The Texas Governor I. Elected for a four-year term: no limit on terms. II. Compared to other state governors, this is a weak governor system. A. The governor is hardly a symbolic figure, but she/he does not have the power of most state governors. B. One real weakness is that the governor has very limited control over the budget. The state budget debated by the Legislature is actually prepared by the Legislative Budget Board (LBB), consisting of legislative leaders.

C. The governor has limited, but growing appointment powers. The governor now appoints the heads of many state agencies, but many very important appointments are still made by the legislature and various boards. D. Many other top political offices are also filled by statewide elections (e.g., the Lieutenant Governor, Comptroller, etc.). E. In some states the Governor and Lieutenant Governor run as a slate, but not in Texas. In the past, they have often been from different parties. F. During legislative sessions, it is generally believed that the Lieutenant Governor is more powerful than the Governor.

III. The governor does have some powers. A. Only the governor can call special sessions of the legislature. B. A special session is for thirty days. The governor determines the agenda. Only the governor’s agenda can be considered. C. The governor can call as many special sessions as he/she wishes. D. The governor has veto power. The legislature can override a veto by a 2/3s vote, but since most bills are passed in the last ten days of a session, the legislature is not around to take this action. This makes the veto a very strong power. E. The governor also has the line-item veto. Again, because the budget is passed at the end of a session, this is a very powerful tool. F. Most of the power of a governor is informal. The governor must learn to work well with legislative leaders who have more power then he/she.

G. The governor can try to lead public opinion; focus on a few major proposals (e.g., taxes, education), and trade patronage and pork with the members of the legislature. H. Governors who understand the limits of their powers, and work well with the legislature, are the most successful. I. George Bush is the only person to ever serve as Texas Governor and then be elected President.