Texas Constitution Research Paper

Kai Cox
Dr. Shawn Williams
Texas Government 2306
1/27/2015
The Texas Constitution In 1836, Texas had finally gained its independence from their neighbors to the South. Shortly after earning their independence, Texans sought to legitimize its government and independence by drafting a Constitution. The original Texas Constitution was adopted in 1827. Since its introduction, it has been amended an astonishing 467 times. There have been numerous attempts at Constitutional reform, most notably in the 1970’s due to the Constitutions rather restrictive and outdated laws. When drafting the Constitution of Texas, Texans failed to follow the general guidelines outlined in the Constitution of the United States. The U.S. Constitution is an ideal document in that it gives very comprehensive powers to the different branches. The Texas Constitution, on the other hand, is very painstaking and reflects the political ideology and laws of the time. In order to change the constitution to reflect the new laws; amendments to the constitution were needed. The amendment process is very efficient and quick. In order to propose an
amendment, the amendment must be suggested during a regular or special session when legislature convenes. Once an amendment is proposed, it can only pass once two-thirds of the House and Senate members vote ‘Yes’. After passing through the House and Senate, the amendment is then voted on by the public during the General Elections. 60 days prior to the elections, Texans must be made aware of the amendments through the publication of the bill in the daily newspaper. The State Constitution also requires that the County Clerk publish the bill in its entirety to be placed in the courthouse for everyone to see. The amendment once voted on will only pass by the majority rules. Due to the overly easy manner in which amendments are approved; many politicians, special interest groups, and concerned citizens have called for constitutional reform. Constitutional reform became a hot topic due to the complexity and downright confusion in the Texas Constitution. The sixth constitution of Texas circa 1876 has been amended 467 times, fourth in the nation behind Alabama, California, and South Carolina. In attempts to update the law, constitutional conventions were organized to address the aging document. Despite the number of attempts to rewrite the constitution, constitutional reform eventually failed. One of the reason reforms failed is because of special interest groups. Special interest groups and government officials led the charge against reform, killing the charter in 1975. Many voters were swayed to vote against the Senate Joint Resolution because they feared more taxes and a larger and more powerful State government. The proposed Constitutional reform was rejected again in 1993. This resolution was ultimately defeated by the looming budget deficit and other problems. Since 1993, there have been other leaders parading on for constitutional reform but no one has been successful. When it comes to the constitution, I prefer a document that is very broad in nature and allows flexibility and adaptability.
The Texas Constitution is too detailed and needs constant amendments to make the document relevant. One of the issues with the Texas Constitution is that it is considered very nearsighted. I believe if Texas had followed the outline of the United States Constitution, they would have a constitution that provides enough guidance and does not require continual amendments. The Texas Constitution is a working document that encompasses the political ideas and culture of its people. Though the Texas Constitution is very archaic, the amendment process is rather smooth and streamlined. Texas will eventually recognize the need to de-conflict the current constitution and propose a new document that will finally modernize its
laws.

"I have read and understood the Central Texas College Plagiarism Policy. I declare that aside from properly documented quotations and paraphrase, this essay is entirely original, and has not been submitted to any previous course for assessment."
Name Kai Cox
Student I.D. CC651160
Date 1/27/2015

References
Newell, Charldean, David F. Prindle, James Riddlesperger, Todd Donovan, Daniel Smith, and Christopher Mooney. "The Constitutional Setting." Texas Politics-Custom CTC. Twelfth ed. US: Wadsworth, 2013. 42-75. Print
"THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION ARTICLE 17. MODE OF AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION OF THIS STATE." THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION ARTICLE 17. MODE OF AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION OF THIS STATE. Web. 27 Jan. 2015.
"Amending State Constitutions." - Ballotpedia. Web. 27 Jan. 2015. <http://ballotpedia.org/Amending_state_constitutions