The Texas State Legislature is the legislative branch of Texas. The Texas Legislature is a bicameral body composed of a 31-member Senate and a 150-member House of Representatives. It meets every two years in regular session, starting on the second Tuesday in January of odd-numbered years, and sessions can last up to 140 days. It’s a powerful part of the Texas government [1] because of its control over state spending, its strong connection to the lieutenant governor, and Texas’s plural executive system.
The Texas Legislature meets every two years, starting on the second Tuesday in January of each odd-numbered year. It is one of only four states — and the largest — that doesn’t hold annual legislative sessions. "Texas Legislature". Wikipedia. Retrieved October 13, 2025. The governor is the only one who can make the choice to call the Legislature into special sessions; the Legislature cannot call itself. Special sessions last up to 30 days, and lawmakers can only work on the issues the governor lists, though the governor may add more during the session.
Regular sessions are limited by the Constitution of Texas to 140 days. As of 2025, Dan Patrick serves as the Lieutenant Governor of Texas, presiding over the Senate. Dustin Burrows is the Speaker of the House. Both have significant influence over committee assignments and lawmaking in their chambers.
Most bills take effect 90 days after passage, but the Legislature can vote to make them effective sooner if two-thirds of both chambers agree. "Texas Legislature". Wikipedia. Retrieved October 13, 2025. The Legislature may provide for an effective date that is after the 90th day. Most bills are set to take effect on September 1 in odd-numbered years, which marks the start of Texas’ fiscal year. "Texas Legislature". Wikipedia. Retrieved October 13, 2025. Lawmakers can actually submit bills before a session even starts. The most important bills, like the state budget bills HB1 and SB1 usually get the lowest numbers to show they are a top priority.
Many bills can be pre-filed before a session begins, with lower numbers reserved for high-priority bills like HB1 and SB1, which are each chamber’s version of the state budget. "Texas Legislature". Wikipedia. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
Most lawmakers in both chambers are Republicans, reflecting the party’s continued control of the Texas Legislature.
Qualifications for service
The Texas Constitution sets the qualifications for election to each house as follows:[3]
A senator must be at least 26 years of age, a resident of Texas for five years prior to election and a resident of the district from which elected one year prior to election. Each senator serves a four-year term and one-half of the Senate membership is elected every two years in even-numbered years, with the exception that all the Senate seats are up for election for the first legislature following the decennial census in order to reflect the newly redrawn districts (this takes place in years ending in "2"). After the initial election, the Senate is divided by lot into two classes, with one class having a re-election after two years and the other having a re-election after four years.
A representative must be at least 21 years of age, a citizen of Texas for two years prior to election and a resident of the district from which elected one year prior to election. They are elected for two-year terms, running for re-election in even-numbered years.[4]
Neither may, for the time they were originally elected, hold any civil office under the State that was created during that term, nor for any such office whose compensation was increased during such time. Furthermore, judges (and their clerks) and any person holding a "lucrative office" under the United States, this State or a foreign government, cannot, while remaining in those offices, be a member of the Legislature; tax collectors and those entrusted with public money must receive a discharge for those funds before they are eligible to the Legislature.[5]
Salary of legislative officials
Legislators earn $600 per month, plus $221 per day while in session.[6][7] which totals about $38,140 for a regular 140-day session and $45,340 over a two-year term. They qualify for a pension after eight years of service, starting at age 60.[8]
House Districts and Party Affiliation after the 2024 election
Republican Party
Democratic Party
Support agencies
The Texas Legislature oversees five support agencies that operate within the legislative branch. These agencies are:
• Texas Legislative Budget Board
• Texas Legislative Council
• Texas Legislative Reference Library
• Texas State Auditor
• Texas Sunset Advisory Commission
Scandals
In 1971, Houston banker Frank Sharp and his companies gave $600,000 in loans to state officials, who then bought stock in National Bankers Life to resell at a large profit. Many statewide office holders and members of the legislature were implicated. House Speaker Gus Mutscher Jr. and a few other legislators were fined and placed on probation. While most of those involved did not face legal punishments, many were voted out of office due to their connection to the scandal. The scandal also led to the introduction of stricter campaign finance laws and open record requirements in Texas. The incident led to the introduction of several campaign finance and open records reforms.
In 1989, Lonnie “Bo” Pilgrim, co-founder of Pilgrim’s Pride, entered the Texas Senate and gave $10,000 checks to nine state senators just two days before a vote on major changes to the state workers’ compensation system. Pilgrim said the checks were campaign contributions, not bribery, even though he opposed the bill.[9] The episode was called "Chickengate" and led to changes in the state's ethics laws.
On April 10, 2023, a complaint against Republican Rep. Bryan Slaton was made public, alleging that Slaton had an "inappropriate relationship" with an intern. The Texas House General Investigating Committee found that Slaton gave alcohol to a 19-year-old aide before the two had sexual relations at his Austin apartment.[10] The committee, composed of three Republicans and two Democrats, unanimously recommended Slaton's expulsion from the House. Slaton resigned on May 8, 2023, but would have continued receiving his salary and per diem under Texas law unless he was expelled. On May 9, 2023, the House expelled Slaton by a vote of 147–0.[11]
The Slaton case was significant because he was the first Texas House member expelled since 1927. It highlighted issues around workplace conduct and ethics in the state legislature, leading to renewed calls for stricter rules and oversight.[12]
↑"Chapter 50, Ethics Commission Rules". Ethics.state.tx.us. Archived from the original on June 14, 2013. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
↑"Legislators With Benefits, Even When They Stray". The New York Times. April 12, 2012. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
↑"Texas Businessman Hands Out $10,000 Checks in State Senate (Published 1989)". July 9, 1989. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
↑Svitek, Zach Despart, James Barragán and Patrick (April 10, 2023). "Complaint alleges Rep. Bryan Slaton had "inappropriate relationship" with an intern". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
↑Downen, Robert (May 9, 2023). "Texas House expels Bryan Slaton, first member ousted since 1927". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
↑"Citizen Handbook". The Senate of Texas. Retrieved 13 September 2009.
↑Texas Legislature from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved 13 April 2005.
↑Stanley K. Young, Texas Legislative Handbook (1973).
↑Univ. of Tex., The Legislative Branch in Texas Politics, [1] (last accessed Oct. 8, 2006) (stating that "The Texas Legislature is the most powerful of the three main branches of government[,]" primarily because it is "less weak than the other branches").
Stanley K. Young, Texas Legislative Handbook (1973).
Univ. of Tex., The Legislative Branch in Texas Politics, (last accessed Oct. 8, 2006) (stating that "The Texas Legislature is the most powerful of the three main branches of government[,]" primarily because it is "less weak than the other branches").
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