To help clarify things today:
Constitutional Design
- What is the basic function of the Texas Legislature?
- Why is this article so long and detailed?
- What does the Texas Constitution say about the basic design of the Texas House and Senate?
- Who has represnted the ACC district in the legislature?
- What aspects of the bill making process are detailed in the Texas Constitution?
- What aspects of the powers of the Texas Speaker and Lieutenant Governor are established in the Constitution and what parts are established in House and Senate rules?
- Be able to answer questions about quorum, vacancies, individual legislators, legislative pay, redistricting, and the bill making process, among others.
Texas Bill Making
- Which institutions exist to help legislators with developing and researching bills?
- What online features allow you to track bills online? Why might people be interested in doing so?
- What types of laws exist? Why does this distinction matter?
- What might different bills attempt to do?
- Who can introduce bills into the legislature?
- What are the major stages in the bill making process?
- What influence does the governor, speaker, and lieutenant governor have on the bill making process?
- What roles do committees play in the bill making process?
- What role does the Legislative Budget Board play in the process?
- Be familiar with the informal process the Senate uses to allow a minority of Senators to protect the interests of their constituents.
- What is the full extent of the governor's veto power?
Local City Council- What range of powers do city councils have?
- How are city councils similar to and different from state legislatures and the US Congress?
- What different types of city counciles exist? What types are common in the area governments?
- What types of powers do city councils have? How do these vary depending on the type of city government?
- Which area cities have strong and weak city councils?
- What relationships do city councils have with mayors? City managers?
- What is the Open Meetings Act and what impact does it have on city councils?
- Be able to answer questions about the nature of city council elections.
- What is the purpose of single members districts?
- What are the pros and cons of term limits? How many area city concil are term limited?
- Be able to answer factual questions about area city councils.
