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Texas House of Representatives

 
Hoover's Profile: Texas House of Representatives
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Contact Information
Texas House of Representatives
1400 Congress Ave.
Austin, TX 78701
TX Tel. 512-463-1000
Fax 512-463-0712

Type: Government Agency
On the web: http://www.house.state.tx.us

Texas State Representatives call the Texas House of Representatives home for about five months every other year. Headed by the Speaker of the House (elected by the House membership of 150 Representatives), the Texas House drafts and debates legislation that eventually is added to the state constitution. Dozens of House committees serve as the starting gate for legislation and cover a wide array of issues, including agriculture, border affairs, and higher education. Representatives partner with their counterparts in the Texas Senate in developing new laws that must be passed by both houses. Texas Representatives serve two-year terms.

Officers:
Speaker of the House: Joseph (Joe) Straus
Chief of Staff: Clyde Alexander
Press Secretary: Fred Guerra

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Texas House of Representatives
Texas House Seal.png
Type
Type Lower house
Leadership
Speaker of the House Joe Straus, (R)
since January 13, 2009
Speaker pro Tempore Craig Eiland, (D)
since February 12, 2009
Structure
Members 150
Political groups Democratic Party
Republican Party
Election
Last election November 4, 2008
Meeting place
Texas House Chamber.jpg
House Chamber, Texas State Capitol, Austin
Website
http://www.house.state.tx.us

The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Texas Legislature. The House is composed of 150 members elected from single-member districts across the state. The average district has about 150,000 people. Representatives are elected to two-year terms with no term limits. The House meets at the Texas Capitol in Austin.

Contents

Leadership of the House

Speaker pro Tempore, Craig Eiland

The Speaker of the House is the presiding officer and key leader of the House. The Speaker's duties include maintaining order within the House, recognizing members during debate, rule on procedural matters, the appointment chairships and members to committees, sending bills for committee review. The Speaker pro tempore is a primarily a ceremonial position; by long-standing tradition, the Speaker pro tempore presides over the House during its consideration of local and consent bills.

Unlike other state legislatures, the House Rules do not formally recognize majority or minority leaders for parties represented in the House. However, each political party has a caucus that elects officers and participates in the lawmaking process. The leader of the Republican caucus is the Caucus Chairman, while the leader of the Democratic Caucus is the House Democratic Leader.

The current Speaker of the House is Joe Straus, a Republican from San Antonio. The Speaker pro tempore is Craig Eiland, a Democrat from Galveston). The current Republican Caucus Chairman is Larry Taylor of Friendswood and the current House Democratic Leader is Jim Dunnam of Waco.

Leaders

Position Name Party Residence District
Speaker of the House Joe Straus Republican San Antonio 121
Speaker Pro Tempore Craig Eiland Democratic Galveston 23

Committee Structure

The following represents the House committee structure for the 81st Legislature.

  • Agriculture and Livestock
  • Appropriations
    • Subcommittee on Business and Economic Development
    • Subcommittee on Criminal Justice
    • Subcommittee on Education
    • Subcommittee on General Government
    • Subcommittee on Health & Human Services
    • Subcommittee on Hurricane
    • Subcommittee on Stimulus
  • Border & Intergovernmental Affairs
  • Business & Industry
  • Calendars
  • Corrections
  • County Affairs
  • Criminal Jurisprudence
  • Culture, Recreation, & Tourism
  • Defense & Veterans' Affairs
  • Elections
  • Energy Resources
  • Environmental Regulation
  • Federal Economic Stabilization Funding (Select Committee)
  • General Investigating & Ethics
  • Higher Education
  • House Administration
  • Human Services
  • Insurance
  • Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
  • Land & Resource Management
  • Licensing & Administrative Procedures
  • Local & Consent Calendars
  • Natural Resources
  • Pensions, Investments, & Financial Resources
  • Public Education
  • Public Health
  • Public Safety
  • Redistricting
  • Rules & Resolutions
  • State Affairs
  • Technology, Economic Development, & Workforce
  • Transportation
  • Urban Affairs
  • Ways & Means

There are also statutory joint committees, composed of members of both the House and the Senate

  • Criminal Justice Legislative Oversight
  • Legislative Audit Board
  • Legislative Budget Board
  • Legislative Library Board
  • Sunset Advisory Commission
  • Texas Legislative Council

Current composition

The composition is as of November 6, 2009 when Representative Chuck Hopson (11th District) switched from the Democrat to the Republican Party.

Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
 Total
Republican Democratic Vacant
End of previous legislature 79 71 150 0
Begin 76 74 150 0
November 6, 2009[1] 77 73
Latest voting share 51.3% 48.7%

List of members

Representative Party Home Town/City District ↑ County
  Stephen Frost D New Boston 1 Bowie, Cass, Marion, Morris
  Dan Flynn R Canton 2 Rains, Hunt, Van Zandt
  Mark Homer D Paris 3 Lamar, Hopkins, Delta, Franklin, Titus, Red River
  Betty Brown R Athens 4 Henderson, Kaufman
  Bryan Hughes R Marshall 5 Camp, Upshur, Wood, Harrison
  Leo Berman R Tyler 6 Smith
  Tommy Merritt R Longview 7 Smith, Gregg
  Byron Cook R Corsicana 8 Anderson, Freestone, Limestone, Navarro
  Wayne Christian R Center 9 Shelby, Nacogdoches, San Augustine, Sabine, Jasper
  Jim Pitts R Waxahachie 10 Ellis, Hill
  Chuck Hopson R Jacksonville 11 Panola, Rusk, Cherokee, Houston
  Jim McReynolds D Lufkin 12 Angelina, San Jacinto, Trinity, Tyler
  Lois W. Kolkhorst R Brenham 13 Austin, Grimes, Walker, Washington
  Fred Brown R Bryan 14 Brazos
  Rob Eissler R The Woodlands 15 Montgomery
  Brandon Creighton R Conroe 16 Montgomery
  Tim Kleinschmidt R Eagle Lake 17 Bastrop, Brazos, Burleson, Colorado, Fayette, Lee
  John Otto R Dayton 18 Montgomery, Liberty, Polk
  Mike "Tuffy" Hamilton R Mauriceville 19 Hardin, Newton, Orange
  Dan Gattis R Georgetown 20 Milam, Williamson
  Allan Ritter D Nederland 21 Jefferson
  Joe D. Deshotel D Port Arthur 22 Jefferson, Orange
  Craig Eiland D Galveston 23 Chambers, Galveston
  Larry Taylor R League City 24 Galveston
  Dennis Bonnen R Angleton 25 Brazoria
  Charlie F. Howard R Sugar Land 26 Fort Bend
  Dora Olivo D Missouri City 27 Fort Bend
  John Zerwas R Katy 28 Wharton, Fort Bend, Waller
  Randy Weber R Pearland 29 Brazoria, Matagorda
  Geanie Morrison R Victoria 30 Refugio, Victoria, Jackson, DeWitt, Lavaca
  Ryan Guillen D Rio Grande 31 Duval, Starr, Webb, Zapata
  Todd Hunter R Portland 32 Calhoun, Aransas, San Patricio, Nueces
  Solomon Ortiz, Jr. D Corpus Christi 33 Nueces
  Abel Herrero D Corpus Christi 34 Nueces
  Yvonne Gonzalez Toureilles D Beeville 35 Atascosa, Karnes, McMullen, Live Oak, Bee, Jim Wells, Goliad
  Ismael "Kino" Flores D Mission 36 Hidalgo
  Rene O. Oliveira D Brownsville 37 Cameron
  Eddie Lucio III D San Benito 38 Cameron
  Armando Martinez D Weslaco 39 Hidalgo
  Aaron Peña D Edinburg 40 Hidalgo
  Veronica Gonzalez D McAllen 41 Hidalgo
  Richard Peña Raymond D Laredo 42 Webb
  Tara Rios Ybarra D Kingsville 43 Jim Hogg, Brooks, Kenedy, Willacy, Cameron
  Edmund Kuempel R Seguin 44 Wilson, Guadalupe, Gonzales
  Patrick Rose D Austin 45 Blanco, Hays, Caldwell
  Dawnna Dukes D Austin 46 Travis
  Valinda Bolton D Austin 47 Travis
  Donna Howard D Austin 48 Travis
  Elliott Naishtat D Austin 49 Travis
  Mark Strama D Austin 50 Travis
