Texas Senate

Texas Senate
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type	Upper house
Leadership
President of the Senate	David Dewhurst (R) since January 17, 2003
President Pro Tempore	Robert Duncan (R) since January 13, 2009
Structure
Seats	31
Political groups	Democratic Party Republican Party
Elections
Last election	November 4, 2008
Meeting place
Senate Chamber, Texas State Capitol, Austin
Website
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/

The Texas Senate is the upper house of the Texas Legislature. There are 31 members of the Senate, representing 31 single-member districts across the state with populations of approximately 672,000 per constituency. There are no term limits for the Senate, and each term is a four year term. The Senate meets at the Texas State Capitol in Austin. There are currently 12 Democrats in the Texas Senate and 19 Republicans as a result of the recent general elections.

Leadership

The Lieutenant Governor of Texas serves as the President of the Senate. The lieutenant governor's duties include presiding over the Senate, appointing chairships of committees, committee members, assigning and referring bills to specific committees, recognizing members during debate, and making procedural rulings. The lieutenant governor may also cast a vote should a Senate floor vote end in a tie. If the Senate votes to dissolve itself into the Committee of the Whole, in which all members are part of the committee, the President Pro-Tempore resides over the proceedings, with the Lieutenant Governor acting as a regular voting member. Due to the various powers of committee selection and bill assignment, the lieutenant governor is arguably considered more powerful than the Governor of Texas, and is considered one of the most powerful lieutenant governorships in the United States.

Unlike other state legislatures, the Texas Senate does not include majority or minority leaders. Instead, the President Pro Tempore is considered the second most powerful position, and can be reserved to any political party in the chamber regardless if the party is a majority or not. President Pro Tempores are usually the most senior members of the Senate. The President Pro Tempore preside when the lieutenant governor is not present or when the legislature is not in regular session.

The President of the Senate is Texas Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst. The President Pro Tempore is Republican Robert Duncan of District 28 (Lubbock).

Senator John Whitmire, a Democrat from Houston, is the Dean of the Senate, meaning he is the most senior member, having served for 26 years. Senator Chris Harris, a Republican from Arlington, is the most senior member of his party, and the fourth overall member in terms of seniority.

For the 81st Legislative Session there are only two new, or freshmen, senators, Wendy Davis, a Democrat from Fort Worth, and Joan Huffman, a Republican from Houston.

Leaders

Position	Name	Party	Residence	District
Lieutenant Governor/President of the Senate	David Dewhurst	Republican	Austin
President Pro Tempore	Robert Duncan	Republican	Lubbock	28

Current composition

Affiliation		Members
Template:American politics/party colours/Republican|	Republican Party	19
Template:American politics/party colours/Democratic|	Democratic Party	12
Total		31
Majority		8

List of members

Senator		Party	District	Home Town	Took Office	Kevin Eltife	Republican	1	Tyler	2004	Bob Deuell	Republican	2	Greenville	2003	Robert Nichols	Republican	3	Jacksonville	2007	Tommy Williams	Republican	4	The Woodlands	2003	Steve Ogden	Republican	5	Bryan	1997	Mario Gallegos, Jr.	Democratic	6	Houston	1995	Dan Patrick	Republican	7	Houston	2007	Florence Shapiro	Republican	8	Plano	1993	Chris Harris	Republican	9	Arlington	1991	Wendy Davis	Democrat	10	Fort Worth	2009	Mike Jackson	Republican	11	La Porte	1999	Jane Nelson	Republican	12	Lewisville	1993	Rodney Ellis	Democratic	13	Houston	1990	Kirk Watson	Democratic	14	Austin	2007	John Whitmire	Democratic	15	Houston	1983	John Carona	Republican	16	Dallas	1996	Joan Huffman	Republican	17	Southside Place	2008	Glenn Hegar	Republican	18	Katy	2007	Carlos I. Uresti	Democratic	19	San Antonio	2006	Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa	Democratic	20	McAllen	2002	Judith Zaffirini	Democratic	21	Laredo	1987	Kip Averitt	Republican	22	Waco	2002	Royce West	Democratic	23	Dallas	1993	Troy Fraser	Republican	24	Horseshoe Bay	1997	Jeff Wentworth	Republican	25	San Antonio	1993	Leticia R. Van de Putte	Democratic	26	San Antonio	1999	Eddie Lucio, Jr.	Democratic	27	Brownsville	1991	Robert L. Duncan	Republican	28	Lubbock	1997	Eliot Shapleigh	Democratic	29	El Paso	1997	Craig Estes	Republican	30	Wichita Falls	2001	Kel Seliger	Republican	31	Amarillo	2004

Past notable members

• Wayne Connally, Senator from Wilson County, 1967-1973, brother of Governor John Connally.
• Lloyd Doggett, U.S. House of Representatives, 1995 to present.
• Chet Edwards, U.S. House of Representatives, 1991 to present.
• William Neff "Bill" Patman, Senator from Jackson County, (1961–1981) U.S. House of Representatives, 1981-1985.
• Allan Shivers, Lieutenant Governor of Texas (1946–1949), Governor of Texas (1949–1957).
• Preston Smith, Governor of Texas from 1969 to 1973.

See also

• Texas Legislature
• Texas House of Representatives

External links

• Official website