Texplainer: Why is the Texas Constitution So Long?
Hey, Texplainer: Why does the Texas Constitution have so many amendments?
This November, another 10 constitutional amendments approved by the state Legislature will be put to a vote in a biennial referendum that’s become something of a tradition in Texas.
The proposed amendments, which range from a measure allowing El Paso County to finance parks and recreational areas, to a measure facilitating partnerships between cities, counties or government agencies, will bring the total number of amendments considered by Texas voters to 656 since the current state Constitution was ratified on Feb. 15, 1876. Of those, 467 amendments have been ...
Comments (4)
M B
Mr. Hooks....to pass a Constitutional Amendment in the Texas Legislature, it needs a 2/3 vote of each chamber....just like an amendment to the US Constitution needs 2/3 of each chamber of Congress. To say "the Texas Constitution merely requires an amendment be passed by the state legislature" is a little disingenuous.
Dusteen J. Barber via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Don't knock it. A long Constitution that is clearly and carefully amended over time is a *good* thing.
A. Bryant
Seems strange to me that our U.S. Constitution written so many years ago still holes true and strong to this day...what intelligent men we had way back then.
AusAbogado
This restrictive constitution resulted from the populist movement of the day. There was great antipathy to the abuses of power by banks, corporations, railroads, and by the legislative and executive branches of government. Thus, the constitutionally-enshrined restrictictions. The only branch of government that was given power was the judiciary. And the drafters and voters of the new constitution limited judicial power through election of judges by single-member districts. The Texas Supreme Court thereafter construed the single-member district proviso into meaninglessness. Imagine how different Texas would be, had the high court not ruled in that fashion, which, in effect, took back some of power granted to the people in the new constitution.