How Many Us Senators The Makeup Of The State Legislature Of Texas

Texas State Legislature
Full general information
Type:	State legislature
Term limits:	None
Session start:	No regular legislative session
Website:	Official Legislature Page
Leadership
Senate President:	Dan Patrick (R)
Firm Speaker:	Dade Phelan (R)
Construction
Members:	31 (Senate), 150 (House)
Length of term:	4 years (Senate), 2 years (Business firm)
Authority:	Art 3, Texas Constitution
Salary:	$7,200/year + per diem
Elections
Last election:	Nov 3, 2020
Next ballot:	November 8, 2022
Redistricting:	Texas Legislature has control

The Texas Legislature is the state legislature of Texas. The legislature meets at the Texas State Capitol in Austin. In Texas, the legislature is considered "the dominant branch of state regime," according to the Texas State Historical Association.^[1]

Information technology is composed of the upper chamber, the Texas Country Senate, and the lower sleeping room, the Texas House of Representatives.

Texas entered the Union in 1845. The first legislature met from Feb xvi to May 13, 1846.

Texas has a Republican trifecta. The Republican Party controls the office of governor and both chambers of the state legislature.

Texas enacted new state legislative districts on Oct 25, 2021. The Senate Redistricting Committee released a typhoon of a Senate legislative map on September 18, 2021, and a Senate panel advanced the proposal to the full Senate for debate on September 28, 2021. The Senate canonical the plans in a 20-11 vote on October 4, 2021.^[two] The House approved an amended version of a proposed House district map in an 83-63 vote divide along party lines on October 13, 2021.^[three] After both sets of legislative district maps passed their respective chambers, the House and Senate both canonical maps for the other bedroom's districts on October fifteen, 2021. The Business firm canonical the Senate map by an 81-60 vote, and the Senate canonical the House map by an 18-13 vote.^[4] Gov. Abbott signed both maps into constabulary on October 25, 2021.^[5]These maps take issue for Texas' 2022 legislative elections. Click here for more data.

Encounter also: Texas Firm of Representatives, Texas Country Senate, Texas Governor

Elections

2022

See as well: Texas State Senate elections, 2022 and Texas House of Representatives elections, 2022

Elections for the Texas Land Senate will take place in 2022. The general ballot is on November 8, 2022. A primary was scheduled for March ane, 2022, and a primary runoff was scheduled for May 24, 2022. The filing deadline was Dec 13, 2021.

Elections for the Texas House of Representatives will take place in 2022. The general election is on Nov eight, 2022. A chief was scheduled for March 1, 2022, and a primary runoff was scheduled for May 24, 2022. The filing deadline was December xiii, 2021.

2020

Run across also: Texas State Senate elections, 2020 and Texas House of Representatives elections, 2020

Elections for the part of Texas Land Senate took place in 2020. The general election was held on November 3, 2020. A primary was scheduled for March 3, 2020, and a principal runoff was scheduled for July 14, 2020. The filing deadline was Dec 9, 2019.

Elections for the office of Texas House of Representatives took identify in 2020. The general election was held on Nov 3, 2020. A main was scheduled for March iii, 2020, and a primary runoff was scheduled for July 14, 2020. The filing deadline was Dec ix, 2019.

2018

See also: Texas Country Senate elections, 2018 and Texas House of Representatives elections, 2018

Elections for the Texas Country Senate took place in 2018. An open chief election took place on March vi, 2018.^[six] A primary runoff election took place on May 22, 2018. The full general election was held on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was December 11, 2017.^[vii]

Elections for the Texas House of Representatives took place in 2018. An open primary election took place on March 6, 2018.^[eight] 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.^[9]

2016

Encounter also: Texas State Senate elections, 2016 and Texas House of Representatives elections, 2016

Elections 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 Dec 14, 2015.^[10]

Elections for the Texas House of Representatives took identify in 2016. The main election was held on March 1, 2016, and the general election was held on Nov eight, 2016. The candidate filing borderline was December 14, 2015.^[11]

2014

Run into also: Texas State Senate elections, 2014 and Texas House of Representatives elections, 2014

Elections for 15 of the 31 seats in the Texas Country Senate took place in 2014. A chief election took place on March 4, 2014. The full general election was held on Nov 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in these elections was Dec ix, 2013.

Elections for all 150 seats in the Texas House of Representatives took identify in 2014. A chief election took place on March four, 2014. Those candidates who did not receive l percent or more of the vote in their party primary on March 4 faced an additional May 27 master runoff. The general election was held on November four, 2014. The signature filing borderline for candidates wishing to run in these elections was Dec 9, 2013.

