Introduction
The decision to pass a new bill is not spontaneous: on the contrary, the approval of a new law is a long and thoroughly examined process. As a rule, officials’ decision to adopt a new law is made by officials during active hearings of complaints and proposals from citizens during personal meetings or socioeconomic research of the environment in which the population lives. In other words, the states of the US have local, context-specific laws. This essay will review how the bill becomes law in Texas jurisprudence.
Steps for Implementation
First of all, it should be specified that there are three branches of power in Texas: executive, judicial, and legislative. The latter is headed by members of the House of Representatives and the Senate, which play a crucial role in shaping the bill (How A Bill Becomes A Law). The discussion, document, or idea is introduced by a House or Senate clerk, who edits the text legally. The Legislative Assembly is convened every odd year, starting on the second Tuesday of January and lasting 140 days. The most critical stage of the project begins with convening the Assembly, when the Speaker and the Lieutenant Governor, elected by the people every four years, decide which bills are worthy of further discussion and submission to committees. It is essential to recognize that there are 36 committees in Texas that deal with the substantive areas of lawmaking. After that, there are public hearings open to citizens to gather more information about the upcoming law. Typically, the time allowed to introduce a law does not exceed 60 days. The preparatory procedures for the report and distribution of the document to all senators/representatives are followed by a second hearing, at which the legislators vote and make amendments (How a Bill Becomes Law in Texas). Then, it is followed by a third and final reading. Finally, if a bill gets a majority in the third reading, it becomes the law.
Influence of the Presidents
First and foremost, the presiding officers of the House of Representatives or Senate are responsible for the procedure of meetings, maintaining order, and resolving conflicts between members of the legislature. At the same time, the presiding member regulating the voting procedure can promote the draft law. The Lieutenant Governor’s and the Speaker’s powers include appointing officials responsible for the committees’ activities so that the bill can be put down at this stage. Moreover, the Speaker appoints the Chair of the Calendar Committee to select the days to hear the bills. Therefore, the chairperson may delay the law’s adoption by different methods if they are not interested in the early implementation of the project.
Delay Tactics
It is not uncommon for a particular bill to be unsuitable for adoption at this time. Political technology tactics such as pigeonholing, tagging, chubbing, and filibustering are used to delay. The first of these is aimed at delegating the legislative process to the committee by the presiding officers, as a result of which the project can be destroyed. Tagging refers to the power of the senator, which includes 48 hours of adjournment. Borrowing time with useless debates also helps prevent members of the House from moving on to the next issue. Finally, a filibuster is considered to be the most effective delaying model, consisting of stretching the time to avoid having time to consider other bills.
Stakeholders
The most apparent stakeholder involvement is proposing ideas for a bill or public participation in sociological research measuring the quality of life. The influence of lobbyists who actively promote a bill in the House or Senate cannot be excluded. In addition, the Governor of Texas has the right to veto a bill, although this right is particularly useless. Another factor is the Comptroller of Public Accounts, who is responsible for the financial viability and acceptability of the bill. Finally, the Attorney General makes the resulting decision on the degree of compliance with constitutional norms – if a discrepancy is found, the bill is sent for revision.
References
“How A Bill Becomes A Law.” Texas House of Representatives, 2020.
“How a Bill Becomes Law in Texas.” Lumen Learning, n.d., Web.