the partisan breakdown of the Texas State Senate as of December 2022:
Democratic Party | 13 | |
Republican Party | 18 | |
Other | 0 | |
Vacancies | 0 | |
Members
Leadership
The lieutenant governor serves as president of the Senate. The Senate adopts rules at the beginning of each legislative session which set out how much power the president of the Senate will have.[5]
Current leadership and members
- Senate president: Dan Patrick (R)
Texas State Senate District 1 | Bryan Hughes | Republican | January 10, 2017 |
Texas State Senate District 2 | Bob Hall | Republican | 2015 |
Texas State Senate District 3 | Robert Nichols | Republican | 2007 |
Texas State Senate District 4 | Brandon Creighton | Republican | August 26, 2014 |
Texas State Senate District 5 | Charles Schwertner | Republican | 2013 |
Texas State Senate District 6 | Carol Alvarado | Democratic | December 21, 2018 |
Texas State Senate District 7 | Paul Bettencourt | Republican | 2015 |
Texas State Senate District 8 | Angela Paxton | Republican | January 8, 2019 |
Texas State Senate District 9 | Kelly Hancock | Republican | 2013 |
Texas State Senate District 10 | Beverly Powell | Democratic | January 8, 2019 |
Texas State Senate District 11 | Larry Taylor | Republican | 2013 |
Texas State Senate District 12 | Jane Nelson | Republican | 1993 |
Texas State Senate District 13 | Borris Miles | Democratic | 2017 |
Texas State Senate District 14 | Sarah Eckhardt | Democratic | July 31, 2020 |
Texas State Senate District 15 | John Whitmire | Democratic | 1983 |
Texas State Senate District 16 | Nathan Johnson | Democratic | January 8, 2019 |
Texas State Senate District 17 | Joan Huffman | Republican | 2009 |
Texas State Senate District 18 | Lois Kolkhorst | Republican | December 22, 2014 |
Texas State Senate District 19 | Roland Gutierrez | Democratic | January 12, 2021 |
Texas State Senate District 20 | Juan Hinojosa | Democratic | 2002 |
Texas State Senate District 21 | Judith Zaffirini | Democratic | 1987 |
Texas State Senate District 22 | Brian Birdwell | Republican | 2010 |
Texas State Senate District 23 | Royce West | Democratic | 1993 |
Texas State Senate District 24 | Dawn Buckingham | Republican | January 10, 2017 |
Texas State Senate District 25 | Donna Campbell | Republican | 2013 |
Texas State Senate District 26 | Jose Menendez | Democratic | March 4, 2015 |
Texas State Senate District 27 | Eddie Lucio | Democratic | 1991 |
Texas State Senate District 28 | Charles Perry | Republican | September 30, 2014 |
Texas State Senate District 29 | César Blanco | Democratic | January 12, 2021 |
Texas State Senate District 30 | Drew Springer | Republican | January 6, 2021 |
Texas State Senate District 31 | Kel Seliger | Republican | 2004 |
Salaries
See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries$7,200/year | $221/day. Set by ethics commission. Unvouchered. |
Swearing in dates
See also: When state legislators assume office after a general electionTexas legislators assume office in January at the beginning of the legislative session.
Membership qualifications
See also: State legislature candidate requirements by stateTo be eligible to serve in the Texas State Senate, a candidate must be:[6]
- A U.S. citizen
- 26 years old before the general election
- A five-year resident of Texas before the general election
- A district resident for 1 year prior to the general election
Historical party control
Between 1992 and 2020, partisan control of the Texas State Senate shifted in favor of the Republican Party. As a result of the 1992 elections, Democrats held an 18-13 majority. Republicans flipped the chamber in 1996 and, by 2020, expanded their majority to 18-13. The table below shows the partisan history of the Texas State Senate following every general election from 1992 to 2020. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.
Texas State Senate election results: 1992-2020
Democrats | 18 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
Republicans | 13 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 18 |
The movement from an 18-13 Democratic majority in 1992 to a 18-13 Republican majority in 2020 was gradual. Half of the elections between 1992 and 2018 saw no change to the partisan balance of the state Senate. In years where there was a shift in balance, those shifts were minimal. Republicans made their largest gains—three seats—in the 2002 elections. The only years Democrats made gains were 2008, 2018, and 2020 picking up one seat in each year.
