Texas Legislature - wikipedia Texas Legislature Jump to : navigation , search This article needs additional citations for verification . Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources . Unsourced material may be challenged and removed . ( December 2017 ) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message ) Texas State Legislature Type Houses Senate House of Representatives Leadership President of the Senate Dan Patrick ( R ) Since January 20 , 2015 Speaker of the House Joe Straus ( R ) Since January 13 , 2009 Structure Seats 181 voting members : 31 Senators 150 Representatives Senate political groups Republican ( 20 ) Democratic ( 11 ) House political groups Republican ( 95 ) Democratic ( 55 ) Elections Senate last election November 8 , 2016 Meeting place Texas State Capitol , Austin Website http://www.capitol.state.tx.us The Legislature of the state of Texas is the state legislature of Texas . The legislature is a bicameral body composed of a 31 - member Senate and a 150 - member House of Representatives . The state legislature meets at the Capitol in Austin . It is a powerful arm of the Texas government not only because of its power of the purse to control and direct the activities of state government and the strong constitutional connections between it and the Lieutenant Governor of Texas , but also due to Texas 's plural executive . The Legislature is the constitutional successor of the Congress of the Republic of Texas since Texas 's 1845 entrance into the Union . The Legislature held its first regular session from February 16 to May 13 , 1846 . Contents ( hide ) 1 Structure and operations 2 Qualification for service 3 Salary of legislative officials 4 Makeup of the Texas Senate 5 Makeup of the Texas House of Representatives 6 Support agencies 7 Scandals 8 See also 9 References 10 Further reading 11 External links Structure and operations ( edit ) The Texas Legislature meets in regular session on the second Tuesday in January of each odd - numbered year . The Texas Constitution limits the regular session to 140 calendar days . The lieutenant governor , elected statewide separately from the governor , presides over the Senate , while the Speaker of the House is elected from that body by its members . Both have wide latitude in choosing committee membership in their respective houses and have a large impact on lawmaking in the state . Only the governor may call the Legislature into special sessions , unlike other states where the legislature may call itself into session . The governor may call as many sessions as he or she desires . For example , Governor Rick Perry called three consecutive sessions to address the 2003 Texas congressional redistricting . The Texas Constitution limits the duration of each special session to 30 days ; lawmakers may consider only those issues designated by the governor in his `` call , '' or proclamation convening the special session ( though other issues may be added by the Governor during a session ) . Any bill passed by the Legislature takes effect 90 days after its passage unless two - thirds of each house votes to give the bill either immediate effect or earlier effect . The Legislature may provide for an effective date that is after the 90th day . Under current legislative practice , most bills are given an effective date of September 1 in odd - numbered years ( September 1 is the start of the state 's fiscal year ) . Although members are elected on partisan ballots , both houses of the Legislature are officially organized on a nonpartisan basis , with members of both parties serving in leadership positions such as committee chairmanships . As of 2017 , a majority of the members of each chamber are members of the Republican Party . Qualification for service ( edit ) The Texas Constitution sets the qualifications for election to each house as follows : A senator must be at least 26 years of age , a citizen of Texas five years prior to election and a resident of the district from which elected one year prior to election . Each senator serves a four - year term and one - half of the Senate membership is elected every two years in even - numbered years , with the exception that all the Senate seats are up for election for the first legislature following the decennial census in order to reflect the newly redrawn districts . After the initial election , the Senate is divided by lot into two classes , with one class having a re-election after two years and the other having a re-election after four years . A representative must be at least 21 years of age , a citizen of Texas for two years prior to election and a resident of the district from which elected one year prielection . They are elected for two - year terms , running for re-election in even - numbered years . Salary of Legislative officials ( edit ) State legislators in Texas make $600 per month , or $7,200 per year , plus a per diem of $190 for every day the Legislature is in session ( also including any special sessions ) . That adds up to $33,800 a year for a regular session ( 140 days ) , with the total pay for a two - year term being $41,000 . Legislators receive a pension after eight years of service , starting at age 60 . Makeup of the Texas Senate ( edit ) Seal of the Texas State Senate . Main article : Texas Senate Affiliation Members Republican Party 20 Democratic Party 11 Total 31 Makeup of the Texas House of Representatives ( edit ) Seal of the Texas House of Representatives . Main article : Texas House of Representatives Affiliation Members Republican Party 95 Democratic Party 55 Vacant 0 Total 150 Support agencies ( edit ) The Texas Legislature has five support agencies that are within the legislative branch of state government . Those five agencies are as follows : Texas Legislative Budget Board ; Texas Legislative Council ; Texas Legislative Reference Library ; Texas State Auditor ; and Texas Sunset Advisory Commission Scandals ( edit ) On May 14 , 2007 , CBS Austin affiliate KEYE reported on the rampant multiple voting by members of the Texas House of Representatives during a voting session . The report noted how representatives would race to the nearest empty seats to register votes for absent members on the legislature 's automated voting machines . Each representative would vote for the nearest absent members , apparently regardless of party affiliation . This practice was in direct violation of a Rule of the Texas Legislature ; however , no house member had ever been disciplined for the practice . The then - Speaker of the House Tom Craddick , responsible for enforcement of the rule , issued a statement that discipline for violations of the rule is left to the individual house members . Subsequent similar violations under House Speaker Joe Straus have been unenforced . See also ( edit ) Texas portal Sunset Advisory Commission References ( edit ) Jump up ^ Texas Government Code 301.001 Jump up ^ `` Qualifications for Office '' . Sos.state.tx.us . Retrieved 2016 - 02 - 25 . Jump up ^ Texas House of Representatives -- Frequently Asked Questions Jump up ^ `` THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION ARTICLE 3 . LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT '' . Statutes.legis.state.tx.us . Retrieved 2016 - 02 - 25 . Jump up ^ `` Chapter 50 , Ethics Commission Rules '' . Ethics.state.tx.us . Retrieved 2016 - 02 - 25 . Jump up ^ `` Legislators With Benefits , Even When They Stray '' . New York Times . 2012 - 04 - 12 . Retrieved 2017 - 08 - 10 . ^ Jump up to : CBS Channel 42 KeyeTV Investigates : One Lawmaker , Many Votes ? , May 14 , 2007 , available at `` https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG6X-xtVask '' ; see also Wilson , Nanci , One Lawmaker , Many Votes ? , May 14 , 2007 , available at `` www.keyetv.com/topstories/local_story_134224129.html '' Jump up ^ Hoppe , Christy ( 2011 - 03 - 24 ) . `` Some Texas lawmakers cast votes for fellow members on bill Meant to Protect Elections '' . Dallas Morning News . Retrieved 11 August 2017 . Further reading ( edit ) `` Citizen Handbook '' . The Senate of Texas . Retrieved 13 September 2009 . Texas Legislature from the Handbook of Texas Online . Retrieved 13 April 2005 . Stanley K. Young , Texas Legislative Handbook ( 1973 ) . Univ. of Tex. , The Legislative Branch in Texas Politics , ( 1 ) ( last accessed Oct. 8 , 2006 ) ( stating that `` The Texas Legislature is the most powerful of the three main branches of government ( , ) '' primarily because it is `` less weak than the other branches '' ) . See also : Texas Government Newsletter External links ( edit ) Texas Legislature Online Texas House of Representatives Texas Senate Reference Library of Texas Open Government Texas from the Sunlight