State government guide and chart published

Navigating the maze of Texas state government is not an easy task, but a new book and wall chart from the LBJ School can provide a useful roadmap.

The Guide to Texas State Agencies, now in its 11th edition, is the most comprehensive handbook available on the hundreds of agencies, boards, and commissions that handle the programs and operations of state government in Texas. The wall chart on the state government of Texas, a companion to the Guide, illustrates the relationships among these agencies and the elected and appointed officials who lead them.

Released in February, the new Guide and chart are quickly making their way into the hands of state officials, agency administrators, librarians, lobbyists, and government buffs throughout Texas. LBJ School Dean Edwin Dorn calls the publications a "vital link between the agencies and the people who use their services."

"Understanding who does what in Texas state government can be a challenge, even for the insiders," said Dorn. "Like any good tool, this book and chart make the job much easier. They also provide a snapshot of the state's current government structure."

The Guide provides detailed directory information--including each agency's address, phone and fax numbers, sunset review and statutory data, state appropriations, and board members' names and service dates--as well as a description of major functions and programs. Seventeen appendices provide a wealth of additional information, including lists of river authorities, higher education institutions, and councils of governments; a chart on the state's court system; a list of World Wide Web sites on Texas state government; lists of agencies ranked by FY 2001 state appropriations, by number of FTE employees, and by salaries of chief administrative officers; and other data.

The state government of Texas wall chart, the only one of its kind in the state, displays the agencies by category (education, energy and natural resources, health and human services, for example) and illustrates the structure and interrelationships between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of state government.

The book and chart can be purchased as a set for $75 plus tax and handling. Purchased separately, the book is $65 and the chart is $15. To order copies, contact the LBJ School's Office of Communications at (512) 471-4218, by email, or via the Web.

Contents • Record Home • Publications • LBJ School

May 14, 2001

comments to: lbjwmast@uts.cc.utexas.edu