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Riding the same wave of empowerment and political activism, African Americans and Mexican Americans formed their own legislative caucuses in the 1970s. Only two years after the founding of the TWPC (the women's caucus), African Americans and Mexican Americans founded the Texas Black Legislative Caucus (TBLC) and the Mexican American Legislative Caucus (MALC), respectively. A few years later the Texas Senate Hispanic Caucus (TSHC) was established.
This timing reflects the increased numbers of minorities in the Legislature after the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the legislative redistricting of 1971, both of which produced increases in minority membership. After all, it's difficult to have a caucus with only a few members. Not surprisingly, the numerically larger House of Representatives more quickly added new minority members.
The African American and Latino caucuses are non-partisan in their formal orientation, but they have historically leaned Democratic. This may be changing somewhat, as both parties have pursued the minority vote, especially the rapidly growing Latino vote.
Although the minority caucuses pursue issues of particular interest to their own racial/ethnic and geographic constituents, they have collaborated often to support political efforts and legislation of common interest. The TBLC and MALC have actively supported the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project for over two decades. Also, these two House caucuses often issue joint press releases expressing support for the same policies.
In 2002 and 2003 the TBLC and MALC worked together to establish a joint legislative agenda for the 78th legislative session. Additionally, in 2003, the TBLC, MALC and TSHC joined together to express their opposition to new admissions policies at Texas A&M that would eliminate consideration of race and ethnicity beginning in December 2006.
In a sign of persisting partisan leanings, both caucuses declared their opposition to special sessions called by Republican Governor Perry in the summer of 2003, the agenda for which would be congressional redistricting. In a joint press release the two groups declared that resolving the looming state budget crisis was "the only valid reason to call a special session."1
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