Foundation Texas at Project Vote Smart Texas Politics -- The Legislative Branch Texas Government Newsletter and Voter 's Guide to the Texas Legislature Billhop -- Texas Legislative Wiki State of Texas Austin ( capital ) Topics Architecture Climate Cuisine Geography Government Healthcare History Languages Law Literature Media Newspapers Radio TV National Historic Landmarks Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks National Register of Historic Places Sites Sports Symbols Texans Tourist attractions Transportation Seal of Texas Society Culture Crime Demographics Economy Education Gambling Politics Regions Ark ‐ La ‐ Tex Big Bend Blackland Prairies Brazos Valley Central Texas Coastal Bend Concho Valley Cross Timbers Deep East Texas East Texas Edwards Plateau Golden Triangle Hill Country Llano Estacado Northeast Texas North Texas Osage Plains Panhandle Permian Basin Piney Woods Rio Grande Valley Southeast Texas South Plains South Texas Texoma Trans - Pecos West Texas Metropolitan areas Abilene Amarillo Austin -- Round Rock Beaumont -- Port Arthur Brownsville -- Harlingen College Station -- Bryan Corpus Christi Dallas -- Fort Worth -- Arlington El Paso Houston -- The Woodlands -- Sugar Land Killeen -- Temple Laredo Longview Lubbock McAllen -- Edinburg -- Mission Midland Odessa San Angelo San Antonio -- New Braunfels Sherman -- Denison Texarkana Tyler Victoria Waco Wichita Falls Counties See : List of counties in Texas Members of the Texas Senate 85th Texas Legislature ( 2017 ) President of the Senate : Dan Patrick ( R ) President Pro Tempore : Kel Seliger Bryan Hughes ( R ) Bob Hall ( R ) Robert Nichols ( R ) Brandon Creighton ( R ) Charles Schwertner ( R ) Sylvia Garcia ( D ) Paul Bettencourt ( R ) Van Taylor ( R ) Kelly Hancock ( R ) Konni Burton ( R ) Larry Taylor ( R ) Jane Nelson ( R ) Borris Miles ( D ) Kirk Watson ( D ) John Whitmire ( D ) Don Huffines ( R ) Joan Huffman ( R ) Lois Kolkhorst ( R ) Carlos Uresti ( D ) Juan Hinojosa ( D ) Judith Zaffirini ( D ) Brian Birdwell ( R ) Royce West ( D ) Dawn Buckingham ( R ) Donna Campbell ( R ) Jose Menendez ( D ) Eddie Lucio Jr . ( D ) Charles Perry ( R ) José R. Rodríguez ( D ) Craig Estes ( R ) Kel Seliger ( R ) Republican ( 20 ) Democratic ( 11 ) Texas Legislature Texas House of Representatives Texas State Senate Members of the Texas House of Representatives 85th Texas Legislature ( 2017 ) Speaker of the House : Joe Straus ( R ) Speaker Pro Tempore : Dennis Bonnen ( R ) Gary VanDeaver ( R ) Dan Flynn ( R ) Cecil Bell Jr . ( R ) Lance Gooden ( R ) Cole Hefner ( R ) Matt Schaefer ( R ) Jay Dean ( R ) Byron Cook ( R ) Chris Paddie ( R ) John Wray ( R ) Travis Clardy ( R ) Kyle Kacal ( R ) Vacant John N. Raney ( R ) Mark Keough ( R ) Will Metcalf ( R ) John Cyrier ( R ) Ernest Bailes ( R ) James White ( R ) Terry Wilson ( R ) Dade Phelan ( R ) Joe Deshotel ( D ) Wayne Faircloth ( R ) Greg Bonnen ( R ) Dennis Bonnen ( R ) Rick Miller ( R ) Ron Reynolds ( D ) John M. Zerwas ( R ) Ed Thompson ( R ) Geanie Morrison ( R ) Ryan Guillen ( D ) Todd Ames Hunter ( R ) Justin Holland ( R ) Abel Herrero ( D ) Oscar Longoria ( D ) Sergio Muñoz Jr . ( D ) Rene Oliveira ( D ) Eddie Lucio III ( D ) Armando Martinez ( D ) Terry Canales ( D ) Robert Guerra ( D ) Richard Raymond ( D ) J.M. Lozano ( R ) John Kuempel ( R ) Jason Isaac ( R ) Dawnna Dukes ( D ) Paul D. Workman ( R ) Donna Howard ( D ) Gina Hinojosa ( D ) Celia Israel ( D ) Eddie Rodriguez ( D ) Larry Gonzales ( R ) Andrew Murr ( R ) Scott Cosper ( R ) Hugh Shine ( R ) Charles Anderson ( R ) Trent Ashby ( R ) DeWayne Burns ( R ) J.D. Sheffield ( R ) Mike Lang ( R ) Phil King ( R ) Larry Phillips ( R ) Tan Parker ( R ) Lynn Stucky ( R ) Ron Simmons ( R ) Matt Shaheen ( R ) Jeff Leach ( R ) Drew Springer Jr . ( R ) James Frank ( R ) Scott Sanford ( R ) Stan Lambert ( R ) Drew Darby ( R ) Kyle Biedermann ( R ) Poncho Nevárez ( D ) Mary González ( D ) Cesar Blanco ( D ) Evelina Ortega ( D ) Joe Moody ( D ) Joe Pickett ( D ) Tracy King ( D ) Brooks Landgraf ( R ) Tom Craddick ( R ) Dustin Burrows ( R ) John Frullo ( R ) Phil Stephenson ( R ) John T. Smithee ( R ) Four Price ( R ) Ken King ( R ) Jodie Anne Laubenberg ( R ) Ramon Romero Jr . ( D ) Stephanie Klick ( R ) Jonathan Stickland ( R ) Matt Krause ( R ) Tony Tinderholt ( R ) Nicole Collier ( D ) Bill Zedler ( R ) Craig Goldman ( R ) Giovanni Capriglione ( R ) Charlie Geren ( R ) Eric Johnson ( D ) Chris Turner ( D ) Linda Koop ( R ) Rafael Anchia ( D ) Roberto Alonzo ( D ) Rodney Anderson ( R ) Pat Fallon ( R ) Victoria Neave ( D ) Morgan Meyer ( R ) Helen Giddings ( D ) Toni Rose ( D ) Yvonne Davis ( D ) Angie Chen Button ( R ) Cindy Burkett ( R ) Jason Villalba ( R ) Matt Rinaldi ( R ) Diana Arevalo ( D ) Philip Cortez ( D ) Tomas Uresti ( D ) Roland Gutierrez ( D ) Barbara Gervin - Hawkins ( D ) Joe Straus ( R ) Lyle Larson ( R ) Diego Bernal ( D ) Ina Minjarez ( D ) Justin Rodriguez ( D ) Kevin Roberts ( R ) Dan Huberty ( R ) Briscoe Cain ( R ) Dennis Paul ( R ) Tom Oliverson ( R ) Alma Allen ( D ) Mike Schofield ( R ) Jim Murphy ( R ) Sarah Davis ( R ) Gary Elkins ( R ) Tony Dale ( R ) Gene Wu ( D ) Dwayne Bohac ( R ) Jarvis Johnson ( D ) Armando Walle ( D ) Senfronia Thompson ( D ) Harold Dutton Jr . ( D ) Ana Hernandez ( D ) Mary Ann Perez ( D ) Carol Alvarado ( D ) Shawn Thierry ( D ) Garnet Coleman ( D ) Jessica Farrar ( D ) Hubert Vo ( D ) Valoree Swanson ( R ) Republican ( 95 ) Democratic ( 55 ) Texas Legislature Texas House of Representatives Texas State Senate Texas State Legislatures by year convened 1 ( 1846 ) 2 ( 1847 ) 3 ( 1849 ) 4 ( 1851 ) 5 ( 1853 ) 6 ( 1855 ) 7 ( 1857 ) 8 ( 1859 ) 9 ( 1861 ) 10 ( 1863 ) 11 ( 1866 ) 12 ( 1870 ) 13 ( 1873 ) 14 ( 1874 ) 15 ( 1876 ) 16 ( 1879 ) 17 ( 1881 ) 18 ( 1883 ) 19 ( 1885 ) 20 ( 1887 ) 21 ( 1889 ) 22 ( 1891 ) 23 ( 1893 ) 24 ( 1895 ) 25 ( 1897 ) 26 ( 1899 ) 27 ( 1901 ) 28 ( 1903 ) 29 ( 1905 ) 30 ( 1907 ) 31 ( 1909 ) 32 ( 1911 ) 33 ( 1913 ) 34 ( 1915 ) 35 ( 1917 ) 36 ( 1919 ) 37 ( 1921 ) 38 ( 1923 ) 39 ( 1925 ) 40 ( 1927 ) 41 ( 1929 ) 42 ( 1931 ) 43 ( 1933 ) 44 ( 1935 ) 45 ( 1937 ) 46 ( 1939 ) 47 ( 1941 ) 48 ( 1943 ) 49 ( 1945 ) 50 ( 1947 ) 51 ( 1949 ) 52 ( 1951 ) 53 ( 1953 ) 54 ( 1955 ) 55 ( 1957 ) 56 ( 1959 ) 57 ( 1961 ) 58 ( 1963 ) 59 ( 1965 ) 60 ( 1967 ) 61 ( 1969 ) 62 ( 1971 ) 63 ( 1973 ) 64 ( 1975 ) 65 ( 1977 ) 66 ( 1979 ) 67 ( 1981 ) 68 ( 1983 ) 69 ( 1985 ) 70 ( 1987 ) 71 ( 1989 ) 72 ( 1991 ) 73 ( 1993 ) 74 ( 1995 ) 75 ( 1997 ) 76 ( 1999 ) 77 ( 2001 ) 78 ( 2003 ) 79 ( 2005 ) 80 ( 2007 ) 81 ( 2009 ) 82 ( 2011 ) 83 ( 2013 ) 84 ( 2015 ) 85 ( 2017 ) Legislatures of the United States United States Congress United States House of Representatives United States Senate State legislatures Alabama ( H , S ) Alaska ( H , S ) Arizona ( H , S ) Arkansas ( H , S ) California ( A , S ) Colorado ( H , S ) Connecticut ( H , S ) Delaware ( H , S ) Florida ( H , S ) Georgia ( H , S ) Hawaii ( H , S ) Idaho ( H , S ) Illinois ( H , S ) Indiana ( H , S ) Iowa ( H , S ) Kansas ( H , S ) Kentucky ( H , S ) Louisiana ( H , S ) Maine ( H , S ) Maryland ( H , S ) Massachusetts ( H , S ) Michigan ( H , S ) Minnesota ( H , S ) Mississippi ( H , S ) Missouri ( H , S ) Montana ( H , S ) Nebraska Nevada ( A , S ) New Hampshire ( H , S ) New Jersey ( GA , S ) New Mexico ( H , S ) New York ( A , S ) North Carolina ( H , S ) North Dakota ( H , S ) Ohio ( H , S ) Oklahoma ( H , S ) Oregon ( H , S ) Pennsylvania ( H , S ) Rhode Island ( H , S ) South Carolina ( H , S ) South Dakota ( H , S ) Tennessee ( H , S ) Texas ( H , S ) Utah ( H , S ) Vermont ( H , S ) Virginia ( H , S ) Washington ( H , S ) West Virginia ( H , S ) Wisconsin ( A , S ) Wyoming ( H , S ) Other legislatures District of Columbia American Samoa ( H , S ) Guam Northern Mariana Islands ( H , S ) Puerto Rico ( H , S ) U.S. Virgin Islands List of current U.S. state legislators Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Texas_Legislature&oldid=836812211 '' Categories : State agencies of Texas Texas Legislature Bicameral legislatures Hidden categories : All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from December 2017 Articles with permanently dead external links Articles needing additional references from December 2017 All articles needing additional references All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from June 2017 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Languages Русский Edit links This page was last edited on 17 April 2018 , at 00 : 29 . About Wikipedia 
the texas constitution limits the size of the texas house to 200 members
