Students, get involved with the State Legislature

We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, place much responsibility into our governing bodies.

Inside the historic Texas State Capitol, two chambers stand: the House of Representatives and the Senate. When in session, elected officials deliberate, vote, and tussle with key legislation that’ll eventually affect the livelihoods of all young Texans.

How do we ensure that legislators care about young people? We show up.

For the interim, a dead silence echoed through the mahogany walls. That stood true, until January 2023. While topics such as reproductive rights and critical race theory dominate national media, there are other notable and often overlooked issues—food security, affordable housing, and investing in educators. Students have a say, especially if the topic is of interest or relates to their studies.

The Texas House of Representatives and Senate represent our state government by passing laws, deciding where the money goes and steering the political dialogue of Texas. The body meets every odd-numbered year, beginning in January and ending in May.

Legislators and their staff aren’t the only ones with defined power. After all, you are ultimately their constituents. Young people have the power to submit legislation to their representatives. With many issue areas that are covered in state politics, many Texas representatives and senators depend on stakeholders and their constituencies for bill ideas—from public education to public safety.

A bill, or law, can be introduced by an elected official in either the House or Senate. The draft language for the bill can be written by staffers, the representative, constituents, or by an agency called the Legislative Council. Once the bill has been filed with the Chief Clerk, the bill heads to committees. There are committees for each range of subjects, such as environmental regulation to veteran affairs.

If a bill passes out of committee, it’s heard by the entire 150-member house floor. If the bill originates from a senator, the bill is heard on the 31-member senate floor. Each house bill heads to the senate floor and vice versa. Following this, the governor signs or vetos the bill.

Every step of these processes is critical. A bill can “die”, or effectively be rendered unpassable if a committee votes against it, there aren’t enough votes on the floor, a committee, or if the governor decides to veto the bill.

Young people can voice their priorities by calling, emailing, or visiting their representative or senator’s office. Usually, given the high amounts of correspondence staff receives, it is wise to resort to visiting their office in the Capitol building in Austin or writing a handwritten letter. That way, a response would be more likely.

Legislators care about young people—but it ultimately surrounds who can get their attention. It surrounds which stakeholders keep them accountable. For young people, that’s our job.

For instance, say you are a student who values Asian American studies, but your school does not offer the course. You can advocate at a local level with the Texas Education Agency and the local school board. You may even draft up language for a bill that supports such an initiative, such as Christina Morales’ House Bill 45.

As Texas flirts with battleground state status, decisions on central issues will be made right here in Austin. Priorities are set within a diverse legislative agenda, representing a tense disquiet that reflects prominently over Texas. In all cases, youth involvement is needed in the upcoming session.

As Texas flirts with battleground state status, decisions on central issues will be made right here in Austin. As such, students and young folks should keep themselves informed about the upcoming legislature, an often overlooked avenue of change.

Legislation is difficult to move, but civic engagement in local government in Austin is a start. One protest will generate short-term attention, but dedicated local political involvement creates sustained change. Voting, attending City Council meetings, testifying at the Texas State Capitol, registering voters at your school, calling representatives, and researching political candidates for elections are all crucial methods in upholding democracy.

Tommy Wan, a native of Southwest Houston, advocates in the fields of youth civic engagement, local governance, and urban policy. He is a legislative aide at the Texas House of Representatives.