Trifecta history
A state government trifecta is a term that describes single party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government.
Between 1992 and 2021, Texas was under the following types of trifecta control:
- Democratic trifecta: 1992-1994
- Republican trifecta: 2003-2021
- Divided government: 1995-2002
Texas Party Control: 1992-2022
Three years of Democratic trifectas • Twenty years of Republican
trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
Governor | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
Senate | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
House | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
Elections
Elections by year
Texas state senators serve 2-4-4 terms, where senators serve one two-year term and two four-year terms each decade. Texas holds elections for its legislature in even years.
2024
See also: Texas State Senate elections, 2024Elections for the Texas State Senate will take place in 2024. The general election is on November 5, 2024.
2022
See also: Texas State Senate elections, 2022Elections for the Texas State Senate took place in 2022. The general election was on November 8, 2022. A primary was scheduled for March 1, 2022, and a primary runoff was scheduled for May 24, 2022. The filing deadline was December 13, 2021.
2020
See also: Texas State Senate elections, 2020Elections for the office of Texas State Senate took place in 2020. The general election was held on November 3, 2020. A primary was scheduled for March 3, 2020, and a primary runoff was scheduled for July 14, 2020. The filing deadline was December 9, 2019.
In the 2020 elections, the Republican majority in the Texas State Senate decreased from 19-12 to 18-13.
Democratic Party | 12 | 13 | |
Republican Party | 19 | 18 | |
2018
See also: Texas State Senate elections, 2018Elections for the Texas State Senate took place in 2018. An open primary election took place on March 6, 2018.[7] A primary runoff election took place on May 22, 2018. The general election was held on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was December 11, 2017.[8]
In the 2018 elections, the Republican majority in the Texas State Senate was reduced from 21-10 to 19-12.
Democratic Party | 10 | 12 | |
Republican Party | 21 | 19 | |
2016
See also: Texas State Senate elections, 2016Elections for the Texas State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election was held on March 1, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was December 14, 2015.[9] A total of 16 seats out of the 31 seats in the Texas State Senate were up for election in 2016.
Heading into the election, Republicans held a 20-11 majority. No changes occurred to the partisan balance of the chamber.
Democratic Party | 11 | 11 | |
Republican Party | 20 | 20 | |
2014See also: Texas State Senate elections, 2014Elections for 15 of the 31 seats in the Texas State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on March 4, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in these elections was December 9, 2013. Heading into the election, Republicans held an 18-12 majority with one vacancy. Republicans gained two seats in the election, giving them a 20-11 majority.
2012See also: Texas State Senate elections, 2012Elections for the office of Texas State Senate took place in 2012. The primary election was held on May 29, 2012, and the general election was held on November 6, 2012. The candidate filing deadline was December 19, 2011. All 31 Senate seats were up for election in 2012. Heading into the election, Republicans held a 19-12 majority. No partisan change occurred in the election.
The following table details the 10 districts with the smallest margin of victory in the November 6 general election.
2010See also: Texas State Senate elections, 2010Elections for the office of Texas State Senate took place in 2010. The primary election was held on March 2, 2010, and the general election was held on November 2, 2010. The runoff election was on April 13, 2010. The candidate filing deadline was January 4, 2010. Sixteen seats were up for election. Heading into the election, Republicans held a 19-12 majority. No partisan change occurred in the election.
