About Texas 4-H Congress
Texas 4-H Congress is a four-day mock legislative experience for 4-H members in grades 9th to 12th. During this time, 4-H members assume the roles of legislators, lobbyists, and press corps to gain a first-hand understanding of how the legislative process works.
Youth Leadership Team
At Texas 4-H Congress we have a Youth Leadership Team that who serves in the various Legislative Roles at Congress, including but not limited to: Governor, Speaker of the House, Lieutenant Governor, and Floor Leaders. This year, the opportunity to serve in one of these leadership roles is being opened to Texas 4-H members who have or are currently serving on one (or more) of the following groups:
- Texas 4-H Council
- District Council Officers (High School Aged)
- Equine Ambassadors
- Fashion & Interior Design Ambassadors
- Healthy Texas Youth Ambassadors
- Livestock Ambassadors
- Poultry Ambassadors
- Photography Ambassadors
- Shooting Sports Ambassadors
- STEM Ambassadors
- Water Ambassadors
Applications will open on 4HOnline on October 2, 2025, and will close on November 5, 2025. Application can be found under the event titled “2026 Texas 4-H Congress Leadership Team Application.” There will be no late applications accepted.
Applicants will need to be able to provide additional information on past leadership roles, select the top four roles they would like to serve in, and provide a YouTube video for the committee to review. The Leadership Team will be announced in December 2025. When announced youth will only be informed of being selected to serve on the team, they will not know their final role until after Texas 4-H Roundup in June. Youth selected will be expected to arrive in Austin on July 17th and will remain there until the completion of the event on the 22nd.
Bill Submissions
Any 4-H member may submit a Texas 4-H Congress bill for consideration and debate. However, participating in Congress is not a requirement. Writing and submitting a bill provides each 4-H member the opportunity to participate in an exercise in civic engagement. Finally, the process to submit a bill will be available Spring 2026.
To learn more on how to write and submit a bill, download the “Preparing a Legislative Bill for Texas 4-H Congress.” Also, work with your county Extension agent or a volunteer.
- Preparing a Legislative Bill for Texas 4-H Congress
- View Previous Bill Books: 2018 | 2020 | 2022 | 2024
Press Corp
Members of the Press Corps have the responsibility of reporting the actions of different areas of the Texas 4-H Legislative in a daily newspaper. They also prepare the daily newspaper. Furthermore, Press Corps members will work jointly with STEM Ambassadors to get information, photographs, and updates posted to the Texas 4-H Congress website in a timely manner. Press Corps members are not considered members of the legislature. Therefore, during the sessions, they will not have access to the floor.
Lobbyist
Lobbyists serve an important role in the direction of bills during Texas 4-H Congress. As a group, Lobbyists will select certain bills to lobby for their passage or failure during Texas 4-H Congress. In addition, by explaining the positives and negatives of particular bills through communication with members, messages to the members, the lobbyists’ reception, and individual conversations, the Lobbyist will persuade members to vote in certain directions.