Texas Government

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

The Lieutenant Governor serves in place of the Governor if he is out of the state or unable to perform his duties. According to the Texas Constitution, he resides as President of the Texas Senate, passing legislation and working with senators to accomplish goals.  He is in charge of the budget and leads the Legislative Budget Board, establishes committees, appoints chairs and assigns legislation to the Senate committees. The Lieutenant Governor is in charge of Senate rules and serves on the Legislative Redistricting Board ,the Legislative Council, and the Legislative Audit Committee.

SECRETARY OF STATE

The Secretary works specifically for the Governor.  He is "senior advisor and liaison to the Governor for Texas Border and Mexican Affairs and serves as Chief International Protocol Officer for Texas." The Secretary is Chief Election Officer for Texas, working with county elections and its rules and his office maintains state records, publishes government rules and regulations and commissions notaries public.

• Texas Register:  The "Texas Register serves as the journal of state agency rulemaking for Texas." It contains rulemaking actions and notices of rules,"governor's appointments, attorney general opinions, and miscellaneous documents such as requests for proposals. After adoption, these rulemaking actions are codified into the Texas Administrative Code."
• Texas Administrative Code:  "The Texas Administrative Code (TAC) is a compilation of all state agency rules in Texas."
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ATTORNEY GENERAL

The Attorney General is elected to act as the  main law enforcement official, the attorney for the State of Texas. This position oversees consumer protection laws, court-ordered child support and Crime Victims' Compensation. The Attorney General also serves as legal counsel for boards and agencies of the state, issues legal opinions, and sits on various state committees and commissions. He defends against challengers of state law and defends both agencies and individual employees of the State when they are sued.

• Index to Opinions of the Attorney General:  "An attorney general opinion is a written interpretation of existing law."  These opinions are objective and do not add to,correct,or reflect the bias of the Attorney General who writes it.
• Administrative Law Handbook:  This Handbook discusses the Administrative Procedure Act, the Public Information Act, the Open Meetings Act and the Attorney General’s role as the state’s legal representative.
• Open Meetings Handbook:  With the passing of the Texas Open Meetings Act, Texans are able to view state public business, conducted in a free and open manner.
• Public Information Handbook:  The Public Information's Act is about a Texan's right to gain government information, how to access it, and the procedures required to do so. "This Handbook explains the history of the Act and includes such topics as how to make an open records request, what types of information are subject to these requests and the consequences of a governmental body’s noncompliance."
   

GOVERNOR:  

GREG ABBOTT   

LT. GOVERNOR:  

DAN PATRICK

ATTORNEY GENERAL:

KEN PAXTON

SECRETARY OF STATE:  

ROLANDO PABLOS

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

Every four years a Governor is elected as Chief Executive of the State. The Governor makes policy recommendations to the House and Senate which may become bills. He "appoints the Secretary of State, as well as members of boards and commissions who oversee the heads of state agencies and departments."