2012

See also: Texas Country Senate elections, 2012 and Texas House of Representatives elections, 2012

Elections for the office of Texas Country Senate took place in 2012. The main election was held on May 29, 2012, and the general ballot was held on Nov 6, 2012. The candidate filing borderline was March 9, 2012.

Elections for the part of Texas House of Representatives took place in 2012. The master election was held on May 29, 2012, and the full general ballot was held on November vi, 2012. The candidate filing deadline was March 9, 2012.

2010

See also: Texas Land Senate elections, 2010 and Texas Firm of Representatives elections, 2010

Elections for the function of Texas Land Senate took place in 2010. The primary ballot was held on March ii, 2010, and the general ballot was held on Nov ii, 2010. The candidate filing borderline was January 4, 2010.

Elections for the office of Texas Firm of Representatives took place in 2010. The primary election was held on March ii, 2010, and the general ballot was held on November 2, 2010. The candidate filing deadline was Jan four, 2010.

Sessions

Article Iii of the Texas Constitution establishes when the Legislature is to exist in session. Section v of Article III states that the Legislature shall run into every two years at times to be established by constabulary. Current law establishes the outset of session to be apex on the second Tuesday in Jan of all odd numbered years.^[12] Section v goes on to say that the Legislature can also exist convened by the Governor of Texas. Sessions are limited to 140 days.

2022

Run into also: Dates of 2022 state legislative sessions

In 2022, the legislature will not hold a regular session.

2021

See likewise: 2021 Texas legislative session and Dates of 2021 state legislative sessions

In 2021, the legislature was scheduled to convene on January 12, 2021, and adjourn on May 31, 2021.

2020

Come across likewise: Dates of 2020 state legislative sessions

In 2020, the legislature did not hold a regular session.

2019

See also: 2019 Texas legislative session and Dates of 2019 land legislative sessions

In 2019, the legislature was in session from January 8, 2019, through May 27, 2019.

2018

Meet also: Dates of 2018 land legislative sessions

In 2018, the legislature did not hold a regular session.

Click [prove] for past years' session dates.

