Texas Legislature

Texas State Legislature
Type
Type
HousesSenate
House of Representatives
History
FoundedMay 13, 1846 (1846-05-13)
Preceded byCongress of the Republic of Texas (1836–1845)
Leadership
Dan Patrick (R)
since January 20, 2015
Charles Perry (R)
since June 2, 2025
Dustin Burrows (R)
since January 14, 2025
Speaker Pro Tempore
Joe Moody (D)
since February 13, 2025
Structure
Seats181
31 Senators
150 Representatives
Senate political groups
  •   Republican (20)
  •   Democratic (11)
House political groups
Elections
Last Senate election
November 5, 2024
Last House election
November 5, 2024
Meeting place
Texas State Capitol
Austin
Website
https://capitol.texas.gov

The Texas State Legislature is the legislative branch of Texas. The Texas Legislature is a bicameral body composed of a 31-member Senate and a 150-member House of Representatives. It meets every two years in regular session, starting on the second Tuesday in January of odd-numbered years, and sessions can last up to 140 days. It’s a powerful part of the Texas government because of its control over state spending, its strong connection to the lieutenant governor, and Texas’s plural executive system.

In the 89th Legislature (2025), Republicans hold 88 of the 150 seats in the House and 20 of the 31 seats in the Senate.