In 2010, the candidates for state Senate raised a total of $11,219,972 in campaign contributions. The top 10 donors were:[10]
2008See also: Texas State Senate elections, 2008Elections for the office of Texas State Senate consisted of a primary election on March 4, 2008, and a general election on November 4, 2008. During the 2008 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $25,929,067. The top 10 contributors were:[11]
2006See also: Texas State Senate elections, 2006Elections for the office of Texas State Senate consisted of a primary election on March 7, 2006, and a general election on November 7, 2006. During the 2006 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $28,516,289. The top 10 contributors were:[12]
2004See also: Texas State Senate elections, 2004Elections for the office of Texas State Senate consisted of a primary election on March 9, 2004, and a general election on November 2, 2004. During the 2004 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $16,529,122. The top 10 contributors were:[13]
2002See also: Texas State Senate elections, 2002Elections for the office of Texas State Senate consisted of a primary election on March 12, 2002, and a general election on November 5, 2002. During the 2002 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $23,504,855. The top 10 contributors were:[14]
2000See also: Texas State Senate elections, 2000Elections for the office of Texas State Senate consisted of a primary election on March 14, 2000, and a general election on November 7, 2000. During the 2000 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $15,399,907. The top 10 contributors were:[15]
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Vacancies
See also: How vacancies are filled in state legislaturesIf there is a vacancy in the Texas State Legislature, the governor must call a special election to fill the vacant seat.[16] A governor's proclamation to hold a special election must be delivered to local elections authorities representing the vacant seat no later than 36 days before the scheduled election.[17]
The secretary of state can declare a candidate duly elected in a special election if there is no opposition.[18]
District map
See also: Texas state legislative districtsThe state of Texas has 31 state Senate districts. Each district elects one senator.
Use the interactive map below to find your district.
Redistricting
See also: Redistricting in TexasIn Texas, both congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn by the Texas State Legislature. These lines are subject to veto by the governor.[19]
If the state legislature is unable to approve a state legislative redistricting plan, a backup commission must draw the lines (the backup commission is not involved in congressional redistricting). This backup commission, established in 1948, comprises the following members:[19]
- Lieutenant governor
- Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives
- Attorney general
- State comptroller
- Commissioner of the General Land Office
The Texas Constitution requires that state legislative districts be contiguous and "that they preserve whole counties when population mandates permit."[19]
2020
See also: Redistricting in Texas after the 2020 censusTexas enacted new state legislative districts on October 25, 2021. After both sets of legislative district maps passed their respective chambers, the House and Senate both approved maps for the other chamber's districts on October 15, 2021. The House approved the Senate map by an 81-60 vote, and the Senate approved the House map by an 18-13 vote.[20] Gov. Abbott signed both maps into law on October 25, 2021.[21]These maps took effect for Texas' 2022 legislative elections.
In April 2022, the state of Texas said it will redraw legislative district boundaries before the 2024 elections. In a filing for a motion to stay in League of United Latin American Citizens, et al., v. Abbott, et al., Texas said, “Between now and the 2024 elections, the Texas Legislature will enact legislation regarding state legislative seats as required by article III, section 28 of the Texas Constitution... Specifically, article III, section 28 of the Texas Constitution requires that “[t]he Legislature shall, at its first regular session after the publication of each United States decennial census, apportion the state into senatorial and representative districts, agreeable to the provisions of Sections 25 and 26 of” Article III of the Constitution. In this instance, due to the U.S. Census Bureau’s delays in releasing the necessary data, that first regular session is the 2023 regular session. The State has already acknowledged that while federal law required the State to reapportion sooner than 2023, that does not relieve the State of its obligation to enact redistricting legislation in 2023 as required by its Constitution.”[22]
District map before and after 2020 redistricting
Below is the state Senate map in effect before and after the 2020 redistricting cycle.
Texas State Senate Districts
before 2020 redistricting cycle
Click a district to compare boundaries.
Texas State Senate Districts
after 2020 redistricting cycle
Click a district to compare boundaries.