  Eddie Rodriguez D Austin 51 Travis
  Diana Moldanado D Round Rock 52 Williamson
  Harvey Hilderbran R Kerrville 53 Crockett, Sutton, Schleicher, Real, Kerr, Kimble, Menard, Mason, Llano, San Saba, McCulloch, Concho, Coleman, Runnels, Callahan
  Jimmie Don Aycock R Lampasas 54 Lampasas, Burnet, Bell
  Ralph Sheffield R Temple 55 Bell
  Charles "Doc" Anderson R Waco 56 McLennan
  Jim Dunnam D Waco 57 McLennan, Falls, Leon, Madison, Robertson
  Rob Orr R Burleson 58 Bosque, Johnson
  Sid Miller R Stephenville 59 Erath, Comanche, Mills, Hamilton, Coryell, Somervell
  Jim Keffer R Eastland 60 Brown, Eastland, Shackelford, Stephens, Palo Pinto, Hood
  Phil King R Weatherford 61 Parker, Wise
  Larry Phillips R Sherman 62 Fannin, Grayson
  Tan Parker R Flower Mound 63 Denton
  Myra Crownover R Lake Dallas 64 Denton
  Burt R. Solomons R Carrollton 65 Denton
  Brian McCall R Plano 66 Collin
  Jerry Madden R Plano 67 Collin
  Rick Hardcastle R Vernon 68 Motley, Dickens, Cottle, King, Hardeman, Foard, Knox, Haskell, Wilbarger, Baylor, Throckmorton, Young, Jack, Clay, Montague, Cooke
  David Farabee D Wichita Falls 69 Wichita, Archer
  Ken Paxton R McKinney 70 Collin
  Susan King R Abilene 71 Nolan, Taylor
  Drew Darby R San Angelo 72 Coke, Mitchell, Scurry, Tom Green
  Doug Miller R New Braunfels 73 Gillespie, Kendall, Comal, Bandera
  Pete Gallego D Alpine 74 Uvalde, Edwards, Val Verde, Terrell, Pecos, Brewster, Presidio, Jeff Davis, Ward, Reeves, Loving, Culberson, Hudspeth
  Chente Quintanilla D El Paso 75 El Paso
  Norma Chavez D El Paso 76 El Paso
  Marisa Marquez D El Paso 77 El Paso
  Joseph E. Moody D El Paso 78 El Paso
  Joe Pickett D El Paso 79 El Paso
  Tracy O. King D Eagle Pass 80 Kinney, Maverick, Zavala, Dimmit, La Salle, Frio, Medina
  Tryon D. Lewis R Odessa 81 Andrews, Winkler, Ector
  Tom Craddick R Midland 82 Crane, Upton, Midland, Martin, Dawson
  Delwin Jones R Lubbock 83 Lubbock, Hockley, Cochran, Yoakum, Gaines
  Carl H. Isett R Lubbock 84 Lubbock
  Joe Heflin D Crosbyton 85 Reagan, Irion, Sterling, Glasscock, Howard, Borden, Terry, Lynn, Garza, Crosby, Kent, Stonewall, Fisher, Jones, Hale, Floyd
  John T. Smithee R Amarillo 86 Dallam, Hartley, Oldham, Deaf Smith, Randall
  David Swinford R Amarillo 87 Sherman, Moore, Carson, Potter
  Warren Chisum R Pampa 88 Parmer, Bailey, Lamb, Castro, Swisher, Armstrong, Briscoe, Hall, Donley, Collingsworth, Childress, Gray, Wheeler, Hutchison, Roberts, Hemphill, Lipscomb, Ochiltree, Hansford
  Jodie Anne Laubenberg R Rockwall 89 Rockwall, Collin
  Lon Burnam D Fort Worth 90 Tarrant
  Kelly Hancock R Fort Worth 91 Tarrant
  Todd Smith R Bedford 92 Tarrant
  Paula Pierson D Arlington 93 Tarrant
  Diane Patrick R Arlington 94 Tarrant
  Marc Veasey D Fort Worth 95 Tarrant
  Chris Turner D Arlington 96 Tarrant
  Mark Shelton R Fort Worth 97 Tarrant
