The Texas Legislature convenes every odd-numbered year (biannually) from January to May for 140 days. Like its federal counterpart, this branch of government is responsible for creating laws for Texas. Thousands of bills are introduced during each regular legislative session, but only a tiny percentage become law. Many of these laws significantly impact the daily lives of Texans, highlighting the importance of the Legislature’s work. The process of passing a bill is intricate, and only the most critical proposals succeed. Your role in this process is not just an assignment but a crucial part of understanding Texas’s key issues, policies, and political culture. Students’ law analysis from the 88th session is a gateway to this understanding. This assignment is worth 70 points and is divided into two parts, aligning with Course Measurement Learning Objective 8 (demonstrate knowledge of Texas’s legislative, executive, and judicial branches).
For this assignment, you will select a law passed during Texas’s 88th Regular Legislative Session in 2023. Laws from other legislative or special sessions cannot be used. Seven hundred seventy-four laws are available for selection, and a list is provided in Blackboard under Unit II. Before students begin their analysis, the professor must approve your chosen law. To do this, submit your selected law through Blackboard in Unit II. A Google Sheet in Unit II of the Course Content will track students’ chosen laws. Please note that this Sheet is view only and can only be accessed using your ACC email address. Each law can only be analyzed by one student.
To find the House and Senate Committee of a particular bill, find your HB from the Texas Legislation Bill list and click on House bill link. You will find a list of information about the bill, including the House and Senate Committees.
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