2010
See also: Redistricting in Texas after the 2010 censusTexas received its local census data on February 17, 2011. The state grew 20.6%, with Hispanics making up at least 2/3 of that growth. The growth rate in the largest cities was as follows: Houston grew by 7.5 percent, San Antonio grew by 16.0 percent, Dallas grew by 0.8 percent, Austin grew by 20.4 percent, and Fort Worth grew by 38.6 percent. Harris County grew by 20%, which suggested suburban growth.[23]
The Texas State Senate released a proposed map of its 31 districts on May 11, 2011. The Senate and House plans were passed by the Texas Legislature on May 21, 2011, and were signed by Gov. Rick Perry (R) on June 17, 2011. Attorney General Greg Abbott submitted Texas' redistricting maps to a panel of three federal judges in Washington DC on July 19, 2011, as required under the Voting Rights Act. The DC federal court rejected Texas' senate and house maps on November 8, 2011, denying the state's request for preclearance summary judgment.[24] The Texas House of Representatives approved new district maps during a June 2013 special session. The maps passed the Texas State Senate and were signed into law by Gov. Perry on June 26, 2013.[25][26]
Sessions
Legislation
The legislation tracker below displays all legislation that the Texas State Senate has approved in its most recent legislative session—this includes legislation that has been sent from the Senate to the House and legislation that has already been approved by both chambers and signed by the governor. The table below includes the bill number, its name, progress, most recent action date, and sponsor. Scroll up and down and side to side to see more. Click the bill number to read the bill text and see its voting history. Click the headings to sort the content. Rearrange the order of the headings by clicking and dragging them. Click the magnifying glass in the bottom left corner to search for specific terms. The legislation tracker is maintained and updated by BillTrack50.
Dates of legislative sessions in Texas by year
2023
See also: 2023 Texas legislative session and Dates of 2023 state legislative sessionsIn 2023, the legislature is scheduled to convene on January 10, 2023, and adjourn on May 29, 2023.
2022
See also: Dates of 2022 state legislative sessionsIn 2022, the legislature will not hold a regular session.
2021See also: 2021 Texas legislative session and Dates of 2021 state legislative sessionsIn 2021, the legislature was scheduled to convene on January 12, 2021, and adjourn on May 31, 2021. 2020See also: Dates of 2020 state legislative sessionsIn 2020, the legislature did not hold a regular session. 2019See also: 2019 Texas legislative session and Dates of 2019 state legislative sessionsIn 2019, the legislature was in session from January 8, 2019, through May 27, 2019. 2018See also: Dates of 2018 state legislative sessionsIn 2018, the legislature did not hold a regular session. 2017See also: Dates of 2017 state legislative sessionsIn 2017, the legislature was in session from January 10, 2017, through May 29, 2017. A special session was held from July 18 to August 15.
2016See also: Dates of 2016 state legislative sessionsIn 2016, the legislature did not hold a regular session. 2015See also: Dates of 2015 state legislative sessionsIn 2015, the legislature was in session from January 13 through June 1. Major issues in 2015Major issues during the 2015 legislative session included transportation funding, especially funding of the Texas Department of Transportation. A bill meant to help alleviate funding issues within the agency died in the last legislative session, leaving the issue to the 2015 legislative session. Officials from the agency told lawmakers they needed an additional $4 billion a year to maintain the state's current traffic levels.[34] 2014See also: Dates of 2014 state legislative sessionsIn 2014, the legislature did not hold a regular session. 2013See also: Dates of 2013 state legislative sessionsIn 2013, the legislature was in session from January 8 to May 27. Thirty minutes after the regular session ended, Governor Rick Perry (R) called legislators back for a special session starting that evening.[35] Tweets from @texastribune / texas-legislators Major issues in 2013Along with the necessity of creating a new budget, some of the biggest issues included Medicaid and school funding, a water shortage, and reforming the school finance system.[36] Wallace Hall impeachmentSee also: Wallace Hall impeachment trialAfter he was appointed in 2011, University of Texas Regent Wallace Hall began looking into what he believed to be clout scandals within the University of Texas system. Hall investigated the university's forgivable-loans program and admissions policies and preferential treatment to politically-connected individuals.[37] Hall, as an individual citizen, filed FOIA requests with the university system after his inquiries via his role as a Regent were rebuffed.[38] According to his accusers, Hall filed requests of more than 800,000 pages, which some Texas administrators called an unnecessary burden.[39][40] However, a letter from university chancellor Francisco Cigarroa in February 2014 said that Hall likely requested fewer than 100,000 pages.