[297][298] As an independent nation, Texas would rank as the world's eleventh-largest producer of electricity, after South Korea, and ahead of the United Kingdom. [57] When France began settling Louisiana, mostly in the southern part of the state, in 1716 Spanish authorities responded by founding a new series of missions in East Texas. Copyright 2023 State of Texas. Admissions - Apply | Admissions - Texas A&M University Except for the secretary of state, voters elect executive officers independently; thus candidates are directly answerable to the public, not the governor. Updates? Counties are not granted home rule status; their powers are strictly defined by state law. [217][218] At the 2020 census, the apportioned population of Texas stood at 29,183,290. [193][194] Usually, prevailing winds in North America will push polar air masses to the southeast before they reach Texas. [238] Based on U.S. Census Bureau data released in February 2011, for the first time in recent history, Texas's white population is below 50% (45%) and Hispanics grew to 38%. During the Johnson Administration the first lady, Lady Bird Johnson, worked to draw attention to Texas wildflowers. The oldest rocks in Texas date from the Mesoproterozoic and are about 1,600million years old.[168]. To access other Texas.gov online services, visit the Driver Services page or use the Government Services Directoryto find what you need. Social volatility continued as the state struggled with agricultural depression and labor issues. 22 TCU held on to beat Texas 75-73. The territory of Texas was part of the Spanish Empire for more than a century. The tents they make are like field tents, and they set them up over poles they have made for this purpose, which come together and are tied at the top, and when they go from one place to another they carry them on some dogs they have, of which they have many, and they load them with the tents and poles and other things, for the country is so level, as I said, that they can make use of these, because they carry the poles dragging along on the ground. [426] The Legislature meets in regular session biennially for just over a hundred days, but the governor can call for special sessions as often as desired (notably, the Legislature cannot call itself into session).