Texas Government
Texas Legislature
and
Executive
Texas Legislature
{
Regular Legislative Sessions
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{
Annual Salaries
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{
Texas Æ 140 days, every other year
California Æ 285 days
New York Æ No limit
Florida Æ 60 days
Texas Æ $7200
California Æ $99000
New York Æ $79500
Florida Æ $26388
Women as Percentage of the Legislature (2000)
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Texas Æ 18%
California Æ 26%
New York Æ 20%
Florida Æ 24%
Texas Legislature
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{
{
{
{
{
Bicameral Congress
31 Senate Districts
150 House Districts
No term limits
Biennial
140 day regular session
Districts
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Single-member districts
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Approximately equal population
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139,000 for House district
673,000 for Senate district
Re-districting every 10 years
Republican Strength in Texas House
20
01
19
97
19
93
19
89
Number of Seats
19
85
19
81
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Party Affiliation of Elected Officials in
Texas, 2004
Office
Total # of
Officials
Democrats
Republicans
U.S. Senate
2
0
2
U.S. House
32
11
21
State Executives
6
0
6
Texas Senate
31
12
19
Texas House
150
62
88
Texas Supreme Court
9
0
9
Texas Court of Criminal
Appeals
9
0
9
Texas RR Commission
3
0
3
Texas SB of Education
15
5
10
Important Legislative Officers
{
Senate President Æ Lt. Governor
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Elected in statewide election
4 year term
Casts tie-breaking vote, appoints
committees and committee chairs,
guides legislation through Senate
President Pro-tempore of the
Senate
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Chosen by Senate members
Important Legislative Officers
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Speaker of the House
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Elected by House members
Election occurs on first day of regular
session
Speaker Pro-tempore of the
House
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Chosen by the Speaker
Texas Executive
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Governor’s Salary
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{
Governors Who Became President
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Texas Æ $115,345
California Æ 165,000
New York Æ $179,000
Florida Æ $117,240
Texas Æ George W. Bush
California Æ Ronald Reagan
New York Æ Van Buren, Cleveland, 2 Roosevelts
Florida Æ None
Maximum Number of Terms Allowed
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Texas Æ Unlimited
California Æ 2
New York Æ Unlimited
Florida Æ 2
Texas Executive
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Weak executive
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Power is fragmented
Enhances policy innovation &
experimentation
Plural executive
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Lt. Governor is a powerful office
Attorney General
Commissioner of the General Land
Office
Texas Governor
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Qualifications
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Terms and Tenure
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4 year term
Unlimited number of terms
Impeachment
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30 Years of age
U.S. citizen
5 years Texas resident prior to election
Majority in House
2/3rd of Senate to convict
Succession
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By Lt. Governor
Roles of Governor
{
{
{
{
{
Commander and Chief
Chief Executive Officer
Chief Budget Officer
Chief Law Enforcement and Judicial Officer
Chief Legislator
Specific Powers of Texas Governor
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{
{
{
{
{
{
Message Power
Patronage
Veto
Line-item Veto
Call Special Sessions of Legislature
Budget Transfer Authority
Lacks Pocket Veto Power
Governor Bio
Party
Term
Age
Vetoes
Left Office
Occupation
Richard Coke
Democrat
1874-1876
43
24
Resigned
Lawyer/Farmer
Richard B. Hubbard
Democrat
1876-1879
43
0
Defeated
Lawyer
Oran M. Roberts
Democrat
1879-1883
63
13
Retired
Lawyer/Educator
John Ireland
Democrat
1883-1887
56
10
Retired
Lawyer
Lawrence Sul Ross
Democrat
1887-1891
48
7
Retired
Farmer/Soldier
James S. Hogg
Democrat
1891-1895
39
21
Retired
Lawyer/Educator
Charles A. Culberson
Democrat
1895-1899
39
33
Retired
Lawyer
Joseph D. Sayers
Democrat
1899-1903
57
41
Retired
Lawyer
Samuel Lanham
Democrat
1903-1907
56
32
Retired
Lawyer
Thomas M. Campbell
Democrat
1907-1911
50
32
Retired
Lawyer/Railroad Exec.
Oscar B. Colquitt
Democrat
1911-1915
49
60
Retired
Lawyer/Editor
James E. Ferguson
Democrat
1915-1917
43
29
Impeached
Banker/Lawyer/Farmer
William P. Hobby
Democrat
1917-1921
39
19
Retired
Editor
Pat M. Neff
Democrat
1921-1925
49
58
Retired
Lawyer/Educator
Miriam A. Ferguson
Democrat
1925-1927
49
30
Defeated
Housewife
Dan Moody
Democrat
1927-1931
33
101
Retired
Lawyer
Ross Sterling
Democrat
1931-1933
55
7
Defeated
President of Mobil Oil
Miriam A. Ferguson
Democrat
1933-1935
57
24
Retired
Housewife
James V. Allred
Democrat
1935-1939
35
48
Retired
Lawyer
W. Lee O'Daniel
Democrat
1939-1941
57
48
Retired
Businessperson/Salesperson
Coke Stevenson
Democrat
1941-1947
53
56
Retired
Lawyer/Banker/Rancher
Beauford Jester
Democrat
1947-1949
54
19
Died
Lawyer
Allan Shivers
Democrat
1949-1957
41
76
Retired
Lawyer
Price Daniel
Democrat
1957-1963
46
42
Defeated
Lawyer/Educator/Rancher
John Connally
Democrat
1963-1969
45
103
Retired
Lawyer/Rancher
Preston Smith
Democrat
1969-1973
46
92
Defeated
Businessperson
Dolph Briscoe
Democrat
1973-1979
49
72
Defeated
Rancher/Banker
Bill Clements
Republican
1979-1983
61
78
Defeated
Oilman
Mark White
Democrat
1983-1987
42
95
Defeated
Lawyer
Bill Clements
Republican
1987-1991
69
112
Retired
Oilman
Ann Richards
Democrat
1991-1995
57
62
Defeated
Teacher/Campaigner
George W. Bush
Republican
1995-2000
48
95
Resigned
Oilman/Businessperson
Rick Perry
Republican
2000-
45
132
Current
Farmer/Rancher
Texas Politics: 26 June 2007
Social and Political Characteristics
{
{
{
{
{
Only Anglos have served as
Governor
Two women have won
History of Democratic dominance
Only 3 Republicans have won
Nearly all Texas Governors since
1930 have been conservative