This article needs additional citations for verification . Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources . Unsourced material may be challenged and removed . ( December 2017 ) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message ) This article needs additional citations for verification . Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources . Unsourced material may be challenged and removed . ( December 2017 ) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message ) Texas State Legislature Type Houses Senate House of Representatives Leadership President of the Senate Dan Patrick ( R ) Since January 20 , 2015 Speaker of the House Joe Straus ( R ) Since January 13 , 2009 Structure Seats 181 voting members : 31 Senators 150 Representatives Senate political groups Republican ( 20 ) Democratic ( 11 ) House political groups Republican ( 95 ) Democratic ( 55 ) Elections Senate last election November 8 , 2016 Meeting place Texas State Capitol , Austin Website http://www.capitol.state.tx.us Texas State Legislature Type Houses Senate House of Representatives Leadership President of the Senate Dan Patrick ( R ) Since January 20 , 2015 Speaker of the House Joe Straus ( R ) Since January 13 , 2009 Structure Seats 181 voting members : 31 Senators 150 Representatives Senate political groups Republican ( 20 ) Democratic ( 11 ) Republican ( 20 ) House political groups Republican ( 95 ) Democratic ( 55 ) Republican ( 95 ) Elections Senate last election November 8 , 2016 Meeting place Texas State Capitol , Austin Website http://www.capitol.state.tx.us The Legislature of the state of Texas is the state legislature of Texas . The legislature is a bicameral body composed of a 31 - member Senate and a 150 - member House of Representatives . The state legislature meets at the Capitol in Austin . It is a powerful arm of the Texas government not only because of its power of the purse to control and direct the activities of state government and the strong constitutional connections between it and the Lieutenant Governor of Texas , but also due to Texas 's plural executive . The Legislature is the constitutional successor of the Congress of the Republic of Texas since Texas 's 1845 entrance into the Union . The Legislature held its first regular session from February 16 to May 13 , 1846 . The Texas Legislature meets in regular session on the second Tuesday in January of each odd - numbered year . The Texas Constitution limits the regular session to 140 calendar days . The lieutenant governor , elected statewide separately from the governor , presides over the Senate , while the Speaker of the House is elected from that body by its members . Both have wide latitude in choosing committee membership in their respective houses and have a large impact on lawmaking in the state . Only the governor may call the Legislature into special sessions , unlike other states where the legislature may call itself into session . The governor may call as many sessions as he or she desires . For example , Governor Rick Perry called three consecutive sessions to address the 2003 Texas congressional redistricting . The Texas Constitution limits the duration of each special session to 30 days ; lawmakers may consider only those issues designated by the governor in his `` call , '' or proclamation convening the special session ( though other issues may be added by the Governor during a session ) . Any bill passed by the Legislature takes effect 90 days after its passage unless two - thirds of each house votes to give the bill either immediate effect or earlier effect . The Legislature may provide for an effective date that is after the 90th day . Under current legislative practice , most bills are given an effective date of September 1 in odd - numbered years ( September 1 is the start of the state 's fiscal year ) . Although members are elected on partisan ballots , both houses of the Legislature are officially organized on a nonpartisan basis , with members of both parties serving in leadership positions such as committee chairmanships . As of 2017 , a majority of the members of each chamber are members of the Republican Party . The Texas Constitution sets the qualifications for election to each house as follows : A senator must be at least 26 years of age , a citizen of Texas five years prior to election and a resident of the district from which elected one year prior to election . Each senator serves a four - year term and one - half of the Senate membership is elected every two years in even - numbered years , with the