You Decide: Full-Time Or Part Time Legislature?

You decide: Full time or part time legislature?

Texas’ legislature is a part time, citizen legislature. This means citizens-not full time elected legislators-comprise the members of the Texas House. They are elected for two-year terms, and are not limited to a maximum amount of terms. Members of the Senate, however, are elected for four years and are paid the same. $7,200 per year, including the years they are not in session. Apart from special sessions called by the governor, these officials meet for 140 days every two years. In page 240 of “Governing Texas” by Anthony Champange and Edward J. Harpham, the “You decide” feature contrasts New York city’s full time legislature with Texas’ part time. “The New York legislature is considered professional because legislators are committed to being full-time representatives; they meet year-round , and members are paid 479,500 per year.” Furthermore The U.S. congress meets in a similar fashion and are in a full-time position.

The writers of Texas’ constitution had good intentions but the current iteration of the Texas Constitution has not weathered the test of time as well as the U.S. Constitution. In the present day, Texas legislature is heavily influenced by interest groups due to a dominating political party, thus slowing the progress of the part-time legislature by pushing the agenda agreed upon by both the party and interest group. Part of Governor Rick Perry’s platform in 2012 was “adapting the Texas model to the U.S. Congress.” Opponents argued that The Texas legislature is working as intended and should not be