How Texas Laws Are Made

Texas Co-Op Power brings us the How Texas Laws Are Made infographic outlining the process bills go through in the state legislature to become the law of the land.  Also available as a PDF for download here.

The 83rd session of the Texas Legislature—150 representatives and 31 senators—is under way. What transpires over the 140-day session that began January 8 may seem incomprehensibly complex to the average citizen. So, in the interest of keeping our co-op members informed and involved, we offer this compact guide to how a bill moves through the legislative process and reasons why communication with your legislators matters.

Designed by Mike Wirth Art with Suzanne Cooper-Guasco, Ph.D., this infographic uses a game-board design style to online all of the steps along the path.  The color-coding to differentiate the activities between the House, the Senate and the Governor is clear and easy to understand.

Comments

[Andy]

Very nice! Thanks for this, and I'll share it with my friends and family who don't understand me when I try to tell them what I've been up to at the Capitol, lately.

One thought: Bills (except for the state budget) may also originate in the Senate. A note explaining that fact may help those who wonder if the Senate was missing a step along this sequential path.

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On the principal day of every normal session, the 150 individuals from the place of agents pick one of their individuals to be the speaker of the house. The speaker is the directing officer of the house. He or she looks after request, perceives individuals to talk amid verbal confrontation, and standards on procedural matters.

The speaker likewise designates the seats and bad habit seats of the boards of trustees that review enactment and chooses which different delegates will serve on those panels, subject to position rules. There are 31 advisory groups, each of which manages an alternate branch of knowledge, and five boards that arrangement with procedural or regulatory matters for the house. Most individuals serve on a few unique advisory groups.