The Three Branches of Texas State Government Structured

The Three Branches of Texas State Government Structured much like the U. S. Federal Government

3 branches of state government

Judicial branch consists of • Texas Criminal Courts • Texas Civil Courts • Texas Courts of Criminal Appeals (appeals courts) • Texas Supreme Court • Texas Criminal Justice System

Judicial Branch duties • Sees that Texas laws are applied fairly • Oversees law enforcement

Court of Appeals The Court of Appeals determines whether trials held in trial courts were fair.

Texas Supreme Court • The name of the highest court in Texas to hear criminal cases is the Supreme Court • Nine justices sit on the Texas Supreme Court.

judicial term of office • Consists of the judges for all courts • The length of the term of office for the judges of the higher level state courts is six years.

Legislative branch The Texas Legislature consists of • Texas House of Representatives • Texas Senate

Legislative powers The Texas Legislature has the power to: • Propose amendments to the Constitution of Texas. • Make laws. • to propose a law to raise revenue (a tax law).

Making laws • Proposed laws called BILLS are introduced in the House or Senate, then after being sent to committee for consensus, a vote is held. • If approved, the Bill is sent to the governor for approval…. .

To become a LAW • If signed by governor, the Bill becomes a LAW. • If not signed-vetoed-it is no law • If the governor vetoes a bill, the Legislature can override the veto with twothirds vote.

Legislative service The length of a term of office for members of the Texas House of Representatives is two years.

Texas Senate • The length of the term of office for members of the Texas Senate is four years • Thirty-one senators serve in the Texas Senate. • One must be at least 26 years old to be elected to the Texas Senate.

Financing The Texas Legislature is responsible for maintaining a balanced state budget. It does this through • Taxes • Licenses • fees

impeachment • The Texas Legislature has the sole power of impeachment (removing someone from office. ) • Only one Texas governor has been impeached-”Pa” Ferguson

House service • People elected to the Texas House of Representatives must be at least 21 years old.

The Governor • The Governor is the highest member of the executive branch

Executive terms of Service • The length of term for the governor of Texas is four years.

Executive branch The Governor has the power to • call special sessions of the legislature for emergency state business. • declare martial law in case of a state emergency.