The Texas Legislative Council was created in 1949 by Senate Bill 316, 51st Legislature, Regular Session. It is governed by a council of seventeen members, including four senators appointed by the lieutenant governor, nine representatives appointed by the speaker of the House, and the chairs of the Senate and House Administration committees. Members serve terms beginning with appointment and ending with the convening of the next regular session. The lieutenant governor and the speaker serve as chair and vice chair. The Council is responsible for providing research and information to the legislature. The Council also assists state agencies, the public, legislatures from other states, and national organizations in answering questions regarding the legislature and Texas laws. Its duties include producing maps for the legislature to use during the redistricting process. Under the general direction of the executive director, the staff is organized into five major divisions: Administration, Legal, Research, Document Production, and Information Systems. The Research Division contains the Special Projects and Redistricting Section. To support the legislature's redistricting activities, the section works with information systems staff to build and maintain election, census, and geographic databases and mapping and redistricting computer systems. The staff of the section produces maps and reports showing population and election information for proposed and enacted redistricting plans, as well as informational publications on redistricting.