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**As with the national structure, the powers are separated into the three, co-equal branches of Legislative, Executive and Judicial.
**As with the national structure, the powers are separated into the three, co-equal branches of Legislative, Executive and Judicial.
*'''Article III: Legislative Department'''
*'''Article III: Legislative Department'''
**Establishes a bicameral legislature consisting of a 150-member House of Representatives and a 31-member Senate, and qualifications for the same. Also states when the Legislature shall meet (a maximum of 140 days every other year, in years ending with an odd number); notably, the Legislature lacks the power to call itself into special session except for impeachment hearings.
**Establishes a bicameral legislature consisting of a 150-member House of Representatives and a 31-member Senate, and qualifications for the same. Also states when the Legislature shall meet (a maximum of 140 days every other year, in years ending with an odd number, beginning on the second Tuesday in January); notably, the Legislature lacks the power to call itself into special session except for impeachment hearings.
**Section 10 requires that 2/3 of a chamber's membership be present to constitute a [[quorum]] (this differs from Congress which requires only a simple majority, one of only four states to require such a high percentage). Democrats have (both when they were in power and when they were not) used (or misused) this requirement to literally leave the state so as to prevent a quorum.
**Section 10 requires that 2/3 of a chamber's membership be present to constitute a [[quorum]] (this differs from Congress which requires only a simple majority, one of only four states to require such a high percentage). Democrats have (both when they were in power and when they were not) used (or misused) this requirement to literally leave the state so as to prevent a quorum.
**Sections 49 through 51 heavily restrict the Legislature's ability to take on debt, pledge the state's credit against obligations, or spend in excess of projected revenue. As such, numerous sub-sections (which are titled Sections) have been added (after voter approval) to issue bonds for various projects.
**Sections 49 through 51 heavily restrict the Legislature's ability to take on debt, pledge the state's credit against obligations, or spend in excess of projected revenue. As such, numerous sub-sections (which are titled Sections) have been added (after voter approval) to issue bonds for various projects.
***Section 49a requires the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts to prepare and certify, prior to the start of each regular session, the amount of revenue estimated for the next biennium (beginning September 1 after the Legislature adjourns and ending August 31 in the second year following). Absent a public emergency and then only with 4/5 vote of both chambers can this estimate be exceeded; should the Legislature pass appropriations in excess of the estimate without the necessary findings and percentage of the vote, the Comptroller has the authority to return it to the originating chamber.
***Section 49a requires the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts to prepare and certify, prior to the start of each regular session, the amount of revenue estimated for the next biennium (beginning September 1 after the Legislature adjourns and ending August 31 in the second year following). Absent a public emergency and then only with 4/5 vote of both chambers can this estimate be exceeded; should the Legislature pass appropriations in excess of the estimate without the necessary findings and percentage of the vote, the Comptroller has the authority to return it to the originating chamber.
****Historically the Comptroller has released the estimate (officially titled the '''Biennial Revenue Estimate''', or '''BRE''') the Monday before the Legislature meets.
****There is no requirement that the Comptroller provide an updated estimate (except once the Legislature has adjourned, and then only to account for new laws and the budget passed), and in most cases the Comptroller has not.
****It is this provision that has allowed Texas, regardless of which political party has ruled, to be fiscally conservative in its budgeting.
****It is this provision that has allowed Texas, regardless of which political party has ruled, to be fiscally conservative in its budgeting.
***Section 49-g (the second sub-section so numbered, a prior one was later repealed) establishes the '''Economic Stabilization Fund''', more popularly called the "Rainy Day Fund". The fund has grown tremendously in recent years (with rising oil and gas prices as it is funded from severance taxes above an established threshold) and is sometimes used by the Legislature to fund major capital projects.
***Section 49-g (the second sub-section so numbered, a prior one was later repealed) establishes the '''Economic Stabilization Fund''', more popularly called the "Rainy Day Fund". The fund has grown tremendously in recent years (with rising oil and gas prices as it is funded from severance taxes above an established threshold) and is sometimes used by the Legislature to fund major capital projects.