Texas, like most Southern states, unless they changed something in the last decade, has a citizen legislature, which means that the legislature is only in session for a certain portion of the year, and it is expected that members of the legislature will have another occupation to tide them over.
For example, our legislature is always in session for three months. No one logically expects the members of it to do absolutely nothing income-earning during the nine months that the legislatuee is out of session
The Texas Legislature meets for a six month session every two years. State Senators, Reps and the Lt. Governor make $600 per month.
It’s a part time job and was designed that way by the Texas Constitution which was written to correct the excesses of “Reconstruction”.