[41][42] In addition, Cigarroa wrote: "During testimony before the Select Committee, some early witnesses implied that the U.T. System has not protected the privacy rights of students, staff, and patients. This is simply not true."[43] An effort was begun in June 2013 by members of the Texas State House to try and impeach Hall from his position as Regent. Some legislators justified the impeachment on the grounds that Hall did not disclose several lawsuits that he was involved in when he originally completed his Regent background check. Hall updated Governor Rick Perry's (R) office in April 2013 with the full list.[44][45] The lack of lawsuit disclosure by Hall was not unique -- more than 9,000 lawsuits were not disclosed by other appointed Texas officials.[46][47] Perry's spokesperson said the investigations sent a "chilling message" to gubernatorial appointees.[48] He added that the investigation was "extraordinary political theater."[49] Texas state legislators had never previously tried to remove an appointed official. Only two elected officials in the history of Texas have ever been successfully impeached.[50] Texas State House Speaker Joe Straus (R) authorized the Committee on Transparency in State Agency Operations to investigate the possibility of drafting articles of impeachment.[51] The committee censured Hall but did not impeach him. 2012See also: Dates of 2012 state legislative sessionsIn 2012, the legislature did not hold a regular session. 2011 (82nd Legislature)See also: Dates of 2011 state legislative sessionsRegular sessionIn 2011, the legislature was in session from January 11 through May 30.[52]Major themes throughout the session were fixing a multi-billion dollar budget shortfall, state and congressional redistricting, and immigration reform. While redistricting maps were passed for the Texas House of Representatives, the Texas State Senate, and the State Board of Education, the legislature failed to pass a congressional map within the regular session. Special sessionThe 82nd Legislative Session officially ended Monday, May 30, 2011. Due to a lack of progress on key legislative items, Governor Rick Perry (R) called a special session which began first thing Tuesday, May 31, 2011. Of primary concern in the special session was passing supporting legislation needed to balance the budget. Even though a budget bill passed both the House and Senate during the regular session, a last-minute filibuster by Democratic Senator Wendy Davis halted the passing of an essential school finance bill that was required to balance the budget. The Texas Constitution requires a balanced budget, so a special session was called. Balancing the budget was not the only item on the special session agenda. Medicaid reform, immigration, and congressional redistricting were amongst the issues to be addressed.[53] 2010See also: Dates of 2010 state legislative sessionsIn 2010, the legislature did not hold a regular session.[54] 2009In 2009, the legislature met in session from January 13 through June 1.[55] |
About legislative sessions in Texas
The Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution declares that any power not already given to the federal government is reserved to the states and the people.[56] State governments across the country use this authority to hold legislative sessions where a state's elected representatives meet for a period of time to draft and vote on legislation and set state policies on issues such as taxation, education, and government spending. The different types of legislation passed by a legislature may include resolutions, legislatively referred constitutional amendments, and bills that become law.
Article III of the Texas Constitution establishes when the Texas State Legislature, of which the Senate is a part, is to be in session. Section 5 of Article III states that the legislature shall meet every two years at times to be established by law. Section 5 goes on to say that the legislature can also be convened by the governor of Texas.
Legislative roles and procedures
Every state legislature throughout the country features its own internal procedures that it uses to govern itself and how it interacts with other parts of state government. Ballotpedia's coverage of internal state legislative procedures includes veto overrides, the role of the legislature in the state budget, and procedures for filling membership vacancies.
Veto overrides
State legislatures can override governors' vetoes. Depending on the state, this can be done during the regular legislative session, in a special session following the adjournment of the regular session, or during the next legislative session. The rules for legislative overrides of gubernatorial vetoes in Texas are listed below.
How many legislators are required to vote for an override? Two-thirds of members present in both chambers.
Two-thirds of members present in both chambers must vote to override a veto. If all members are in attendance, this is 100 of the 150 members in the Texas House of Representatives and 21 of the 31 members in the Texas State Senate. Texas is one of 36 states that requires a two-thirds vote from both of its legislative chambers to override a veto.
Authority: Article 4, Section 14 of the Texas Constitution.
