The structural elements of the legislature should be covered included qualifications, terms of office, salaries of members and leadership positions.
There should be an understanding of the general strong and weak points of the legislature.
There should be an understanding as to the various reforms that could improve the legislature.
The student will be able to understand the controlling influences the presiding offices have in the state legislature.
The student will be able to analyze the role of other important actors in the legislative process.
The student will be able to trace a bill through the legislature noting the points at which the bill may die.

 The student should be able to:

State the formal and informal qualifications for election to the legislature.
Explain the advantages and disadvantages of districts and the at-large method of selecting legislators.
Identify the powers and duties of the presiding officers of each house.
Understand the need for committees and how they function.
Argue the relative strengths of the legislature's staff and the lobby.
Explain why there is amateurism in the legislature and how that affects the legislative process.
Discuss needed reforms to allow for a more effective legislature.
Identify the presiding officers of the legislature.
Describe the formal and informal powers of the presiding officers.
Discuss the power and roles of the committees of the legislature.
Understand tactics such as filibustering, tagging, pigeonholing, and the use of the blood oath.
Discuss the differences in the use of calendars in the two houses.
Understand the role of the Sunset Advisory Commission.
Explain the maze that is the process of legislating in Texas.