In the movie Temptation, sparks fly as tough lessons taught

The main functions of a Texas State Legislator are representation, law making, oversight, and budget appropriation. Each function plays a significant role in how the legislator is perceived by his peers and constituents. However, none of these roles individually can tell the whole story of what a legislator does, but collectively they make up a portion of what a legislator must balance to fully fulfill his or her duty of service. This essay will outline these and other functions of a Texas State Legislator in an attempt to simplify an otherwise confusing job description as it is looked at by an everyday blue collar citizen.

First, a legislator functions as a representative of the people who have voted for him or her and even those who did not vote for him or her. Moreover, effective legislatures connect people with government by giving them a place where their needs may be articulated. So then, he or she represents an expansive range of interests, characteristics, and places than either the executive or the judiciary in serving his or her district.

A second function of a Texas State legislator is law making. According to Politics in States and Communities, the average legislator introduces ten to twelve bills each year. In continuing with their on going representation many of these bills will never pass but are brought forth as a favor or to bring awareness to a certain issue. During a legislative session, a “law maker” may be faced with a myriad of issues from drug prices for seniors, highway safety, and identity theft, to monitoring sex offenders. This is more or less active translation of citizen preferences into policy. All legislatures play a formal role in this process of passing government initiatives, but some play major lawmaking roles.

Beyond representation, and law making a third important function of a Texas State legislator is oversight of state agencies and programs. It is said that legislators often challenge state funded programs to explain what they are doing and what purpose it has in accomplishing said goals. The oversight function also entails monitoring the activities of law management to ensure that they are carried out legally, resourcefully, and in alignment to legislative aim. This oversight power is limited by a legislator’s resources such as having a professional staff or access to government information, and moreover the will to attain the highest level of accountability.

Perhaps the most important function of a Texas State legislator is his ability to pass the appropriation and tax measures in the Texas State budget. According to its website, The Legislative Budget Board (LBB) is a permanent joint committee of the Texas Legislature that develops budget and policy recommendations for legislative appropriations for all agencies of state government. Moreover, during the legislative session, the LBB supports the legislative appropriations process by providing staff resources for the House Appropriations Committee, the Senate Finance Committee, and the Conference Committee on Appropriations. So then, a legislator’s ability to have the foresight to see what will be most beneficial monetarily for his district and for the most people is a role he or she can not take lightly. With cities having shrinking budgets this is a function that can land the legislator in the role of hero or goat.

Because the budget and appropriation of funds is so important, the state of Texas has multiple website and third parties who serve as accountability partners for its legislators. Not only the legislators, but also those who are given funds by the state are watched with an eagle eye by concerned citizens who want to know how and where their tax dollars are spent. One site, www.texasbudgetsource.com outlines how Texas is spending federal stimulus money, local government information by county, school district spending, and other tax payer friendly budget information. All this begins with the stroke of a pen or vote of yes or no by a legislator.

A Texas State Legislator has many functions that go beyond representation, law making, oversight, and most importantly budget approval. However, these are the functions that are most visible to the public. A legislator must also consider constitutional amendments, serve as a figure head, portray his or her best image in the media and juggle personal relationships with the best interest of his constituents. As an aspiring legislator, I see these functions as a challenge that one must be prepared to face. Legislators represent thousands of people with their every waking move and the fate of state programs, educational funding, medical funding, and individual needs must all remain high priorities for each individual legislator if he or she is to be successful. In short, the functions of a legislator can be summed up in these wise words, “To whom much is given, much is expected.”