"Every bill which shall have passed both houses of the Legislature shall be presented to the Governor for his approval. If he approve he shall sign it; but if he disapprove it, he shall return it, with his objections, to the House in which it originated, which House shall enter the objections at large upon its journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such reconsideration, two-thirds of the members present agree to pass the bill, it shall be sent, with the objections, to the other House, by which likewise it shall be reconsidered; and, if approved by two-thirds of the members of that House, it shall become a law; but in such cases the votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas and nays, and the names of the members voting for and against the bill shall be entered on the journal of each House respectively."
Role in state budget
See also: Texas state budget and financesThe state operates on a biennial budget cycle. The sequence of key events in the budget process is as follows:[57]
- Budget instructions are sent to state agencies beginning in June.
- Agencies submit their budget requests to the governor between July and September.
- Agency hearings are held between July and October.
- The governor submits his or her proposed budget to the state legislature by the date of the State of the State address.
- The legislature typically adopts a budget in May. A simple majority is required to pass a budget. The fiscal year begins in September.
Texas is one of 44 states in which the governor has
line item veto authority.[57]
The legislature is constitutionally required to adopt a balanced budget. The governor must sign a balanced budget into law.[57]
Committees
See also: List of committees in Texas state governmentEvery state legislature and state legislative chamber in the country contains several legislative committees. These committees are responsible for studying, amending, and voting on legislation before it reaches the floor of a chamber for a full vote. The different types of committees include standing committees, select or special, and joint.
- Standing committees are generally permanent committees, the names of which sometimes change from session to session.
- Select or special committees are temporary committees formed to deal with specific issues such as recent legislation, major public policy or proposals, or investigations.
- Joint committees are committees that feature members of both chambers of a legislature.
Ballotpedia covers standing and joint committees. The Texas State Senate has 15 standing committees:
- Administration Committee
- Business & Commerce Committee
- Criminal Justice Committee
- Education Committee
- Finance Committee
- Health & Human Services Committee
- Jurisprudence Committee
- Local Government Committee
- Natural Resources and Economic Development Committee
- Nominations Committee
- Senate Higher Education Committee
- Senate State Affairs Committee
- Senate Transportation Committee
- Veteran Affairs & Border Security Committee
- Water, Agriculture, & Rural Affairs Committee
Constitutional amendments
In every state but Delaware, voter approval is required to enact a constitutional amendment. In each state, the legislature has a process for referring constitutional amendments before voters. In 18 states, initiated constitutional amendments can be put on the ballot through a signature petition drive. There are also many other types of statewide measures.
The methods in which the Texas Constitution can be amended:
See also: Article 17 of the Texas Constitution and Laws governing ballot measures in Texas1 • 2 3 (1-43) • 3 (44-49) • 3 (50-67) 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 |
- As laid out in Article 17, in order for a proposed constitutional amendment to go before the people, the Texas State Legislature must propose the amendment in a joint resolution of both the Texas State Senate and the Texas House of Representatives.
- The joint resolution can originate in either branch of the legislature. The resolution must be adopted by a vote of at least two-thirds of the membership of each house of the legislature. That amounts to a minimum of 100 votes in the House of Representatives and 21 votes in the Senate.
- Amendments may be proposed in either regular or special sessions.
- Joint resolutions endorsing a proposed amendment must include the text of the proposed constitutional amendment and specify an election date. These joint resolutions may include more than one proposed amendment.
- If more than one proposition is under consideration on a ballot, the Texas Secretary of State conducts a random drawing to assign each proposition a ballot number.
- If voters reject an amendment, the legislature can resubmit it. For example, after Proposition 2 was rejected in August 1991, the legislature re-adopted it and re-submitted it for that year's November ballot, where it was approved as Texas Proposition 13 (1991).
- The ballot wording of a proposition is specified in the joint resolution adopted by the Legislature, which has broad discretion in this matter. Texas courts have heard challenges to proposed ballot wording but have generally ruled that "ballot language is sufficient if it describes the proposed amendment with such definiteness and certainty that voters will not be misled."[58]
- The Legislature may call an election for voter consideration of proposed constitutional amendments on any date, as long as election authorities have sufficient time to provide notice to the voters and print the ballots.