2017 See also: Dates of 2017 state legislative sessions In 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. Click [evidence] to read about the 2017 special session. Gov. Greg Abbott (R) called a 30-mean solar day special session after the legislature failed to pass dusk legislation that would prevent the shutdown of five authorities agencies, including the Texas Medical Lath. Abbot's special session proclamation and supplemental call allowed for a more broad range of matters to be taken upwards during the special session. Amidst the twenty items on Abbott's special session calendar was legislation related to bathroom usage, changes to property taxes, school finance, and mail-in ballot fraud.[13] [14] On July 18, ii sunset bills were approved in Senate committee after Republicans took measures to motility the legislation past debate and straight into committee. Before long after midnight on July 20, SB 20 and SB threescore were given final approval by the Senate, allowing for additional agenda items to exist taken up by the bedchamber.[15] [16] On August 11, the Business firm gave final blessing on the two Senate bills, and Abbott signed both bills that solar day.[17] Legislation on mail-in ballot fraud and school finance did end up being signed past Abbott. The Senate and Firm were unable to agree on key thresholds for when local governments would require voter approval to raise holding taxes. The Senate passed a bill on bathroom usage, just the Firm did not take upwardly the subject in commission. On the final 24-hour interval of the special session, the House voted in favor of the Senate'south version of HB21. The pecker originally put $1.8 billion into public schools, but the Senate Pedagogy Commission voted days earlier to reduce that amount past $i.5 billion. The bill also prepare a committee to farther study the issue in advance of more than significant changes to school finance during the 2019 legislative session. The Texas Freedom Caucus played a part in the legislature's failure to renew the Texas Medical Board during the regular session. On May xi, the caucus used procedural tactics in the House rules (blocking legislation not expected to generate debate from being fast tracked) to prevent votes on more than than 100 pieces of legislation, including bills renewing the medical board and other state agencies. The caucus released a argument in support of a special session and the agenda items established for the special session.[xviii] [xix] 2016 Run across likewise: Dates of 2016 state legislative sessions In 2016, the legislature did non hold a regular session. 2015 See also: Dates of 2015 state legislative sessions In 2015, the legislature was in session from January 13 through June 1. Major issues in 2015 Major issues during the 2015 legislative session included transportation funding, especially funding of the Texas Section of Transportation. A bill meant to help alleviate funding problems within the agency died in the last legislative session, leaving the outcome to the 2015 legislative session. Officials from the agency told lawmakers they needed an additional $4 billion a year to maintain the country'due south electric current traffic levels.[20] 2014 Come across likewise: Dates of 2014 state legislative sessions In 2014, the legislature did not concord a regular session. 2013 Run into as well: Dates of 2013 state legislative sessions In 2013, the legislature was in session from January 8 to May 27. Xxx minutes after the regular session ended, Governor Rick Perry (R) called legislators dorsum for a special session starting that evening.[21] Tweets from @texastribune / texas-legislators Major problems in 2013 Forth with the necessity of creating a new budget, some of the biggest problems included Medicaid and school funding, a water shortage, and reforming the school finance system.[22] Wallace Hall impeachment See too: Wallace Hall impeachment trial After he was appointed in 2011, University of Texas Regent Wallace Hall began looking into what he believed to be clout scandals inside the Academy of Texas arrangement. Hall investigated the university's forgivable-loans plan and admissions policies and preferential treatment to politically-connected individuals.[23] Hall, equally an individual citizen, filed FOIA requests with the university organization after his inquiries via his role as a Regent were rebuffed.[24] According to his accusers, Hall filed requests of more than than 800,000 pages, which some Texas administrators called an unnecessary burden.[25] [26] All the same, a letter from academy chancellor Francisco Cigarroa in Feb 2014 said that Hall probable requested fewer than 100,000 pages.[27] [28] In addition, Cigarroa wrote: "During testimony before the Select Committee, some early witnesses unsaid that the U.T. System has not protected the privacy rights of students, staff, and patients. This is only not true."[29] An effort was begun in June 2013 by members of the Texas State House to attempt and impeach Hall from his position equally Regent. Some legislators justified the impeachment on the grounds that Hall did non disclose several lawsuits that he was involved in when he originally completed his Regent background cheque. Hall updated Governor Rick Perry's (R) office in April 2013 with the full listing.[30] [31] The lack of lawsuit disclosure by Hall was not unique -- more than 9,000 lawsuits were not disclosed by other appointed Texas officials.[32] [33] Perry'due south spokesperson said the investigations sent a "chilling message" to gubernatorial appointees.[34] He added that the investigation was "boggling political theater."[35] 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.[36] Texas Country Firm Speaker Joe Straus (R) authorized the Commission on Transparency in Land Bureau Operations to investigate the possibility of drafting articles of impeachment.[37] The committee censured Hall but did not impeach him. 2012 See also: Dates of 2012 state legislative sessions In 2012, the legislature did not hold a regular session. 2011 (82nd Legislature) See also: Dates of 2011 country legislative sessions Regular session In 2011, the legislature was in session from January xi through May xxx.[38]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 Land Lath of Educational activity, the legislature failed to pass a congressional map within the regular session. Special session The 82nd Legislative Session officially concluded Monday, May 30, 2011. Due to a lack of progress on key legislative items, Governor Rick Perry (R) chosen a special session which began first thing Tuesday, May 31, 2011. Of principal business concern in the special session was passing supporting legislation needed to balance the budget. Even though a budget neb 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 upkeep. The Texas Constitution requires a balanced budget, and 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 among the problems to exist addressed.[39] 2010 See besides: Dates of 2010 state legislative sessions In 2010, the legislature did not agree a regular session.[40] 2009 In 2009, the legislature met in session from January 13 through June ane.[41]

Part in country budget

See besides: Texas land budget and finances

The land operates on a biennial budget bike. The sequence of fundamental events in the upkeep process is as follows:^[42]

1. Budget instructions are sent to state agencies beginning in June.
2. Agencies submit their budget requests to the governor betwixt July and September.
3. Agency hearings are held between July and October.
4. The governor submits his or her proposed budget to the state legislature by the date of the State of the State address.
5. The legislature typically adopts a budget in May. A simple majority is required to pass a budget. The financial year begins in September.

Texas is one of 44 states in which the governor has line item veto authority.^[42]

The legislature is constitutionally required to adopt a counterbalanced budget. The governor must sign a balanced budget into police.^[42]

Qualification for service

The Texas Constitution sets the qualifications for ballot to each house every bit follows:

• A senator must be at least 26 years of age, a denizen of Texas v years prior to election and a resident of the district from which elected one yr prior to election. Each senator serves a four-yr term and one-half of the Senate membership is elected every two years in fifty-fifty-numbered years, with the exception that all 31 Senate seats are up for election for the first legislature post-obit the decennial census in order to reverberate the newly redrawn districts. Afterwards the initial election, the Senate is divided by lot into 2 classes, with 1 class having a re-ballot subsequently two years and the other having a re-election later on iv years.

