Texas, like most other states, has functioned under a series of Constitutions, each of which has contributed to the state's constitutional legacy. Each is appropriately understood from the perspective of the period in which it was adopted. The current Constitution was written in 1876 after the termination of Reconstruction policies. Because reconstruction policies were oppressive, the Constitution was designed to put strong restraints on government to guard against future abuses of power. Today, the document is …showed first 75 words of 539 total…

…showed last 75 words of 539 total…segments of the state's population often prevail over the interests of the majority. A revision of the Texas Constitution would require large amounts of political capital to challenge or accommodate the numerous special interests who benefit from provisions in the current charter. Until the Constitution is revised, the state legislature will continue to put several proposed amendments on the ballot, as needed, to deal with issues and problems that the 1876 Constitution could not have envisioned.