Texas Legislation Discussion
A constitutional amendment is necessary to change the legislative duration of Texas. Texas legislators conduct 140 sessions annually, making it a part-time process. Full time in the office ensures legislators devote all the resources towards dealing with state issues effectively. State legislators focus not only on attending legislative sessions and passing laws but also on studying state issues affecting society throughout the year. Texas is a big state in terms of size and the second most populated U.S state. Such a state needs close supervision on most citizens’ concerns in areas such as public health, education, and pollution.
Legislation is a critical process in every state, and sound decision-making essential. A full-time legislature ensures there is adequate time for legislators to debate issues and involve a public opinion. Citizens should feel well represented and involved in legislation, which is only efficient through a full-time legislature. Part-time legislation forces legislators to seek other full-time commitments on other jobs. This can make a legislator absent in a session due to split responsibilities weakening the effectiveness of the legislation process.
However, a full-time legislature requires many regulations, many staff, and an all-year occupation taking the most time of the legislators (Kurtz, Moncrief, Niemi and Powell, 2006). Devoting their time with a little concentration on other income sources demands enough salaries, unlike in part-time legislation where such expenses are not incurred. Spending a lot of time in the legislation process is associated with increased costs which may create financial hardships. The constitution of Texas limits legislature power by putting restraints on issues such as power and representation, which are a result of part-time legislation. Laws in the best interest of citizens should be implemented and revised regularly, which calls for a full-time legislative process.
References
Kurtz, K. T., Moncrief, G., Niemi, R. G., & Powell, L. W. (2006). Full-Time, Part-Time, and Real Time: Explaining State Legislators’ Perceptions of Time on the Job. State Politics & Policy Quarterly, 6(3), 322-338.
Squire, P. (1992). Legislative professionalization and membership diversity in state legislatures. Legislative Studies Quarterly, 69-79.