- A brief explanatory statement of the nature of each proposed amendment, along with the ballot wording for each amendment, must be published twice in each newspaper in the state that prints official notices. The first notice must be published 50 to 60 days before the election. The second notice must be published on the same day of the subsequent week. The secretary of state must send a complete copy of each amendment to each county clerk, who must post it in the courthouse at least 30 days prior to the election.
- The secretary of state drafts the ballot explanation. This must be approved by the Attorney General of Texas.
- Constitutional amendments take effect when the official vote canvass confirms statewide majority approval, unless a later date is specified. Statewide election results are tabulated by the secretary of state and must be canvassed by the governor 15 to 30 days following the election.
2023 measures:
Certified:
The following measures have been certified for the ballot.No measures to list
Potential:
No measures to list
2022 measures:
Below is a list of measures that were referred to the 2022 ballot by the legislature or that have made it approximately halfway through the process in the legislature for referral to the ballot in 2022.
See also: Texas 2022 ballot measuresCertified:
The following measures have been certified for the ballot.Texas Proposition 1, Property Tax Limit Reduction for Elderly and Disabled Residents Amendment | Democrats | Republicans | |||
Senate: | Required: 21 | Yes votes: 29 (93.55%) | No votes: 0 (0.0%) | Yes: 11; No: 0 | Yes: 18; No: 0 |
House: | Required: 99 | Yes votes: 116 (78.4%) | No votes: 0 (0.0%) | Yes: 36; No: 0 | Yes: 80; No: 0 |
Texas Proposition 2, Increased Homestead Exemption for School District Property Taxes Amendment | Democrats | Republicans | |||
Senate: | Required: 21 | Yes votes: 31 (100.0%) | No votes: 0 (0.0%) | Yes: 13; No: 0 | Yes: 18; No: 0 |
House: | Required: 100 | Yes votes: 147 (98.6%) | No votes: 0 (0.0%) | Yes: 64; No: 0 | Yes: 83; No: 0 |
Potential:
No measures to list
See also
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Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 This date reflects the regularly-scheduled date and does not reflect any change made as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. For more information on changes to state legislative sessions as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, click here.
- ↑ Texas Tribune, "Lawmakers send to Gov. Greg Abbott new political maps that would further solidify the GOP’s grip on the Texas Legislature," October 15, 2021
- ↑ Texas Tribune, "Gov. Greg Abbott signs off on Texas’ new political maps, which protect GOP majorities while diluting voices of voters of color," October 25, 2021
- ↑ United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, League of United Latin American Citizens, et al., v. Abbott, et al., April 20, 2022
- ↑ The Texas Senate, "Senate Rules," accessed July 9, 2019
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Qualifications for All Public Offices," accessed February 16, 2021
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Systems," accessed May 29, 2017
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Important 2018 Election Dates," accessed September 11, 2017
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Important 2016 Election Dates," accessed December 14, 2015
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Texas Senate 2010 Campaign Contributions," accessed August 2, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Texas 2008 Candidates," accessed August 2, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Texas 2006 Candidates," accessed August 2, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Texas 2004 Candidates," accessed August 2, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Texas 2002 Candidates," accessed August 2, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Texas 2000 Candidates," accessed August 2, 2013
- ↑ Texas Legislature, "Election Code," accessed February 16, 2021 (Statute 3.003 (3))
- ↑ Texas Legislature, "Election Code," accessed February 16, 2021 (Statute 3.003 (3)(b)-(c))
- ↑ Texas Legislature, "Election Code," accessed February 16, 2021 (Statute 2.055 (3)(b)-(c))
