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Subscriptions</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </nav> <section class="banner"> <div class="banner-image"></div> <header class="content-block"> <h1 class="project-title"><a href="/web/20150517122254/http://txlege.texastribune.org/">Texas Legislative Guide</a></h1> <p class="sub-project-title">Your go-to resource for the 2015 Texas legislative session</p> </header> </section> <main class="main-container"> <section class="body-main"> <section> <header class="page-header"> <h2>How the Legislature Works</h2> <p class="sub-text">Your guide to understanding the session.</p> </header> <div class="share-page"> <ul> <a href="/web/20150517122254/http://txlege.texastribune.org/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#56692523343c3335226b023e3373646602332e372573646602243f342338337364612573646602332e37257364661a33313f253a37223f203373646611233f323370Xbody=I%20thought%20you%20might%20be%20interested%20in%20learning%20more%20about%20how%20the%20Texas%20Legislature%20works.%20Here%20are%20some%20videos%20by%20The%20Texas%20Tribune%20to%20help%20you%20navigate%20this%20year%E2%80%99s%20session%3A%20%0A%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Ftxlege.texastribune.org/how-session-works/"> <li class="email"><i class="fa fa-envelope"></i></li> </a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150517122254/https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Check%20out%20%40texastribune's%20guide%20to%20understanding%20how%20%23txlege%20works%20http%3A%2F%2Ftxlege.texastribune.org/how-session-works/" title="share on Twitter" class="social-share" target="_blank"> <li class="twitter"><i class="fa fa-twitter"></i></li> </a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150517122254/https://www.facebook.com/dialog/share?app_id=154122474650943&display=popup&href=http%3A%2F%2Ftxlege.texastribune.org/how-session-works/&redirect_uri=http%3A%2F%2Ftxlege.texastribune.org" title="share on Facebook" class="social-share" target="_blank"> <li class="facebook"><i class="fa fa-facebook"></i></li> </a> </ul> </div> </section> <section> <article class="texplainer-content-box"> <header> <a href="/web/20150517122254/http://txlege.texastribune.org/how-session-works/what-are-the-rules-for-voting-on-the-house-floor/"><p class="emphasis">What Are the Rules for Voting on the House Floor?</p></a> </header> <div class="flexible-video"> <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//web.archive.org/web/20150517122254if_/http://www.youtube.com/embed/xZnE16cDxXI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div> <p class="sub-text"><p>The Tribune's Alana Rocha and Justin Dehn take a look at the rules that govern votes on the House floor.</p></p> </article> <hr class="video-divider"> <article class="texplainer-content-box"> <header> <a href="/web/20150517122254/http://txlege.texastribune.org/how-session-works/the-role-of-the-lieutenant-governor/"><p class="emphasis">Why is the Lieutenant Governor So Important?</p></a> </header> <div class="flexible-video"> <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//web.archive.org/web/20150517122254if_/http://www.youtube.com/embed/wOQXLXBm8ro" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div> <p class="sub-text"><p>The Tribune's Morgan Smith explains the role of the lieutenant governor and how important it is during the legislative session.</p></p> </article> <hr class="video-divider"> <article class="texplainer-content-box"> <header> <a href="/web/20150517122254/http://txlege.texastribune.org/how-session-works/who-decides-what-bills-get-considered-on-the-floor/"><p class="emphasis">Who Decides What Bills Get Considered on the Floor?</p></a> </header> <div class="flexible-video"> <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//web.archive.org/web/20150517122254if_/http://www.youtube.com/embed/hcUkRNZCEZ4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div> <p class="sub-text"><p>The Tribune's Justin Dehn and Alana Rocha show how the calendars are set in each chamber.</p></p> </article> <hr class="video-divider"> <article class="texplainer-content-box"> <header> <a href="/web/20150517122254/http://txlege.texastribune.org/how-session-works/what-does-the-parliamentarian-do/"><p class="emphasis">What Does the Parliamentarian Do?</p></a> </header> <div class="flexible-video"> <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//web.archive.org/web/20150517122254if_/http://www.youtube.com/embed/p3zctrrvIyg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div> <p class="sub-text"><p>The Tribune’s Alana Rocha and Justin Dehn provide a closer look at the job of the parliamentarian.</p></p> </article> <hr class="video-divider"> <article class="texplainer-content-box"> <header> <a href="/web/20150517122254/http://txlege.texastribune.org/how-session-works/why-is-the-speaker-of-the-house-important/"><p class="emphasis">Why is the Speaker of the House Important?</p></a> </header> <div class="flexible-video"> <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//web.archive.org/web/20150517122254if_/http://www.youtube.com/embed/mSna8WTAZfc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div> <p class="sub-text"><p>The Tribune's Aman Batheja explains the role of the speaker of the Texas House and why the position is important.</p></p> </article> <hr class="video-divider"> <article class="texplainer-content-box"> <header> <a href="/web/20150517122254/http://txlege.texastribune.org/how-session-works/what-really-happens-during-the-5-months-of-session/"><p class="emphasis">What Really Happens During the 5 Months of Session?