Glossary
Overview
Glossary
Glossary: The Texas Legislature
biennial sessions: In Texas, legislative sessions meet once every odd-numbered years, for 140 days
bill: a proposed law that has been sponsored by a member of the legislature and submitted to the clerk of the House or Senate
cracking: occurs when a constituency is divided between several districts in order to prevent it from achieving a majority in any one district.
gerrymandering: the process in which voting districts are redrawn in a way to favor one party during elections
legislative budget: the state budget that is prepared and submitted by the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) and that is fully considered by the House and Senate
packing: occurs when a constituency or voting group is placed within a single district, thereby minimizing its influence in other districts.
redistricting: the process of redrawing election districts and redistributing legislative representatives in the Texas House, Texas Senate, and U.S. House. Redistricting typically occurs every 10 years to reflect shifts in population or in response to legal challenges in existing districts
single-member district: a district in which one official is elected rather than multiple officials.
special session: a legislative session called by the governor that addresses an agenda set by him or her; lasts no longer than 30 days
Voting Rights Act of 1965: mandates that electoral district lines cannot be drawn in such a manner as to “improperly dilute minorities’ voting power”
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CC LICENSED CONTENT, ORIGINAL
The Texas Legislature: Glossary. Authored by: John Osterman. License: CC BY: Attribution