Major vs. Minor Bills56% are major bills meaning they have a huge impact on the public.So, 44% are minor.Time limit – 140 days for a legislative session in Texas.Processing of Major BillsIntroduced earlierMore companion billMore even across committeesMore amendmentsMore likely to dieLater final actionAgenda of Active Bills Texas LegislatureBills can only be introduced in the first 60 days of the legislative session in TexasUnless it is an emergencySecrets of the Texas Legislative ProcessNot all bills are intended to passTo show that certain members have controversial issue preferencesKnow a bill will fail but it shows the issue stance of candidatesBills are not independent of each otherTexas Legislative WorkloadOnly the governor can call a special session.A Model of Legislative Professionalization A legislature if more professional with a larger population and more metropolitan setting. More bills are introduced, the sessions are longer, there is greater compensation for working in a professional legislature and there are more full-time legislators.Relationships:Bill Introduction & Population – moderate positive.Bill introduction and Percent Metropolitan – moderate positive.Length of session and bill introductions – strong positive.Percent full-time legislators and legislative compensation – strong positive.Legislators in Texas are part-time – they all have other jobs or are independently wealthy.Selection biasPeople are often wealthyProfessional bias – only certain jobs can do it because they need the time offModels of ResponsivenessRepresentationalYou give your representative the power to vote for you essentially.CongruenceYou only want your legislators to vote the way you do.State Legislators7800 legislatorsEDUCATION—75% have some collegeEMPLOYMENT--LEGISLATORS MORE PRESTIGE; PROFESSIONALS, MANAGERS, PROPRIETORS, NOT ESTABLISHED WEALTH BUT UPWARDLY MOBILE MIDDLE CLASS. FLEXIBLE WORK SCHEDULE, PUBLIC CONTACTATTORNEYS, AGRICULTURE, EDUCATION OVERREPRESENTED, LABOR AND GOVERNMENT UNDERREPRESENTEDSEX--MALE 80% to 90%MOBILITY--OVER 75% BORN IN DISTRICTPSYCHOLOGICAL--MORE SELF-CONFIDENT, SELF-SUFFICIENT, EXTROVERTED, DOMINANT, TOLERANT, LESS AUTHORITARIAN, MORE FAVORABLY DISPOSED TOWARD MINORITIESNumber of attorneys in state legislators has dropped and full-time legislators have increased. Those who are retired have increased.Characteristics of State Legislators in 2009 and Public in 2007-2009Top and Bottom States for Percent Differences Between Legislators and PopulationWomenAfrican American:Most Equal – VT, FL, OR, WY, NebraskaLeast Equal – LouisianaHispanics:Most Equal – New MexicoLeast Equal – (Texas), CO & NevadaAttorneyMost Equal - CaliforniaLeast Equal – TexasPOLS 207 1st Edition Lecture 19 Outline of Last Lecture I. Legislative Policy and Representing the PeopleOutline of Current Lecture II. Major vs. Minor BillsIII. Texas Legislative ProcessIV. Models of RepresentivenessCurrent Lecture← Major vs. Minor Bills← 56% are major bills meaning they have a huge impact on the public.← So, 44% are minor.← Time limit – 140 days for a legislative session in Texas.←← Processing of Major Bills- Introduced earlier- More companion bill- More even across committees- More amendments- More likely to die- Later final action←← Agenda of Active Bills Texas Legislature- Bills can only be introduced in the first 60 days of the legislative session in Texaso Unless it is an emergencySecrets of the Texas Legislative Process- Not all bills are intended to passo To show that certain members have controversial issue preferenceso Know a bill will fail but it shows the issue stance of candidates- Bills are not independent of each otherBills do not receive equal consideration← Texas Legislative Workload←←← Only the governor can call a special session.←← A Model of LegislativeProfessionalization ←← A legislature if more professional with a largerpopulation and more metropolitan setting. More bills are introduced, the sessions are longer, there is greatercompensation for working in a professional legislature and there are more full-time legislators. ←← Relationships:← Bill Introduction & Population – moderate positive.← Bill introduction and Percent Metropolitan –moderate positive.← Length of session and bill introductions – strong positive.← Percent full-time legislators and legislative compensation – strong positive.←← Legislators in Texas are part-time – they all have other jobs or are independently wealthy.- Selection bias o People are often wealthyo Professional bias – only certain jobs can do it because they need the time ofo←← Models of Responsiveness- Representationalo You give your representative the power to vote for you essentially.- Congruenceo You only want your legislators to vote the way you do.←← State Legislators- 7800 legislators- EDUCATION—75% have some college- EMPLOYMENT--LEGISLATORS MORE PRESTIGE; PROFESSIONALS, MANAGERS, PROPRIETORS, NOT ESTABLISHED WEALTH BUT UPWARDLY MOBILE MIDDLE CLASS. FLEXIBLE WORK SCHEDULE, PUBLIC CONTACT- ATTORNEYS, AGRICULTURE, EDUCATION OVERREPRESENTED, LABOR AND GOVERNMENT UNDERREPRESENTED- SEX--MALE 80% to 90%- MOBILITY--OVER 75% BORN IN DISTRICT- PSYCHOLOGICAL--MORE SELF-CONFIDENT, SELF-SUFFICIENT, EXTROVERTED, DOMINANT, TOLERANT, LESS AUTHORITARIAN, MORE FAVORABLY DISPOSED TOWARD MINORITIES←← Number of attorneys in state legislators has dropped and full-time legislators have increased. Those who are retired have increased.←← Characteristics of State Legislators in 2009 and Public in 2007-2009←←← Top and Bottom States for Percent Diferences Between Legislators and Population- Women←←← African American:- Most Equal – VT, FL, OR, WY, Nebraska- Least Equal – Louisiana←← Hispanics: - Most Equal – New Mexico- Least Equal – (Texas), CO & Nevada←← Attorney- Most Equal - California- Least Equal –