• A representative must be at least 21 years of historic period, a denizen of Texas for 2 years prior to election and a resident of the district from which elected 1 year prior to election. They are elected for 2-yr terms, running for re-election in even-numbered years.^[43]

Neither the House of Representatives nor the Senate has term limits.

Texas State Senate

Come across as well: Texas State Senate

The current make-up of the Texas Legislature is as follows: There are 31 Senators in the Texas State Senate.

As of the 2020 Demography, Texas state senators represented an average of 940,177 residents. Afterward the 2010 Census, each member represented 811,147 residents.

Party		As of June 2022
	Democratic Party	13
	Republican Party	18
	Vacancies	0
Total		31

Click here for a list of members of this sleeping accommodation.

Betwixt 1992 and 2020, partisan control of the Texas State Senate shifted in favor of the Republican Party. Equally a outcome of the 1992 elections, Democrats held an 18-xiii majority. Republicans flipped the bedroom in 1996 and, by 2020, expanded their majority to 18-xiii. The table beneath shows the partisan history of the Texas Land 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 Country Senate Party Control: 1992-2020

Twelvemonth	'92	'94	'96	'98	'00	'02	'04	'06	'08	'10	'12	'14	'sixteen	'18	'20
Democrats	18	17	15	15	fifteen	12	12	eleven	12	12	12	xi	11	12	13
Republicans	13	fourteen	sixteen	16	sixteen	19	19	xx	19	xix	19	xx	20	nineteen	18

The movement from an xviii-13 Democratic majority in 1992 to a xviii-13 Republican bulk in 2020 was gradual. One-half of the elections between 1992 and 2018 saw no modify to the partisan residue 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 i seat in each year.

Texas House of Representatives

Run into likewise: Texas House of Representatives

There are 150 representatives in the Texas House of Representatives.

As of the 2020 Census, Texas state representatives represented an boilerplate of 194,303 residents. After the 2010 Demography, each fellow member represented 167,637 residents.

Party		As of June 2022
	Autonomous Party	65
	Republican Political party	84
	Vacancies	1
Total		150

Click here for a list of members of this sleeping room.

Betwixt 1992 and 2020, partisan control of the Texas Firm of Representatives shifted in favor of the Republican Party. As a result of the 1992 elections, Democrats held a 91-58 majority. Republicans flipped the chamber in 2002 and, by 2020, expanded their majority to 83-67. The table below shows the partisan history of the Texas Firm of Representatives following every full general election from 1992 to 2020. All information from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin'south Party Affiliations in the Country Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data subsequently 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.

Texas House of Representatives Political party Command: 1992-2020

Year	'92	'94	'96	'98	'00	'02	'04	'06	'08	'10	'12	'fourteen	'16	'18	'twenty
Democrats	91	89	82	79	78	62	63	69	74	51	55	52	55	67	67
Republicans	58	61	68	71	72	88	87	81	76	99	95	98	95	83	83

Republicans gained control of the land House in 2002 later on gaining 16 seats. The partisan balance of the chamber moved 14 seats in favor of Republicans in the four elections leading upwards to the 2002 elections. Between 2002 and 2008, Democrats were able to take back 12 seats. After 2008, the chamber was nearly split at a 76-74 Republican bulk. Republicans' largest gains would occur every bit a issue of the 2010 elections, when they picked upward 23 seats. Democrats gained xvi seats betwixt 2010 and 2020.

District maps

State Senate

The map beneath shows this commune's current boundaries, not those enacted equally office of the 2020 redistricting cycle.

Land Business firm

The map below shows this district's current boundaries, not those enacted as part of the 2020 redistricting cycle.

Veto overrides

Run into also: Veto overrides in country legislatures

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 side by side 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.

2-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, Department 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 information technology; but if he disapprove information technology, he shall render it, with his objections, to the Firm in which it originated, which House shall enter the objections at big upon its periodical, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such afterthought, ii-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 canonical by two-thirds of the members of that Business firm, information technology shall become a law; but in such cases the votes of both Houses shall exist adamant by yeas and nays, and the names of the members voting for and confronting the bill shall exist entered on the journal of each House respectively."

