The Three Branches of Texas State Government

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The Three Branches of Texas State Government

• Structured much like the
• U.S. Federal Government

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3 branches of state government
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Judicial branch consists of

• Texas Criminal Courts
• Texas Civil Courts
• Texas Courts of Criminal Appeals (appeals courts)
• Texas Supreme Court
• Texas Criminal Justice System

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Judicial Branch duties

• Sees that Texas laws are applied fairly
• Oversees law enforcement

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Court of Appeals

• The Court of Appeals
• determines whether trials
• held in trial courts were
• fair.

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Texas Supreme Court

• The name of the highest court in Texas to hear
  criminal cases is the Supreme Court
• Nine justices sit on the Texas Supreme Court.

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judicial term of office

• Consists of the judges for all courts
• The length of the term of office for the judges
  of the higher level state courts is six years.

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Legislative branch

• The Texas Legislature consists of
• Texas House of Representatives
• Texas Senate

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Legislative powers

• The Texas Legislature has the power to
• Propose amendments to the Constitution of Texas.
• Make laws.
• to propose a law to raise revenue (a tax law).

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Making laws

• Proposed laws called BILLS are introduced in the
  House or Senate, then after being sent to
  committee for consensus, a vote is held.
• If approved, the Bill is sent to the governor for
  approval..

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To become a LAW

• If signed by governor, the Bill becomes a LAW.
• If not signed-vetoed-it is no law
• If the governor vetoes a bill, the Legislature
  can override the veto with two-thirds vote.

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Legislative service

• The length of a term of office for members of the
  Texas House of Representatives is two years.

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Texas Senate

• The length of the term of office for members of
  the Texas Senate is four years
• Thirty-one senators serve in the Texas Senate.
• One must be at least 26 years old to be elected
  to the Texas Senate.

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Financing

• The Texas Legislature is responsible for
  maintaining a balanced state budget.
• It does this through
• Taxes
• Licenses
• fees

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impeachment

• The Texas Legislature has the sole power of
  impeachment (removing someone from office.)
• Only one Texas governor has been impeached-Pa
  Ferguson

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House service

• People elected to the Texas House of
  Representatives must be at least 21 years old.

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The Governor

• The Governor is the highest member of the
  executive branch

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Executive terms of Service

• The length of term for the governor of Texas is
  four years.

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Executive branch

• The Governor has the power to
• call special sessions of the legislature for
  emergency state business.
• declare martial law in case of a state emergency.