1. Texas Government Part 1 (Chapter 27)
Essential Question
Does Texas Government Help Texas?

2. 3 Branches of Government
Legislative: makes laws
Executive: governor and lieutenant governor
Judicial: court system (judges)

3. Facts The highest ranking official in Texas is the Governor
The 2nd highest ranking official in Texas is the
Lieutenant Governor
The Constitution that Texas uses today is the
Constitution of 1876
How does the constitution stay current?
Amendments

4. Facts, con’t Texas law makers meet every 2 years
The law makers can only meet for days
If something important that comes up, the governor can call a Special Session
Texas must operate on a Balanced Budget

5. Facts, con’t About 50% of Texas money comes from taxes
Largest tax in Texas is the sales tax
The 2nd largest source of money in Texas comes from the US Government

6. Vocabulary
Balanced Budget: Texas won’t spend more than it makes in Taxes (no debt)
Deficit: debt; spend more than comes in
Popular Sovereignty: government ruled by the people; citizens have a right to vote
Federalism: the US Government shares some powers with the states

7. Vocabulary, con’t Republicanism: people have a right to vote
Checks and Balances: one branch of the government doesn’t have more power than another branch
Limited Government: government cannot control people’s lives
Individual Rights: people’s rights that the government cannot take away from them

8. Texas Government Part 2 (chapter 28)
Essential Question
Does Texas Government Help Texas?

9. Vocabulary
Civil Law: laws dealing with disagreements between citizens (like vandalism, not paying rent, etc)
Criminal Law: laws dealing with major criminal acts (murder, rape, etc) and the punishment
Redistricting: adjusting legislative districts every 10 years after the census

10. Texas Court System Texas judges are elected by the people
Texas Supreme Court
District judges, lower court judges, and Justice of the Peace
Lower courts
Municipal: city or local government

11. Texas Court System, con’t
Order of Texas Court System:
Municipal Courts and Justices of the Peace
Handle minor cases (traffic, juvenile, misdemeanors, etc)
Misdemeanor: crime that doesn’t do major harm; less severe punishment
Justice of the Peace: person who tries minor cases and performs marriages

12. Texas Courts, con’t County Courts District Courts Courts of Appeal
Handle appeals by lower courts
Appeal: request to have case heard again
District Courts
Tries Felony Cases
Felony: serious crime (like murder, rape, kidnapping, etc)
Courts of Appeal
Texas Supreme Court (most powerful court in Texas)

13. Texas County Government
254 Counties in Texas
Texas divided into smaller sections to handle law enforcement, etc
Precincts: smaller part of a county to handle things like voting

14. Texas County Officials
County Commissioner: sets tax rate and
decides on county budget
Sheriff: top law officer in county
County attorney, county treasurer, county clerk, county auditor
County Constable: county officer that helps keep peace and serves subpoenas

15. School Districts
Formed to keep government out of education…don’t want schools to be run by state, city, and county government
More than 1050 school districts in TX
Schools are run by a School Board
Elected Trustees: person responsible for schools
Jobs: hire/fire teachers, set school tax rate, work with state on funding, etc

16. City Governments
When community wants to become a city, they can apply to be incorporated
Incorporated: form into a legal body
What cities do:
Offer services: police, sewer, medical, water, etc
Encourage development (new businesses, etc)
Offer special services: library, parks,etc
Make zoning laws:
Zoning: deciding what can be built where

17. Types of City Government
Home Rule Cities: over 5000 people
Self govern
General Law Cities: under 5000 people
Obey laws set by state

18. City Government, con’t Types of City Governments Mayor Council
Citizens elect mayor and city council
City council has most power; not mayor
Most cities in Texas use this
Council-Manager
Commission