Redistricting

See too: Redistricting in Texas

In Texas, both congressional and state legislative commune boundaries are drawn by the Texas State Legislature. These lines are bailiwick to veto past the governor.^[44]

If the state legislature is unable to approve a state legislative redistricting plan, a fill-in commission must draw the lines (the backup commission is not involved in congressional redistricting). This fill-in commission, established in 1948, comprises the following members:^[44]

1. Lieutenant governor
2. Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives
3. Attorney general
4. State comptroller
5. Commissioner of the General Country Office

The Texas Constitution requires that state legislative districts be contiguous and "that they preserve whole counties when population mandates permit."^[44]

2020

Run across as well: Redistricting in Texas later the 2020 demography

Texas enacted new state legislative districts on October 25, 2021. The Senate Redistricting Committee released a draft of a Senate legislative map on September eighteen, 2021, and a Senate panel advanced the proposal to the full Senate for debate on September 28, 2021. The Senate approved the plans in a 20-11 vote on October 4, 2021.^[45] The Business firm canonical an amended version of a proposed Firm commune map in an 83-63 vote split along party lines on October 13, 2021.^[46] Subsequently both sets of legislative commune maps passed their respective chambers, the Firm and Senate both canonical maps for the other chamber's districts on Oct fifteen, 2021. The House approved the Senate map past an 81-60 vote, and the Senate approved the Business firm map by an eighteen-thirteen vote.^[47] Gov. Abbott signed both maps into law on October 25, 2021.^[48]These maps take effect for Texas' 2022 legislative elections.

2010

Run across also: Redistricting in Texas after the 2010 census

Texas received its local census data on February 17, 2011. The state grew 20.half-dozen%, with Hispanics making upwardly at least 2/3 of that growth. Equally far as the large cities, Houston grew by 7.5 percent, San Antonio grew past 16.0 pct, Dallas grew past 0.8 percent, Austin grew by xx.iv pct, and Fort Worth grew by 38.6 percent. However, Harris Canton -- of which Houston is the seat -- grew by twenty%, suggesting suburban growth.^[49]

In 2012, Texas held elections nether interim maps drawn by a federal court after the Legislature's passed maps were thrown out by a panel of iii federal judges on Voting Rights Act grounds. The panel drew up its own maps, simply the federal court struck down those too, substituting its own so that the elections could go on.

Legislators

Salaries

See likewise: Comparing of state legislative salaries

State legislators
Salary	Per diem
$7,200/year	$221/day. Fix by ethics commission. Unvouchered.

Pension

When calculating a legislators pension, their normal salary is artificially inflated to $125,000. This goes dorsum to 1981, when lawmakers linked their salaries to those of country judges. Since then, they raised judges' salaries while removing the caps on their own pensions, pushing the maximum benefit up to 100% of a judge'southward salary.

In 2011, this resulted in an boilerplate state employee pension of $17,526 annually. The maximum pension a legislator tin can earn is $125,000, of which Rep. Tom Craddick (R) volition be the commencement to authorize for when he retires. ^[50]

When sworn in

See also: When land legislators assume role after a full general election

Texas legislators assume office at the get-go of the legislative session, which starts at noon on the second Tuesday in January in the year subsequently the election.^[51]

Amending the constitution

The Texas legislature has the authority to propose amendments to the Texas Constitution. Proposed amendments must be approved in a joint resolution of both the Texas Land Senate and the Texas House of Representatives. The joint resolution can originate in either the Firm or the Senate.

The resolution must be adopted by a vote of at to the lowest degree 2-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 Committees

In the Texas country government, Articulation Committees are comprised of members of both the Texas State Senate and the Texas House of Representatives, and sometimes civilian members of executive agencies, commissions, and councils. Joint committees are created past the Lieutenant Governor Speaker of the House through special declaration. Nether normal circumstances, joint committees in Texas are created to operate in the acting of legislative sessions, and rarely during a session. All articulation committees in Texas are classified as select committees, and practise not comport over between legislative sessions.^[52]

2011-2012

The Texas Legislature had one articulation commission:

• Articulation Committee on Oversight of HHS Eligibility System, Texas State Legislature

2009-2010

• Aging Committee, Texas Legislature
• Criminal Commitments of Indiv. w/ Mental Retardation Commission, Texas Legislature (Select)
• Dyslexia & Related Disorders Commission, Texas Legislature (Select)
• Environmental Flows Committee, Texas Legislature
• Oversight of Bexar Metropolitan Water District Committee, Texas Legislature
• Oversight of Criminal Justice Committee, Texas Legislature
• Oversight of Edwards Aquifer Committee, Texas Legislature
• Oversight of HHS Eligibility Arrangement Committee, Texas Legislature
• Oversight of Windstorm Insurance Committee, Texas Legislature
• School Finance Weights, Allotments & Adjustments Committee, Texas Legislature (Select)

History

Partisan residue 1992-2013

Run into too: Ballotpedia:Who Runs the States and Ballotpedia:Who Runs u.s., Texas

Partisan breakdown of the Texas legislature from 1992-2013

Texas Senate: From 1992-2013, the Democratic Party was the majority in the Texas Land Senate for five years while the Republicans were the majority for 17 years. Texas was under Republican trifectas for the final 11 years of the report.

