Texas’s government is split into three distinct but equal branches: the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. These are all part of the 1876 Texas Constitution. The Texas legislative branch will be my focus. We will look at the history and process of Texas’ legislature. They are the state legislature for Texas and meet at the Texas State Capitol, Austin. The legislature met from February 16-18, 1846, when Texas joined the union. The Texas Legislature branch, which includes 150 members of both the house and state senates, heads the legislative branch. Each odd year, the legislatures meet to create new laws and to discuss the state’s problems. The speaker appoints vice-chairs and chairs of the committees. They then study the legislation and decide who will be serving on these committees. The speaker of the house and lieutenant governor first ask the legislature to decide the rules that the legislators will be following during session. While the state constitution defines the procedures for legislating, they can be modified by the house legislature to make them more effective. After the rules are approved, legislatures can begin to look at bills.
Texas, just like other states in the United States, has its state constitution. This defines its basic structures and its principles. Although the current constitution was adopted by Texas in 1876 it is actually the seventh Texas constitution. The first constitution was written in 1827 while Texas was still part Mexico. The Republic of Texas was then created in 1836. It was followed by the first state constitution in 1845 when Texas joined the USA. Texas was forced to rewrite the constitution in 1861 after it seceded the USA to join Confederacy. The document was then re-drafted twice more during post-Civil War times before they finally arrived at the current version. It has a long history. This document is the longest in America, with nearly 500 amendments. The United States Constitution, however, only has 27 amendments. Texans have changed their constitution numerous times. It’s important not to forget that Texas was strong on individual liberties. Therefore, it is dangerous to give too much power over any government. It was determined that only the constitutionally authorized powers could be granted to the state government. Texas’ government cannot say that a power doesn’t exist in its constitution. They must amend it. The Constitution of the United States of America does not allow for local governments. The states grant charters that give powers to local governments. They then create and regulate local governments. These local governments can be divided into three categories: country, city, and town governments. Another common form of local government is townships and boroughs. Local governments are able to legislate local issues but they cannot pass laws that conflict with state law. The elected officials of local governments include big-city mayors, county executives, and small-town “cabinet” first selectmen. These officials range from local officials who are not paid to part-time to Washington D.C. officials with limited government oversight and mayors with the power of governors and legislatures.
Municipalities
Local taxes should be levied to finance their activities
Provide local services like the fire department or police force to citizens; and, regulate them with the appropriate commissions.
Offer sanitation services
Library services and public schools, as well as school boards, are provided.
Traffic regulation
Maintain local streets;
Regulate zoning.
Local governments are at grassroots level so your local legislator might be your friend or neighbor. They will usually respond quicker to your queries or help you solve local problems such as potholes, trash collection, and zoning. State and local government agencies are similar to military command chains or corporate organizational structures. The local government is responsible for governing according to its specific needs. This allows counties and cities to be more responsive to their local communities. The state has more jurisdiction and officials at the top of the government oversee local government agencies.
They can also step in to assist local governments in times when there are no other options.
Due to constitutional irregularities, Texas faces many political problems. Budgeting, immigration and abortion are just a few of the many issues. The annual spending on immigration by the government is nearly 1 Billion dollars. A better way for the government to control illegal immigration would save the state millions of dollars. This surplus affects the rainy days funds. It also affects education, infrastructure, as well as other important government expenses. Texas’ 21st Century Government faces another pressing problem: not enough mental healthcare hospitals are available to treat patients. Texas is the nation’s top state for medical education, prevention medicine, and research. Texas is known for its excellent healthcare facilities. However one-fourth (or 4%) of the state’s residents do not have health insurance. This is among the highest rates in the country. Rural healthcare is also unfunded due to a dearth of providers. Texas also faces serious educational issues due to economic and social problems. According to the resources available, the state established minimum standards. Equal education has been demanded for all parts of society. These were two issues I discussed.
Let me conclude by answering the question, “Does Texas have 21st Century government?” According to “Texas Economic Development Corporation”, Texas ranks 9th among the largest economies in the world. Governor Greg Abbott stated: “While 2020 presented some unique challenges,” Texas continues to shine as an beacon of hope. Texas is ranked ninth in terms of economic size due to the hardworking people and women of Texas. Our commitment to economic freedom and our state-of the-art infrastructure are key factors in our business climate. Texas’s competitive tax climate and world-class infrastructure attract people from all over the country.