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 All About Redistricting, "Texas," accessed May 7, 2015
- ↑ Texas Tribune, "Lawmakers send to Gov. Greg Abbott new political maps that would further solidify the GOP’s grip on the Texas Legislature," October 15, 2021
- ↑ Texas Tribune, "Gov. Greg Abbott signs off on Texas’ new political maps, which protect GOP majorities while diluting voices of voters of color," October 25, 2021
- ↑ United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, League of United Latin American Citizens, et al., v. Abbott, et al., April 20, 2022
- ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "U.S. Census Bureau Delivers Texas' 2010 Census Population Totals, Including First Look at Race and Hispanic Origin Data for Legislative Redistricting," February 17, 2011
- ↑ Foxnews.com, "Texas Redistricting May Give Democrats Greater Chance of Winning Seats in State Legislature," November 17, 2011
- ↑ The Associated Press, "Texas House approves redistricting maps," June 20, 2013
- ↑ The Austin American-Statesman, "House gives final approval to redistricting maps," June 21, 2013
- ↑ texas.gov, "Proclamation by the Governor of the State of Texas," July 10, 2017
- ↑ texas.gov, "Supplemental Call," July 10, 2017
- ↑ Texas Tribune, "Texas Senate moves to fast-track special session agenda," July 18, 2017
- ↑ Texas Tribune, "Senate gives OK to must-pass "sunset" legislation in midnight vote," July 19, 2017
- ↑ The Texas Tribune, "Texas House approves sending first two special session bills to governor," August 10, 2017
- ↑ Texas Tribune, "Tears and shouting on Texas House floor as Freedom Caucus delays bills to death," May 11, 2017
- ↑ Texas Freedom Caucus, "Abbott Must Call a Special Session," May 31, 2017
- ↑ Aman Batheja, Texas Tribune, "Transportation Funding Likely to Be Big Issue in 2015" accessed January 29, 2015
- ↑ kten.com, "Texas Lawmakers To Tackle Redistricting In Special Session," May 29, 2013
- ↑ Star-Telegram, "As lawmakers return to Austin this week, a heap of work awaits," January 6, 2013
- ↑ American Spectator, "Transparency for Thee," October 25, 2013
- ↑ Daily Texas Online, "Facing impeachment, Regent Wallace Hall defends actions in debate with Sen. Kirk Watson," September 28, 2013
- ↑ Daily Texas Online, "Former UT System vice chancellor alleges Regent Wallace Hall’s ‘clear intent to get rid of Bill Powers’," October 24, 2013
- ↑ Dallas Morning News, "UT regent sought 800,000 documents, official says in impeachment hearing," October 22, 2013
- ↑ Watchdog, "‘Witch hunt’ fallout: Speaker calls for narrower public records law," February 5, 2014
- ↑ Texas Tribune, "UT System Responds to Transparency Committee Directives," February 3, 2014
- ↑ Texas Tribune, "Cigarroa letter to the Committee on Transparency in State Agency Operations," February 1, 2014
- ↑ Texas Tribune, "UT Regent Wallace Hall Updates Lawsuit Disclosures," April 30, 2013
- ↑ Real Clear Policy, "The Campaign Against Wallace Hall," August 15, 2013
- ↑ Watchdog.org, "Case against UT regent Wallace Hall is a sham — here’s proof," September 6, 2013
- ↑ News-Journal, "University of Texas regent not worried by impeachment inquiry," September 9, 2013
- ↑ Texas Tribune, "Transparency Committee to Mull Impeachment of UT Regent," June 25, 2013
- ↑ Texas Tribune, "Perry Blasts Impeachment Probe of Wallace Hall," October 30, 2013
- ↑ Texas Public Radio, "UT Regent Wallace Hall Will Testify In Impeachment Hearing," November 13, 2013
- ↑ Texas State House Committees, "Transparency in State Agency Operations Committee Members," accessed October 31, 2013
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2011 Legislative Sessions Calendar," accessed June 6, 2014(Archived)
- ↑ The Texas Tribune, "The Official Agenda for a New Session," May 30, 2011
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2010 session dates for Texas legislature," December 8, 2010
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2009 Legislative Sessions Calendar," March 11, 2010
- ↑ Find Law, "Tenth Amendment - U.S. Constitution," accessed May 20, 2017
- ↑ 57.0 57.1 57.2 National Association of State Budget Officers, "Budget Processes in the States, Spring 2015," accessed February 16, 2021
- ↑ Texas Legislative Library, "Description of amendment procedure, p. 3," accessed July 13, 2015
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