1. The Executive Branch of Texas
Government

2. Historical Perspective
 Office of governor is institutionally weak
 Governor has no authority to form
cabinet as President does
 Governor does appoint members of
commissions and boards
 1876 Constitution retained the plural
executive structure which has
independently elected officeholders

3. Historical Perspective
 Governor appoints Secretary of State, only
statewide appointed officeholder
 Some restrictions have been loosened, but
changes have not significantly enhanced
authority of governor
 Amendments have been passed:
 to allow Legislature to set governor’s salary
 increasing term from two to four years
 to allow removal (with Senate approval) of
persons from board or commissions whom the
governor has appointed

4. Structure of Plural Executive
 Article 4, Section 1 of 1876 Constitution
created executive branch, including:
 Governor (CEO of state)
 Lieutenant Governor
 Comptroller of Public Accounts
 Treasurer (no longer in existence)
 Land Commissioner
 Attorney General

5. Structure of Plural Executive
 Later additions were:
 Railroad Commission
 State Board of Education
 All are elected statewide, except Board
of Education (elected in districts)
 The agencies of these officials are
autonomous, independent of the
governor

6. Structure of Plural Executive
 Some argue that plural executive’s
effect on governor’s control is minimal
because of little history of significant
conflict
 Others argue that governor never
pursues controversial policies in order
to “get along”
 Our governor’s position is consistently
ranked as “weak”

7. Qualifications for Governor
 Thirty years old
 U.S. citizen
 Texas resident for at least five years

8. Characteristics
 Mostly well-educated, middle-aged and
white male
 Only two women elected
 Increased importance on personal
wealth or ability to raise funds
 Previous public service provides base
for electoral support

9. Removal from Office
 Impeachment
 Initiated in the House
 Tried by the Senate
 On death or incapacity, Lt. Governor
replaces until next election
 Lt. Governor also acts if Governor is
outside the state

10. Compensation
 Salary is $115,345.00 per year
 Mansion provided with staff
 Security detail
 Travel expenses
 Access to state-owned planes and cars

11. Governor’s Powers
 Powers have ebbed and flowed over the
years
 Constitution of 1845 modeled powers
on those of the Presidency
 Successive constitutions reduced the
powers of the office

12. Legislative Powers
 Outlines legislative priorities in the
State of the State address
 Communication with lawmakers
continues throughout session
 “Bully pulpit” permits mobilization of
public support
 Veto threat (especially line item) can
influence legislators’ decisions

13. Legislative Powers
 Ability to call special session is
powerful, but it can backfire if
legislature fails to act or liberally
interprets subject matter of the call
 Governor’s proclamation calling a
special session must be carefully
drafted - once called, Governor can
increase agenda items

14. Legislative Powers
 Veto
 Texas has strong veto power
 During the session, governor has ten days
to veto a bill – if not, it becomes law
 Legislature can override with 2/3 vote
 After adjournment, governor has 20 days
to veto
 Line–item veto is very powerful, but
legislature has attempted to get around it
through “lump sum” appropriations

15. Budgetary Powers
 Weaker than most states
 Legislative Budget Board (LBB) and
governor both make recommendations,
but Legislature usually follows LBB
 Governor can propose transfer of funds
during interims, with approval of LBB

16. Appointive Powers
 Appoints members to over 200 boards
and commissions (with Senate
confirmation)
 Most board members serve staggered
six-year terms
 Governor can only remove his or her
appointees (with Senate approval)

17. Appointive Powers
 Senatorial courtesy permits a senator
to block appointment of someone who
lives in that senator’s district
 Usually avoided by clearing nominees
with senators
 Governor has an Appointments
Secretary, who screens nominees for
availability, competence, acceptability
and support by key groups

18. Appointive Powers
 All vacancies at district court level and
above are appointed subject to Senate
confirmation
 Any vacancy in U.S. Senate results in
governor appointing replacement
 Governor can also appoint successor to
any statewide officer other than Lt.
Governor

19. Judicial Powers
 Eighteen member Board of Pardons and
Paroles decides release dates for
prisoners, and can recommend pardons
 Governor can grant executive clemency
 30-day stay of execution (one time only)
 Full pardon, conditional pardon or
commutation of death sentence (only with
approval of Board of Pardons and Paroles)

20. Military Powers
 Serves as “Commander-in-Chief” of
militia, except during wartime
 Can call out National Guard during
times of riot or other emergency

21. Informal Resources
 Staff
 Staff is around 200, with some making
more than the governor
 Staff will ideally enhance the governor’s
political, administrative and policy-making
capabilities
 Chosen on abilities and loyalty
 Control access to and information for the
governor

22. Informal Resources
 Media
 Good working relationship can help
promote agenda
 Political Party
 Growing two-party system permits work
with legislature
 Interest Groups
 Groups can be of help in elections and can
influence legislators

23. Recent Governors
 Bill Clements
 First Republican since Reconstruction
 Appointed many conservative Democrats to
boards and commissions
 Appointed first women and African-
American to highest courts
 Was a public relations disaster
 Was successful in helping Republican party
become majority

24. Recent Governors
 Mark White
 Very good with media
 Confrontational style lost teacher pay raise
 HB 72 (Perot Commission) provided some
pay raise but required teacher “literacy
test” (as well as “no pass, no play”)
 Not much legislative leadership

25. Recent Governors
 Ann Richards
 Activist
 Lobbied for state lottery, promising that it
would be used for education
 Little input in legislative matters
 Despite high approval ratings, she didn’t
get involved in the 1993 session, except to
kill a concealed carry bill

26. Recent Governors
 George W. Bush
 Low key style (underestimate him!)
 Excellent relations with lawmakers
 Won all four legislative priorities in 1995
 Failed to win substantial property tax relief
 Won over 70 percent of vote for second
term

27. Recent Governors
 Rick Perry  First Aggie
 Highly criticized
“absence” from the
legislative process
during 2001 session
 Highly controversial
vetoes of bills
 Physician
reimbursement
 Medicaid
 Judicial pay raises

28. Lieutenant Governor
 David Dewhurst  Primarily legislative
office, but powerful
because of role and
statewide constituency
 Chairs LBB
 Presiding officer of the
Senate

29. Attorney General
 Greg Abbott  Chief legal officer,
defending state laws
and regulatory orders
 Enforces anti-trust and
child support laws
 Primarily civil, with little
criminal responsibility
 Advisory opinions to
state and local entities

30. Comptroller
 Susan Combs
 Primary tax administrator,
accounting officer and
revenue estimator
 Budget can’t become law
without certification that it
falls within revenue
estimates

31. Land Commissioner
 Jerry Patterson
 Manages state owned
lands, including mineral
rights
 Administers Veterans
Land Board program

32. Agriculture Commissioner
 Todd Staples
 Created by statute
 Carries out laws regulating
and benefiting agriculture
 Responsible for
administration of consumer
protection laws in areas of
weights and measures,
packaging and labeling,
and marketing

33. Secretary of State
 Esperanza “Hope” Andrade  Appointed by
governor
 Primary function is
to administer state
election laws
 Also handles
corporate charters
and processes
extraditions

34. State Treasurer
 Created in 1876 Constitution as
custodian of state funds
 Abolished in 1995
 Duties transferred to Comptroller

35. Elected Boards and Commissions
 Railroad Commission
 Originally designed to regulate intrastate
operations of railroads and trucking
 Federal government undertook that work
 Three-member commission now regulates
oil and gas production and lignite mining
 State Board of Education
 Fifteen member elected board helps
oversee public education system