The History and Function of ‘Special Sessions’ of the Texas Legislature
In Texas, the Legislature meets regularly every two years. However, the governor can call a special session at any time to address urgent issues.
Texas Legislature
The Texas Legislature is the law-making organ of state government in Texas. It consists of two parts, or…
Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives
The Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the lower chamber of the…
Redistricting
Redistricting in Texas is the process of drawing electoral district boundaries for state legislative seats, congressional seats, and…
Impeachment in Texas
Impeachment is the power of a legislative body to address charges of impropriety or criminality by a government…
Biennium
A biennium is a two-year period. In Texas, the term may refer to the two-year budget cycle, or to the…
Sunset Advisory Commission
The Sunset Advisory Commission is a 12-member legislative commission tasked with improving the efficiency of Texas state agencies, identifying waste, and reviewing whether agencies can be eliminated or merged.
Legislative Budget Board
The Legislative Budget Board (LBB) is a legislative agency in Texas that plays a key role in the…
Legislative Council
The Texas Legislative Council is a legislative agency that provides legal services to state legislators and to the…
State Auditor’s Office
The Texas State Auditor’s Office (SAO) is a state agency tasked with investigating financial improprieties, including accounting errors,…
Understanding the Texas Senate’s Once-a-decade Term Lottery
Every Texan is represented in the state legislature by a senator who is typically up for reelection every…
Veto
The veto is the power of the Texas Governor to reject a bill approved by the Texas Legislature, preventing it…
Capitol of Texas
The Texas State Capitol is a building in Austin that serves as the seat of state government. It…
Texas Senate
The Texas Senate is one of two parts, or chambers, of the Texas State Legislature. Together with the…
Appropriations Act
An appropriations act is a law that authorizes the expenditure of government funds, setting money aside for specific expenses. In…
Texas House of Representatives
The Texas House of Representatives is one of two parts, or chambers, of the Texas Legislature. It consists…