Table of Contents
Welcome to the latest edition of Texas Legislative News for the 89th Texas Legislature. In this regular feature, we provide information on disability-related issues and bills under consideration at the State Capitol. We also explain how lawmakers conduct business, and we share details on upcoming TCDD events.
Texas Legislature 101
It’s a snow day in Central Texas, so let’s take this opportunity to go over some basic information on the Texas Legislature.
On Tuesday, Jan. 14, state lawmakers convened for the Legislature’s 89th regular session. These regular sessions take place for 140 days every two years and include the consideration of many policy topics. House and Senate members are typically required to pass only a single piece of legislation: the two-year state budget. But in the 89th session, lawmakers are sure to grapple with more matters such as property tax relief, affordable housing, and education.
If there’s unfinished business when the Legislature adjourns on June 2, then Gov. Greg Abbott can call lawmakers back for 30-day special sessions on topics of his choice.
The Senate
The Texas Senate is comprised of 31 members, and each one of them represents over 940,000 constituents. A senator’s term of office is usually four years, and those terms are scheduled so that about half of the body is up for election every two years.
The Senate’s presiding officer is the lieutenant governor of Texas, currently Dan Patrick. The lieutenant governor is elected statewide every four years. Under current Senate rules, the lieutenant governor essentially controls which bills are brought up for consideration by Senate members. The lieutenant governor also appoints the committees that do much of the Senate’s work.
The House
The Texas House of Representatives is comprised of 150 members. Each member represents about 194,000 constituents. A state representative’s term of office is two years, and each House district comes up for election every even-numbered year.
The body’s presiding officer is the speaker of the Texas House. The speaker is elected on the first day of the legislative session, decided by a vote of the 150 House members. Last week, Rep. Dustin Burrows was chosen by a majority of his fellow members to serve as speaker. This will be Burrows’ first term in that role.
Rules of Operation
Once lawmakers convene, it’s customary for them to quickly adopt the rules they will operate under for the session. Senators adopted their rules last week. House members are expected to do so in the next few days.
The Rhythm of the Session
Based on Texas Constitutional guidelines limiting the consideration of bills, the first month of the legislative session has a fairly slow pace. It starts to pick up in February, particularly after committees are appointed in the Texas House. By April, lawmakers are typically considering dozens, if not hundreds, of bills each day and continue to do so through May. TCDD will follow along to keep you updated on issues of interest to the disability community.
Legislative Terminology
If you’re new to the legislative process, you may soon hear some words or phrases that are unfamiliar, like “chubbing” or “point of order.” The Texas Legislative Council has prepared a legislative glossary that is a handy resource to help clear up any confusion.
Check Your Representation
The Texas Legislature Online website offers a Who Represents Me? webpage to identify your current elected officials. If you go to the page and enter your address, it will provide the names and districts of your House and Senate members as well as information on other state and federal offices. Your representatives might have changed since the last session due to retirements or electoral defeats. So, it’s always good to check.
TCDD Resources
You can find a variety of resources on our Legislative Advocacy Resources webpage to help you better understand the legislative process and to assist with your own advocacy efforts. Our resources include tips on:
- contacting your elected officials;
- providing legislative testimony;
- using the Capitol website;
- understanding how a bill becomes a law in Texas;
- and more.
You can also visit our YouTube channel for video tutorials and more legislative advocacy information.
Stay Informed
Throughout the 89th Texas legislative session, you can stay up to date on how lawmakers address disability issues by following us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn. You can also check out our Policy section to learn more about our legislative engagement and find resources to support your own advocacy.
