Texas Senate

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Texas Senate

Type Upper house
President of the Senate David Dewhurst, R
since January 17, 2003
President Pro Tempore Mario Gallegos, Jr., D
since January 9, 2007
Members 31
Political groups Democratic Party
Republican Party
Meeting place Senate Chamber, Texas State Capitol, Austin
Web site 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. The Senate meets at the Texas State Capitol in Austin.

Contents

[edit] 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. Due to the various powers of committee selection and bill assignment, the lieutenant governor is arguably considered more powerful than the Governor of Texas[citation needed], and is considered one of the most power 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 serves 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 Democrat Mario Gallegos, Jr. of District 6 (Houston).

[edit] Leaders

Position Name Party Residence District
Lieutenant Governor/President of the Senate David Dewhurst Republican
President Pro Tempore Mario Gallegos, Jr. Democratic Houston 6

[edit] Current composition

See also: Eightieth Texas Legislature
Affiliation Members
  Republican Party 20
  Democratic Party 11
 Total
 31
 Majority
 9

[edit] 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
  Kim Brimer Republican 10 Fort Worth 2003
  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
  Kyle Janek Republican 17 Houston 2002
  Glenn Hegar Republican 18 Katy 2007
  Carlos I. Uresti Democratic 19 San Antonio 2006
  Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa Democratic 20 Mission 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

[edit] Past notable members

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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