The Texas Secretary of State is a constitutional officer of the executive branch of state government, appointed by the governor and confirmed by the senate for a term concurrent with the governor's (a two-year term at first, a four-year term since 1974). The office was first created by the Constitution of the Republic of Texas in 1836, and has been continued by each succeeding Constitution.

The Secretary of State has an enormous number of duties and responsibilities, including the following: authenticating the publication of all laws passed by the state legislature; approving comptroller's accounts against the state prior to payment; maintaining a register of all official acts and proceedings of the governor, and all appointments to state boards and commissions; interpreting and enforcing the Texas Election Code, as the state's chief election officer; keeping the Seal of the State of Texas; and maintaining many business-related filings, including corporation and Uniform Commercial Code filings.

The office of the Secretary of State is divided into five divisions: Executive, Elections, Statutory Filings, Administrative Services, and Information Services.

The Statutory Filings Division, composed of four sections (Corporations, Statutory Documents, Texas Register, and Uniform Commercial Code Sections), assists the secretary in most of his/her duties not related to elections.

The Statutory Documents Section records the charters of home rule cities; files amendments of charters of incorporated towns and villages; appoints, reappoints, and commissions all notaries public for the state (since 1940); files bonds or copies of bonds for state officers and state employees, members of governing bodies of certain constitutionally authorized political subdivisions, and general law districts; files the constitutional statement of bribery; issues cards to all labor organizers in the state; files labor union annual reports; registers business opportunity sellers in Texas; registers health spas, athlete agents, and credit service organizations; licenses and regulates automobile clubs; files deeds of cession; etc.

An act approved December 18, 1837 (and later acts) required the Secretary of State to contract for the printing of the laws of the Republic of Texas, and to arrange for their distribution; this function may have necessitated the compilation of an official manuscript copy of the laws. At any rate, an act approved by the 1st Legislature on May 9, 1846 required the Secretary of State to attend every legislative session to receive bills which have become laws, and to bind and maintain such bills and enrolled joint resolutions in the office of the Secretary of State; and also to deliver a certified copy of these laws (with indices and marginal notes) to the public printer, and to edit and correct them after printing. Furthermore, an act of December 14, 1863 made the Secretary of State the custodian of the records of the Senate and House of Representatives.