Across the country, there were 541 Democratic and 517 Republican country senates from 1992 to 2013.

Texas Firm: From 1992-2013, the Democratic Party was the majority in the Texas State House of Representatives for the commencement 11 years while the Republicans were the bulk for the last 11 years. Texas was under Republican trifectas for the final 11 years of the study.

Across the land, there were 577 Democratic and 483 Republican State Houses of Representatives from 1992 to 2013.

Over the form of the 22-year study, state governments became increasingly more partisan. At the outset of the study period (1992), eighteen of the 49 states with partisan legislatures had single-party trifectas and 31 states had divided governments. In 2013, simply 13 states had divided governments, while single-political party trifectas held sway in 36 states, the most in the 22 years studied.

The chart below shows the partisan composition of the Part of the Governor of Texas, the Texas State Senate and the Texas House of Representatives from 1992 to 2013.

SQLI and partisanship

To read the full report on the Country Quality of Life Alphabetize (SQLI) in PDF form, click hither.

Texas was one of eight states to demonstrate a dramatic partisan shift in the 22 years studied. A dramatic shift was defined past a movement of forty percent or more toward one political party over the course of the study menstruation. Texas started out with Democratic trifectas but shifted to Republican trifectas by the stop of the written report.

The chart beneath depicts the partisanship of the Texas state government and the state's SQLI ranking for the years studied. For the SQLI, the states were ranked from 1-l, with one beingness the best and 50 the worst. Prior to Republican trifectas, which started in 2003, the SQLI rating for Texas stayed consistently in the 30s, except for its lowest ranking of 40 in 1994 during a Democratic trifecta. Within a few years of the Republican trifectas that ranking moved upwards, and Texas finished 11th, its highest ranking, in 2012.

• SQLI boilerplate with Democratic trifecta: 36.67
• SQLI average with Republican trifecta: 18.00
• SQLI average with divided authorities: 33.63

Nautical chart displaying the partisanship of Texas authorities from 1992-2013 and the State Quality of Life Alphabetize (SQLI).

Constitutional amendments

In every country but Delaware, voter approval is required to enact a constitutional subpoena. In each state, the legislature has a process for referring ramble amendments before voters. In 18 states, initiated constitutional amendments can be put on the ballot through a signature petition drive. At that place are also many other types of statewide measures.

The methods in which the Texas Constitution tin be amended:

Run across as well: Commodity 17 of the Texas Constitution and Laws governing election measures in Texas

Texas Constitution
Preamble
Articles
one • 2 3 (1-43) • three (44-49) • 3 (50-67) four • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • eleven • 12 • 13 • 14 • xv • 16 • 17

• As laid out in Article 17, in order for a proposed ramble amendment to go before the people, the Texas State Legislature must propose the amendment in a articulation resolution of both the Texas Country 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 to the lowest degree two-thirds of the membership of each business firm of the legislature. That amounts to a minimum of 100 votes in the Business firm of Representatives and 21 votes in the Senate.
• Amendments may be proposed in either regular or special sessions.
• Articulation resolutions endorsing a proposed subpoena must include the text of the proposed constitutional amendment and specify an election appointment. These joint resolutions may include more than one proposed subpoena.
• If more than 1 proposition is under consideration on a ballot, the Texas Secretary of Country conducts a random drawing to assign each proposition a ballot number.
• If voters reject an amendment, the legislature tin can resubmit information technology. For example, subsequently Proffer ii was rejected in August 1991, the legislature re-adopted it and re-submitted it for that year'southward Nov ballot, where it was approved equally Texas Proffer xiii (1991).
• The election wording of a suggestion is specified in the joint resolution adopted past the Legislature, which has broad discretion in this matter. Texas courts have heard challenges to proposed election diction but accept by and large ruled that "election language is sufficient if it describes the proposed amendment with such definiteness and certainty that voters will not be misled."^[53]
• The Legislature may call an election for voter consideration of proposed constitutional amendments on any date, every bit long every bit election authorities accept sufficient fourth dimension 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 diction for each subpoena, must be published twice in each newspaper in the country that prints official notices. The first notice must be published 50 to 60 days before the ballot. The second notice must be published on the same twenty-four hour period of the subsequent week. The secretary of state must ship a consummate copy of each amendment to each canton clerk, who must post it in the courthouse at least 30 days prior to the election.
• The secretarial assistant 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 after date is specified. Statewide election results are tabulated past the secretary of state and must be canvassed by the governor fifteen to thirty days post-obit the ballot.

