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Learn about the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the Texas government and understand their significance in upholding laws and maintaining checks and balances. Explore the duties of the governor, legislative requirements, and the role of the judiciary. Discover how these branches work together to serve the people of Texas.
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What are the three branches of TEXAS Government? Why are these important?
The Three Branches • Executive • The governor and his cabinet • Legislative • Those who make the laws • Judicial • Those who make sure that laws are upheld • Also determine if a law is unconstitutional
The Leader: The governor Second in Command: lieutenant governor Has to be Texas Citizen for 5 years prior to election. Has to be age 30 or older Has to serve a 4 year term Texas Executive Branch
Texas Governor duties: • The constitutional and statutory duties of the Governor include: • Signing or vetoing bills passed by the Legislature. • Serving as commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. • Convening special sessions of the Legislature for specific purposes. • Delivering a report on the condition of the state to the Legislature at the beginning of each regular session. • Estimating of the amounts of money required to be raised by taxation. • Accounting for all public monies received and paid out by him and recommending a budget for the next two years. • Granting reprieves and commutations of punishment and pardons upon the recommendation of the Board of Pardons and Paroles and revoking conditional pardons. • Declaring special elections to fill vacancies in certain elected offices. • Appointing qualified Texans to state offices that carry out the laws and direct the policies of state government. Some of these offices are filled by appointment only. Others are ordinarily elected by the people, but the governor must occasionally appoint individuals to fill vacancies. The governor also appoints Texans to a wide range of advisory bodies and task forces that assist him with specific issues.
The Leader: The President Second in Command: The Vice President Has to be born an American Citizen Has to be age 35 or older Has to have lived in the US for 14 consecutive years U.S. Executive Branch
President Duties: Serves 4 years and can hold office 2 times Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States make Treaties, appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States Executive Continued
The Texas Legislative branch • Two parts: • House of Representatives- Speaker of the House • 21 years old • Living in district of Texas for 5 consecutive years • 2 year job • 150 members-Number of representatives varies by state; determined by population of state • Senate- Lieutenant Governor • 26 years old • Living in TEXAS for 5 consecutive years • 2 per state: sit in the US Senate • 6 year job – 4 year term and 1/2 • 31 members
The Texas Legislature has five support agencies that are within the legislative branch of state government. • Those five agencies are: • Texas Legislative Budget Board; • Texas Legislative Council; • Texas Legislative Reference Library; • Texas State Auditor; and • Texas Sunset Advisory Commission
Legislature Duties • The duties of the legislature include consideration of proposed laws and resolutions • consideration of proposed constitutional amendments for submission to the voters • appropriation of all funds for the operation of state government. • All bills for raising revenue considered by the legislature must originate in the house of representatives.
Legislative continued • The house alone can bring impeachment charges against a statewide officer, which charges must be tried by the senate. • When do they meet? • regular sessions at noon on the second Tuesday in January of odd-numbered years. The maximum duration of a regular session is 140 days.
Judicial Branch • Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and district courts. • 9 justices at all times in both courts • Elected for 6 year terms, unless a vacancy comes up. The Govenror can appoint a judge with senate approval. • Can declare the Punishment of Treason • Cases seen here are either cases against the Texas Government, or they are cases that have been heard in a district courts.
Judicial Authority • The judicial power of the State of Texas is derived from Article 5, Section 1 of the Texas Constitution, which provides: • The judicial power of this State shall be vested in one Supreme Court, in one Court of Criminal Appeals, in Courts of Appeals, in District Courts, in County Courts, in Commissioners Courts, in Courts of Justices of the Peace, and in such other courts as may be provided by law. • The Legislature may establish such other courts as it may deem necessary and prescribe the jurisdiction and organization thereof, and may conform the jurisdiction of the district and other inferior courts thereto. • (As amended November 4, 1980, effective September 1, 1981.)