exception that all the Senate seats are up for election for the first legislature following the decennial census in order to reflect the newly redrawn districts . After the initial election , the Senate is divided by lot into two classes , with one class having a re-election after two years and the other having a re-election after four years . A representative must be at least 21 years of age , a citizen of Texas for two years prior to election and a resident of the district from which elected one year prielection . They are elected for two - year terms , running for re-election in even - numbered years . A senator must be at least 26 years of age , a citizen of Texas five years prior to election and a resident of the district from which elected one year prior to election . Each senator serves a four - year term and one - half of the Senate membership is elected every two years in even - numbered years , with the exception that all the Senate seats are up for election for the first legislature following the decennial census in order to reflect the newly redrawn districts . After the initial election , the Senate is divided by lot into two classes , with one class having a re-election after two years and the other having a re-election after four years . A representative must be at least 21 years of age , a citizen of Texas for two years prior to election and a resident of the district from which elected one year prielection . They are elected for two - year terms , running for re-election in even - numbered years . State legislators in Texas make $600 per month , or $7,200 per year , plus a per diem of $190 for every day the Legislature is in session ( also including any special sessions ) . That adds up to $33,800 a year for a regular session ( 140 days ) , with the total pay for a two - year term being $41,000 . Legislators receive a pension after eight years of service , starting at age 60 . Affiliation Members Republican Party 20 Democratic Party 11 Total 31 Affiliation Members Republican Party 20 Democratic Party 11 Total 31 Affiliation Members Republican Party 95 Democratic Party 55 Vacant 0 Total 150 Affiliation Members Republican Party 95 Democratic Party 55 Vacant 0 Total 150 The Texas Legislature has five support agencies that are within the legislative branch of state government . Those five agencies are as follows : Texas Legislative Budget Board ; Texas Legislative Council ; Texas Legislative Reference Library ; Texas State Auditor ; and Texas Sunset Advisory Commission Texas Legislative Budget Board ; Texas Legislative Council ; Texas Legislative Reference Library ; Texas State Auditor ; and Texas Sunset Advisory Commission On May 14 , 2007 , CBS Austin affiliate KEYE reported on the rampant multiple voting by members of the Texas House of Representatives during a voting session . The report noted how representatives would race to the nearest empty seats to register votes for absent members on the legislature 's automated voting machines . Each representative would vote for the nearest absent members , apparently regardless of party affiliation . This practice was in direct violation of a Rule of the Texas Legislature ; however , no house member had ever been disciplined for the practice . The then - Speaker of the House Tom Craddick , responsible for enforcement of the rule , issued a statement that discipline for violations of the rule is left to the individual house members . Subsequent similar violations under House Speaker Joe Straus have been unenforced . On May 14 , 2007 , CBS Austin affiliate KEYE reported on the rampant multiple voting by members of the Texas House of Representatives during a voting session . The report noted how representatives would race to the nearest empty seats to register votes for absent members on the legislature 's automated voting machines . Each representative would vote for the nearest absent members , apparently regardless of party affiliation . This practice was in direct violation of a Rule of the Texas Legislature ; however , no house member had ever been disciplined for the practice . The then - Speaker of the House Tom Craddick , responsible for enforcement of the rule , issued a statement that discipline for violations of the rule is left to the individual house members . Subsequent similar violations under House Speaker Joe Straus have been unenforced .