2023 measures:

Encounter also: 2023 ballot measures

Certified:

The following measures were certified for the ballot.

No measures to list

2022 measures:

Below is a list of measures that were referred to the 2022 ballot by the legislature.

Encounter as well: Texas 2022 ballot measures

Certified:

The following measures were certified for the election.

Texas Proffer 1, Belongings Tax Limit Reduction for Elderly and Disabled Residents Subpoena				Democrats	Republicans
Senate:	Required: 21	Yep votes: 29 (93.55%)	No votes: 0 (0.0%)	Yep: 11; No: 0	Yep: 18; No: 0
House:	Required: 99	Yeah votes: 116 (78.iv%)	No votes: 0 (0.0%)	Aye: 36; No: 0	Yes: lxxx; No: 0
Texas Proposition ii, Increased Homestead Exemption for School District Property Taxes Subpoena				Democrats	Republicans
Senate:	Required: 21	Yes votes: 31 (100.0%)	No votes: 0 (0.0%)	Yes: 13; No: 0	Yes: 18; No: 0
Firm:	Required: 100	Yes votes: 147 (98.6%)	No votes: 0 (0.0%)	Yes: 64; No: 0	Yep: 83; No: 0

See too

Elections	Texas State Authorities	Land Legislatures	Land Politics
Texas Firm of Representatives elections, 2022 Texas House of Representatives elections, 2020 Texas House of Representatives elections, 2018	Texas Land Legislature Texas Land Senate Governor of Texas Texas Supreme Court	State legislative elections, 2022 Country legislative elections, 2021 State legislative elections, 2020 State legislative elections, 2019 State legislative elections, 2018	State government trifectas Country government triplexes State executives Land courts Ballot measures

External links

• Texas Legislature Online
• Texas House of Representatives
• Texas State Senate
• Reference Library of Texas
• Project Vote Smart - State Senate of Texas
• Texas Politics - The Legislative Branch
• "Citizen Handbook."The Senate of Texas. Retrieved xiii April 2005.
• Stanley K. Immature, Texas Legislative Handbook (1973).
• University of Texas, The Legislative Branch in Texas Politics, [ane] (concluding accessed October. eight, 2006) (stating that "The Texas Legislature is the most powerful of the three main branches of government[,]" primarily because it is "less weak than the other branches").
• Wikipedia: Texas Legislature
• Billhop - Texas Legislative Wiki

