Chapter 24
O’Connor and Sabato
American Government: Continuity and Change

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In this chapter we will cover…
1. Roots of the Executive in Texas
2. The Constitutional Roles of the Governor
3. The Development of Gubernatorial Power
4. The Governor as Policy Maker & Political
Leader
5. Plural Executive
6. Modern Texas Bureaucracy
7. Making Agencies Accountable

The Roots of the Executive in Texas
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Roots go back to Spanish period
1845 - Texas joined US - Texas governor relatively powerful – two-year term and governor appointed almost all state officials
Reconstruction period saw decline in power
1876 - Constitution further decentralized governor’s power
Today relatively weak governor who must share power
Texas governor- no term number limits
Constitution defines term, salary, impeachment and succession

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Role set by: constitutional and legislative mandates and custom
Constitution: governor is chief of state, chief executive, and commander in chief
Governor is also chief budget officer
Judicial role includes clemency and pardons
 Governor is powerful in legislative politics through the “governor’s message” and veto threat

Development of Gubernatorial Power
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Generally the Texas governor has always been weaker than most state governors
Measuring gubernatorial power includes tenure, appointments, budget, signing and vetoing bills
Restrictions include plural executive, appointive and removal powers
Texas governor may be weak constitutionally but powerful in terms of personal power
Appointive,budgetary power, and staff power tend to bolster the governor’s relative power

Analysis of Gubernatorial Appointments

Governor as Policy Maker and
Political Leader
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Governor’s skill at wielding political power important in Texas because governor is constitutionally weak (e.g., chief persuader)
Public opinion leadership –tours of the state to promote projects like education
Legislative relationship particularly important
(e.g., hostile lieutenant governor or House
Speaker) use of veto, special sessions, appropriation legislation, and the line-item veto

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Rooted in the legitimacy of “being elected as opposed to being appointed”
Primary statewide officials elected in Texas include:
Attorney General
Comptroller
Land Commissioner
Agricultural Commissioner
Railroad Commissioner

 Purpose of the bureaucracy is implementation of public policy, hence the executive branch to execute legislative policy
 Texas rule-making rooted in the
Administrative Procedures Act requiring, among other things, public comment, etc., before adopting rules and regulations

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Legislation creates executive agencies to respond to particular problems
While governor is chief executive, he/she has little direct authority over agencies and may not reorganize them
Texas executive agencies are organized in a variety of ways
Two basic patterns: one person director and multimember board or commission

 Examples of Texas bureaucracies include :
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Secretary of State (appointed by governor) serves as the state’s chief election officer and keeper of the records
2.
Public Utility Commissioner
3.
Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commissioners
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Insurance Commissioner
5.
Commissioner of Public Health & Human Services
6. Public Counsels

 Legislative oversight of the bureaucracy includes:
-review of expenditure
-review of rules and regulations
-performance reviews
-audits
-sunset reviews
-review of staff sizes and functions
-response to constituent complaints about agencies

 Issues and concepts related to agency accountability include:
“Good government” recommendations
Revolving door involving private interests and public agencies
Iron Triangle model and the process of developing public policy