Kristin Paull
Professor Jennifer Ritchey
Texas Government 2306
September 7, 2015
The Texas Constitution The state of Texas has gone through many constitutional revisions since the first was introduced. It differs in many ways from the federal constitution and has some provisions that are unique to it. The current constitution is continually growing and being revised as times change, to become more modern for our industrialized state.
A state constitution dictates how the government of the state will be structured, as well as providing basic rules for the governing of the state (Brown et al. 42). The state government’s primary source of power for policymaking also comes from the state constitution (Brown et al. 42). A state constitution contains …show more content…
54). This makes it one of the longest and oldest standing state constitutions. Many of the provisions in the state constitution are unique to Texas, and are due to the state’s unique history (Ericson and Wallace). Some of these provisions are due to a Spanish and Mexican influence and deal with land law, debtor relief, water and mineral rights, and judicial procedures (Ericson and Wallace). Other provisions that are unique can be attributed to the wide support of agrarianism and frontier radicalism by immigrants to Texas prior to the Civil War, and include stricter separation of church and state, and sections prohibiting banks (Ericson and Wallace). There are also provisions to decentralize the state government due to the reconstruction after the Davis administration (Ericson and …show more content…
In this time it has been amended but not revised in its entirety. Attempts to revise the constitution have occurred though, some soon after its adoption. The first constitutional revision conference occurred in 1887, and was followed by many more (Brown et al. 64). An amendment in 1969 was passed that removed 56 obsolete provisions from the constitution, but there was no comprehensive movement working towards a complete constitutional revision until 1971 (Brown et al. 64). The resulting Constitutional Revision Commission submitted a completed draft of the constitution to the legislature in 1973, however when put to a vote it did not receive the necessary two thirds support for final approval (Brown et al. 64). Since then other revision attempts have been made, but none have come to pass. Due to budget crises, school funding, and redistricting issues filling the legislative agenda, the issue of constitutional revision has been delayed (Brown et al. 66). Some constitutional amendments have come to pass to help eliminate obsolete or archaic provisions and to help modernize the Texas Constitution (Brown et al. 67). It is likely that the Constitution of 1876 will be rewritten due to so many attempts being made to modernize it. Many politicians have been attempting to keep it on the agenda in the legislature (Brown et al. 66). The constitution still has many problems and until they are addressed the issue will not go
Professor Jennifer Ritchey
Texas Government 2306
September 7, 2015
The Texas Constitution The state of Texas has gone through many constitutional revisions since the first was introduced. It differs in many ways from the federal constitution and has some provisions that are unique to it. The current constitution is continually growing and being revised as times change, to become more modern for our industrialized state.
A state constitution dictates how the government of the state will be structured, as well as providing basic rules for the governing of the state (Brown et al. 42). The state government’s primary source of power for policymaking also comes from the state constitution (Brown et al. 42). A state constitution contains …show more content…
54). This makes it one of the longest and oldest standing state constitutions. Many of the provisions in the state constitution are unique to Texas, and are due to the state’s unique history (Ericson and Wallace). Some of these provisions are due to a Spanish and Mexican influence and deal with land law, debtor relief, water and mineral rights, and judicial procedures (Ericson and Wallace). Other provisions that are unique can be attributed to the wide support of agrarianism and frontier radicalism by immigrants to Texas prior to the Civil War, and include stricter separation of church and state, and sections prohibiting banks (Ericson and Wallace). There are also provisions to decentralize the state government due to the reconstruction after the Davis administration (Ericson and …show more content…
In this time it has been amended but not revised in its entirety. Attempts to revise the constitution have occurred though, some soon after its adoption. The first constitutional revision conference occurred in 1887, and was followed by many more (Brown et al. 64). An amendment in 1969 was passed that removed 56 obsolete provisions from the constitution, but there was no comprehensive movement working towards a complete constitutional revision until 1971 (Brown et al. 64). The resulting Constitutional Revision Commission submitted a completed draft of the constitution to the legislature in 1973, however when put to a vote it did not receive the necessary two thirds support for final approval (Brown et al. 64). Since then other revision attempts have been made, but none have come to pass. Due to budget crises, school funding, and redistricting issues filling the legislative agenda, the issue of constitutional revision has been delayed (Brown et al. 66). Some constitutional amendments have come to pass to help eliminate obsolete or archaic provisions and to help modernize the Texas Constitution (Brown et al. 67). It is likely that the Constitution of 1876 will be rewritten due to so many attempts being made to modernize it. Many politicians have been attempting to keep it on the agenda in the legislature (Brown et al. 66). The constitution still has many problems and until they are addressed the issue will not go