Footnotes

1. ↑ TSHA, "Texas Legislature," accessed October 12, 2018
2. ↑ Texas Tribune, "Senate approves map cementing GOP dominance in upper sleeping room, dividing upwards Tarrant canton'south voters of colour," Oct iv, 2021
3. ↑ Texas Legislature Online, "HB 1," accessed Oct 15, 2021
4. ↑ Texas Tribune, "Lawmakers ship to Gov. Greg Abbott new political maps that would further solidify the GOP's grip on the Texas Legislature," October 15, 2021
5. ↑ 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
6. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Land Primary Ballot Systems," accessed May 29, 2017
7. ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Of import 2018 Election Dates," accessed September 11, 2017
8. ↑ National Briefing of Land Legislatures, "Country Primary Ballot Systems," accessed May 29, 2017
9. ↑ Texas Secretary of Land, "Of import 2018 Ballot Dates," accessed September 11, 2017
10. ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Important 2016 Ballot Dates," accessed December 14, 2015
11. ↑ Texas Secretarial assistant of Land, "Of import 2016 Election Dates," accessed December 14, 2015
12. ↑ Texas Land Legislature, "Texas Govt. Lawmaking 3.A.301.A001," accessed February 17, 2021
13. ↑ texas.gov, "Announcement by the Governor of the State of Texas," July 10, 2017
14. ↑ texas.gov, "Supplemental Phone call," July 10, 2017
15. ↑ Texas Tribune, "Texas Senate moves to fast-track special session agenda," July 18, 2017
16. ↑ Texas Tribune, "Senate gives OK to must-pass "sunset" legislation in midnight vote," July xix, 2017
17. ↑ The Texas Tribune, "Texas Firm approves sending commencement two special session bills to governor," August 10, 2017
18. ↑ Texas Tribune, "Tears and shouting on Texas Firm floor as Freedom Caucus delays bills to death," May 11, 2017
19. ↑ Texas Liberty Caucus, "Abbott Must Call a Special Session," May 31, 2017
20. ↑ Aman Batheja, Texas Tribune, "Transportation Funding Likely to Be Large Issue in 2015" accessed January 29, 2015
21. ↑ kten.com, "Texas Lawmakers To Tackle Redistricting In Special Session," May 29, 2013
22. ↑ Star-Telegram, "As lawmakers return to Austin this week, a heap of piece of work awaits," Jan 6, 2013
23. ↑ American Spectator, "Transparency for Thee," October 25, 2013
24. ↑ Daily Texas Online, "Facing impeachment, Regent Wallace Hall defends actions in debate with Sen. Kirk Watson," September 28, 2013
25. ↑ Daily Texas Online, "Former UT System vice chancellor alleges Regent Wallace Hall's 'clear intent to go rid of Neb Powers'," Oct 24, 2013
26. ↑ Dallas Morning News, "UT regent sought 800,000 documents, official says in impeachment hearing," October 22, 2013
27. ↑ Watchdog, "'Witch hunt' fallout: Speaker calls for narrower public records law," February 5, 2014
28. ↑ Texas Tribune, "UT System Responds to Transparency Committee Directives," Feb 3, 2014
29. ↑ Texas Tribune, "Cigarroa letter of the alphabet to the Committee on Transparency in State Agency Operations," February 1, 2014
30. ↑ Texas Tribune, "UT Regent Wallace Hall Updates Lawsuit Disclosures," April thirty, 2013
31. ↑ Real Clear Policy, "The Entrada Against Wallace Hall," August fifteen, 2013
32. ↑ Watchdog.org, "Case against UT regent Wallace Hall is a sham — hither's proof," September 6, 2013
33. ↑ News-Periodical, "University of Texas regent not worried by impeachment research," September 9, 2013
34. ↑ Texas Tribune, "Transparency Committee to Mull Impeachment of UT Regent," June 25, 2013
35. ↑ Texas Tribune, "Perry Blasts Impeachment Probe of Wallace Hall," October 30, 2013
36. ↑ Texas Public Radio, "UT Regent Wallace Hall Volition Testify In Impeachment Hearing," Nov 13, 2013
37. ↑ Texas Country House Committees, "Transparency in State Bureau Operations Commission Members," accessed Oct 31, 2013
38. ↑ National Conference of Country Legislatures, "2011 Legislative Sessions Calendar," accessed June half dozen, 2014(Archived)
39. ↑ The Texas Tribune, "The Official Agenda for a New Session," May 30, 2011
40. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2010 session dates for Texas legislature," December viii, 2010
41. ↑ National Conference of Country Legislatures, "2009 Legislative Sessions Calendar," March eleven, 2010
42. ↑ ^{42.0 42.1 42.2} National Clan of Land Budget Officers, "Budget Processes in the States, Spring 2015," accessed February xvi, 2021
43. ↑ Texas Secretary of Country, "Qualifications for All Public Offices," accessed Feb sixteen, 2021
44. ↑ ^{44.0 44.1 44.2} All About Redistricting, "Texas," accessed May 7, 2015
45. ↑ Texas Tribune, "Senate approves map cementing GOP dominance in upper chamber, dividing upward Tarrant canton's voters of color," October 4, 2021
46. ↑ Texas Legislature Online, "HB 1," accessed October 15, 2021
47. ↑ 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
48. ↑ 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
49. ↑ U.S. Census Agency, "U.S. Demography Bureau Delivers Texas' 2010 Census Population Totals, Including First Wait at Race and Hispanic Origin Data for Legislative Redistricting," February 17, 2011
50. ↑ USA Today, "State lawmakers pump up pensions in means you tin can't," September 23, 2011
51. ↑ Texas Government Lawmaking, "Title 3., Subtitle A., Sec. 301.001," accessed November 23, 2016
52. ↑ This information about articulation legislative committees in Texas is from an email dated March 21, 2011, from the Applications Ambassador of the Texas Legislature'south website to Jimmy Ardis, a staff writer for Ballotpedia.
53. ↑ Texas Legislative Library, "Description of subpoena procedure, p. 3," accessed July thirteen, 2015

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