Texas House of Representatives

The Texas House of Representatives is one of two parts, or chambers, of the Texas Legislature. It consists of 150 members who are elected from single-member districts for two-year terms.

Together with the Texas Senate, it makes laws and approves the state budget. The House meets at the Texas State Capitol in Austin, occupying the west wing of the building.

The Texas House of Representatives has two principal officers: the Speaker of the House, who is elected by the other members of the House and wields considerable power, and the Speaker Pro Tempore, who fulfills a largely ceremonial function.

Membership

Each member of the Texas House represents a district of about 180,000 people. They are elected in partisan elections held in November of even-numbered years, after a primary election in the spring.

Texas’ two dominant political parties, the Republicans and Democrats, control all the seats of the legislature. At the start of the 2021-2022 legislative term, Republicans held a 83-67 majority in the Texas House.

Members are paid a salary of $600 per month, or $7,200 per year, plus a per diem of $221 for every day the legislature is in session. That adds up to $45,340 for a two-year term in which there is only one a regular session (140 days) and no special sessions. Legislators are eligible tor receive a pension after eight years, starting at age 60.

The members convene every two years for a five-month period, known as a regular session, plus for special sessions that may called by the governor during the interim between regular sessions. Because of the seasonal nature of this work, most members of the Texas House have another source of employment.

Leadership

Unlike the U.S. House of Representatives, the Texas House does not formally recognize majority or minority leaders of different political parties, nor does it operate on a party-based system of committee chairs and ranking members. Instead, committee chairpersons and vice chairpersons may be appointed from either party.

The speaker’s duties include maintaining order within the House, recognizing members during debate, ruling on procedural matters, appointing members to the various committees and sending bills for committee review.

The administrative duties of the speaker include appointing chairpersons, vice-chairs, and members to each standing committee, appointing all conference committees, and directing committees to make interim studies.

The speaker pro tempore presides over the House during its consideration of local and consent bills, which are bills that generally are uncontroversial.

The chairpersons of committees preside over committee meetings where bills are considered at the early stage in the legislative process.

Quorum Requirement

Under the state constitution, two-thirds of the members need to be present in the House chamber in order to conduct formal business.

If the House lacks quorum, a minority of members may vote for a ‘call of the House,’ a procedure that allows the sergeant-at-arms to lock the chamber doors and seek out and arrest absent members.

The constitution says, “Two-thirds of each House shall constitute a quorum to do business, but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and compel the attendance of absent members, in such manner and under such penalties as each House may provide.”

Legislative Staff

The Texas House employs staff in a variety of departments that serve the institution as a whole, including House Administration, House Business Operations, Legislative Operations, and the House Research Organization.

Additionally, each member of the Texas House typically hires several staff who work for that member alone, assisting the member in the performance of his or her duties. Staffers handle communications with constituents and stakeholders, help draft legislation, and give political advice. Common titles for legislative staff include chief of staff, legislative director, general counsel, policy aide, and district director.

House members who are committee chairpersons also supervise one or more committee aides who organize committee meetings, and who work for the committee as a whole.

Legislative Agencies

Together with the Senate, the House oversees five external support agencies that are part of the legislative branch of government:

• Legislative Budget Board
• State Auditor
• Legislative Council
• Legislative Reference Library
• Sunset Advisory Commission

Administratively, these agencies are separate from the legislature itself but they work closely with legislators or their staff.

Recent News Coverage

Texas House Reaches Quorum As a Minority of Democrats Return, August 19, 2021

Texas Supreme Court Invalidates Order Protecting House Democrats From Arrest, August 18, 2021

Can Texas Democrats Really Be Arrested for Breaking Quorum? August 14, 2021

Texas House Speaker Appoints 21 Republican Committee Chairs, 13 Democrats, February 4, 2021

This article is part of Texapedia, the Encyclopedia of Texas Government. Information in this online encyclopedia is drawn from credible sources, including state laws, agency publications, reference books, historical works, and the Texas Constitution.