</p></a> </header> <div class="flexible-video"> <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//web.archive.org/web/20150517122254if_/http://www.youtube.com/embed/I6PvS0x1PeA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div> <p class="sub-text"><p>The Tribune's Ross Ramsey explains what lawmakers are really doing over the arc of the state's five-month session.</p></p> </article> <hr class="video-divider"> </section> <div class="ad-container banner-ad bottom" id="div-gpt-ad-1406570316312-2"> <script> googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1406570316312-2'); }); </script> </div> <article class="issue-box"> <header> <h3 class="sub-section-header">Questions, suggestions or concerns? <a href="/web/20150517122254/http://txlege.texastribune.org/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3b52554a4e5249525e487b4f5e435a484f4952594e555e1554495c17555e4c485a4b4b487b4f5e435a484f4952594e555e1554495c04484e59515e584f066f5e435aXs%20Legislative%20Guide%20%E2%80%93%20Inquiry">Let us know</a>.</h3> </header> <p>The Texas Legislative Guide was designed and developed by Becca Aaronson, Emily Albracht, Daniel Craigmile, Annie Daniel, Ben Hasson and Ryan Murphy for <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150517122254/http://www.texastribune.org/">The Texas Tribune</a>. The Tribune is a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization that promotes civic engagement and discourse on public policy, politics, government and other matters of statewide concern.</p> <p></p> </article> </section> </main> <footer class="footer"> <div class="main-container"> <div class="footer-container"> <div class="logo-container"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150517122254/https://twitter.com/newsapps"><img class="logo" src="/web/20150517122254im_/http://txlege.texastribune.org/static/images/brand/TT-logo-white-stack.dd56ad79c0da.png" alt="Texas Tribune logo"></a> <p>© 2014 <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150517122254/http://www.texastribune.org/">The Texas Tribune</a></p> </div> <div> <ul> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150517122254/http://www.facebook.com/texastribune"><i class="icon fa-facebook-square"></i>Facebook</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150517122254/http://twitter.com/TexasTribune"><i class="icon fa-twitter-square"></i>Twitter</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150517122254/http://www.youtube.com/user/thetexastribune"><i class="icon fa-youtube-play"></i>YouTube</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150517122254/http://instagram.com/texas_tribune"><i class="icon fa-instagram"></i>Instagram</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150517122254/http://www.linkedin.com/company/texas-tribune"><i class="icon fa-linkedin-square"></i>LinkedIn</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="internal-links"> <ul> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150517122254/http://www.texastribune.org/about/">About Us</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150517122254/http://www.texastribune.org/support-us/donors-and-members/">Who Funds Us?</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150517122254/http://www.texastribune.org/terms-of-service/">Terms of Service</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150517122254/http://www.texastribune.org/ethics/">Code of Ethics</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150517122254/http://www.texastribune.org/privacy/">Privacy Policy</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150517122254/http://www.texastribune.org/corrections/">Corrections</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150517122254/https://www.texastribune.org/join/" class="donate-link">Donate</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="donate"> <ul> <li>Nonpartisan.</li> <li>Nonprofit.</li> <li>Statewide.</li> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150517122254/https://www.texastribune.org/join/"><li>Join Us</li></a> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </footer> <script> /* jshint ignore:start */ (function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){ (i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o), m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m) })(window,document,'script','//web.archive.org/web/20150517122254/http://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga'); ga('create', 'UA-9827490-1', 'auto'); ga('require', 'displayfeatures'); ga('send', 'pageview'); /* jshint ignore:end */ </script> <script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ (function(){try{var s,a,i,j,r,c,l=document.getElementsByTagName("a"),t=document.createElement("textarea");for(i=0;l.length-i;i++){try{a=l[i].getAttribute("href");if(a&&a.indexOf("/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection") > -1 && (a.length > 28)){s='';j=27+ 1 + a.indexOf("/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection");if (a.length > j) {r=parseInt(a.substr(j,2),16);for(j+=2;a.length>j&&a.substr(j,1)!='X';j+=2){c=parseInt(a.substr(j,2),16)^r;s+=String.fromCharCode(c);}j+=1;s+=a.substr(j,a.length-j);}t.innerHTML=s.replace(/</g,"<").replace(/>/g,">");l[i].setAttribute("href","mailto:"+t.value);}}catch(e){}}}catch(e){}})(); /* ]]> */ </script> </body> </html> <!-- FILE ARCHIVED ON 12:22:54 May 17, 2015 AND RETRIEVED FROM THE INTERNET ARCHIVE ON 11:04:29 Mar 02, 2025. 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