Texas Constitution Essay

The purpose of a state constitution is to “indicate the process by which problems will be solved, both in the present and in the future, and should not attempt to solve specific problems, presumably, if this principle is followed, later generations will not need to adopt numerous amendments” (Biles, 2015, p.53). Daily, the Texas Constitution impacts the lives of Texans such as a legislative session being held Austin this past week stating that “under the [Texas] Constitution, we cannot hear bills on the floor of the House during the first 60 days of a legislative session unless they are declared to be an emergency item by the governor” (Metcalf, 2017, p.1).Evidently, we see that the Texas Constitution plays a huge role in every decision such as in Austin with the Texas Legislature. A state constitution differs from the U.S. Constitution that “within the federal system, state constitutions are subject to the U.S. Constitution” (Biles, 2015, p.42).
Present day, the
It consists of a “28,600-word document…the same document had been changed by no fewer than 483 amendments and contained about 87,000 words” (Biles, 2015, p.54). Its words “establishes the state’s government, defines governing powers and imposes limitations, and identifies Texans’ civil liberties and civil rights” (Biles, 2015, p.53). While it “spelled out policymaking powers and limitations in minute detail [it] resembles a code of laws than a fundamental instrument of government” (Biles, 2015, p.54). More so, this historical document “serves as the Lone Star State’s fundamental law” (Biles, 2015, p.42), that despite it “being too long and for lacking organization” (Biles, 2015, p.42), it portrays “democratic impulses of restraining power and empowering voters…[this] document of history as much as it is a charter of governance” (Biles, 2015,