Article IV, Section 11B of the Texas Constitution (" ... ")
Added November 7, 1989:
(a) The legislature by law may organize and combine into one or more agencies all agencies of the state that: (1) have authority over the confinement or supervision of persons convicted of criminal offenses; (2) set standards or distribute state funds to political subdivisions that have authority over the confinement or supervision of persons convicted of criminal offenses; or (3) gather information about the administration of criminal justice.
(b) The legislature by law may authorize the appointment of members of more than one department of government to serve on the governing body.
Editor Comments
In 1989, the Legislature created the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) and its nine-member governing body the Texas Board of Criminal Justice (TBCJ).
The TDCJ is responsible for the functions formerly assigned to the Texas Department of Corrections, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, and the Texas Adult Probation Commission.
Subsection (a) of this section resolves any question regarding the Legislature's authority to establish the TDCJ.
Subsection (b) of this section exempts the TBCJ from the separation-of-powers mandate of Article II, Section 1.
Recent Decisions
None.
Historic Decisions
None.
Library Resources
- Vernon's Annotated Constitution of the State of Texas (this multi-volume and up-to-date resource is available at all law libraries and many municipal libraries)
- The Texas State Constitution: A Reference Guide (this one-volume resource is available at most law libraries and some municipal libraries)
- The Constitution of the State of Texas: An Annotated and Comparative Analysis (this two-volume resource is available at most law libraries and some municipal libraries)
Online Resources
- Constitution of the State of Texas (1876) (this resource is published and maintained by the University of Texas School of Law)
- Amendments to the Texas Constitution Since 1876 (this resource is published and regularly updated by the Legislative Council)
- Reports Analyzing Proposed Amendments (this resource is published and regularly updated by the Legislative Reference Library)