Texas Legislature
The Texas Legislature meets on the second Tuesday in January of each odd number year with the last session was held in 2021. That means the upcoming session will be held during what year?
What is the second Tuesday in January 2023?
This is the political party that controls both chambers of the Texas Legislature (House of Representatives and Senate).
What is the Republican party?
Once a bill is filed in the House of Representatives it then goes to a group of legislators who study, amend, and vote on the bill.
What are committees?
For example, a bill proposing changes to who is/is not eligible for SNAP benefits will be reviewed by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.
Andrew Hairston is showing an example of this kind of advocacy tool.
What is testifying in a committee?
The Legislature will have opportunities for the public to give their opinions on bills and make a case to support or kill a bill.
Special sessions can only be ordered by someone of a certain rank in the Texas Legislature.
Who is the Governor?
True or false. A committee member in the House or Senate can vote in favor of a bill but request that changes be made.
True.
This is the first time a bill gets read and is largely seen as the first hurdle legislation must overcome to become a law.
What is a committee?
A bill is always heard first in a committee, and needs to be read twice more on the floor of either chamber to pass on to the next step in the legislative process.
This is one of the first steps an advocate needs to take to do advocacy work at the legislature.
What is find out who my elected officials are?
Advocates should do their research and find out who represents them in the House and Senate so they can reach out to them and talk about important issues.
When the Texas Legislature is not in regular or special session it is known as ______.
What is the interim?
Yes! We are currently in the interim right now.
This person is voted in by Representatives in the House of Representatives and is in charge of leading this chamber.
Who is the Speaker of the House?
Yes! Currently, Dade Phelan (R) is serving as the Speaker of the House.
This is the last way a bill can die before it becomes a law.
What is the Governor's power to veto?
When a bill passes through both chambers, it goes to the governor's desk to either veto or sign the bill. If the Governor doesn't take action within 10 days, then a bill becomes law.
This is a resource that can be used to learn certain terms that are common in the Texas Legislative.
What is the Texas Legislative Dictionary.
This resource can be used to learn what a certain term means when it is written in a bill or used during a testimony. Learning the language of policy is a useful advocacy skill.
This is the amount of time a Representative can serve in office before they have to run for reelection.
What is a two-year term?
Yes! Senators serve a longer term of four years.
This is the committee all bills go through on the House side to decide when (or if) they will get heard on the floor.
What is Calendars Committee?
Yes! After bills are voted favorably out of their respective committee, then they go to Calendars where their fate will be decided.
This is what a bill is called when it passes through its first chamber (either the House or Senate) and is on its way to the other body.
What is an engrossed bill?
When a bill passes both chambers and is sent to the Governor's desk, then it is considered enrolled.
This is a tool that can help advocates learn the status or origin of a bill during any moment of the Texas Legislative.
What is the Texas Legislative Online?
This tool has so much useful information of current, past, and potential bills that have traveled through the House or Senate. You can even find dates committees will meet and their notes.
This is the person who leads the Senate and is in charge of assigning Senators to committees.
Who is the Lieutenant Governor?
Yes! Currently, Dan Patrick (R) is the Lieutenant Governor of Texas. Like the Governor, this position is voted in by the people. He is up for reelection this year!
This was the last Democrat elected Governor of Texas and is largely considered the first woman to hold the office.
Who is Governor Ann Richards?
If the Lt. Governor places a bill on the intent calendar, then it needs this to be heard on the floor.
What is a 2/3 vote in the Senate?
A bill needs a "supermajority" vote to be heard, but the Lt. Governor can change the rules as they see fit. They require more or fewer votes depending on what benefits them or their party.
This action focuses on social change and enabling larger groups of people to improve their social and economic situation.
What is Advocacy?
Advocacy can be done in multiple ways but a simple way to describe it is by asking oneself "How can I put ideas for change into action?"