1. The Texas Constitution Chapter 21 O’Connor and Sabato American Government: Continuity and Change

2. The Texas Constitution In this chapter we will cover… 1.Roots of the Texas Constitution 2.Current Texas Constitution 3.Constitutional Revision

3. Roots of the Texas Constitution Constitutions of 1836 Republic of 1845 State of 1861 Confederacy 1866Union again 1876 Post Reconstruction

4. Current Texas Constitution Shaped by Reconstruction Convention of 1875 - Delegates (number, demographics, and interests) Constitution of 1876 – restrictive Separation of powers Dedicated funds Education Amending

5. Type of Election, Voter Turnout, and Constitutional Amendment Adoption

6. Amendments to the Texas Constitution, 1877-2002

7. Current Constitution Has seventeen numbered articles Restrictive – quite detailed in describing the structure and powers of government Several articles dealing with local government The constitution limits legislature in enacting fiscal policies (taxing/spending) Requires a balanced budget

8. Current Constitution Dedicated funds require that certain tax monies be deposited in particular funds Dedicated funds can only be used for specific purposes e.g., portion of state gasoline tax to Highway Trust Fund 1876 Constitution always establishes one method of amendment- including proposed by two-thirds of both Houses and voter approval by simple majority

9. Criticism of Today’s Constitution Too many amendments Too long Too limiting

10. Constitutional Revision Two methods of revision 1. Piecemeal through series of amendments 2. Comprehensive through adoption of a new constitution

11. Piecemeal Constitution has been amendment often- beginning soon after adoption Many piecemeal changes resulted from comprehensive reform efforts League of Women Voters and the Citizens Advisory Committee Many Texans favor rewriting state Constitution

12. Comprehensive Revision Efforts First calls for comprehensive revision - 1877 Between 1991-1949 legislature regularly considered constitutional reform Constitutional Revision Commission 1974 Why did it fail? 1999 efforts – including stronger chief executive powers - also failed