  Vicki Truitt R Southlake 98 Tarrant
  Charlie Geren R River Oaks 99 Tarrant
  Terri Hodge D Dallas 100 Dallas
  Robert Miklos D Mesquite 101 Dallas
  Carol Kent D Dallas 102 Dallas
  Rafael Anchia D Dallas 103 Dallas
  Roberto R. Alonzo D Dallas 104 Dallas
  Linda Harper-Brown R Irving 105 Dallas
  Kirk England D Grand Prairie 106 Dallas
  Allen Vaught D Dallas 107 Dallas
  Dan Branch R Dallas 108 Dallas
  Helen Giddings D De Soto 109 Dallas
  Barbara Mallory Caraway D Dallas 110 Dallas
  Yvonne Davis D Dallas 111 Dallas
  Angie Chen Button R Richardson 112 Dallas
  Joe Driver R Garland 113 Dallas
  Will Hartnett R Dallas 114 Dallas
  Jim Jackson R Carrollton 115 Dallas
  Trey Martinez Fischer D San Antonio 116 Bexar
  David McQuade Leibowitz D San Antonio 117 Bexar
  Joe Farias D San Antonio 118 Bexar
  Roland Gutierrez D San Antonio 119 Bexar
  Ruth McClendon D San Antonio 120 Bexar
  Joe Straus R San Antonio 121 Bexar
  Frank Corte, Jr. R San Antonio 122 Bexar
  Mike Villarreal D San Antonio 123 Bexar
  Jose Menendez D San Antonio 124 Bexar
  Joaquin Castro D San Antonio 125 Bexar
  Patricia Harless R Spring 126 Harris
  Joe Crabb R Kingwood 127 Harris
  Wayne Smith R Baytown 128 Harris
  John E. Davis R Houston 129 Harris
  Allen Fletcher R Houston 130 Harris
  Alma Allen D Houston 131 Harris
  William "Bill" Callegari R Houston 132 Harris
  Kristi Thibaut D Houston 133 Harris
  Ellen Cohen D Houston 134 Harris
  Gary Elkins R Houston 135 Harris
  Beverly Woolley R Houston 136 Harris
  Scott Hochberg D Houston 137 Harris
  Dwayne Bohac R Houston 138 Harris
  Sylvester Turner D Houston 139 Harris
  Armando Walle D Houston 140 Harris
  Senfronia Thompson D Houston 141 Harris
  Harold V. Dutton, Jr. D Houston 142 Harris
  Ana Hernandez D Houston 143 Harris
  Ken Legler R Pasadena 144 Harris
  Carol Alvarado D Houston 145 Harris
  Al Edwards D Houston 146 Harris
  Garnet Coleman D Houston 147 Harris
  Jessica Cristina Farrar D Houston 148 Harris
  Hubert Vo D Houston 149 Harris
  Debbie Riddle R Houston 150 Harris

Notable past members

The House chamber

Recent controversies

House voting controversy

On May 14, 2007, CBS Austin affiliate KEYE reported on multiple voting by representatives during House floor sessions.[2] The report noted how representatives register votes for absent members on the House's automated voting machines. Each representative would vote for the nearest absent members (apparently regardless of party affiliation). This practice was in direct violation of a Rule of the House; however, no representative had ever been disciplined for the practice in the almost 70 years since the rule was adopted. Speaker Craddick, responsible for enforcement of House Rules, issued a statement that discipline for violations of the rule is left to the individual members.

Craddick removal controversy

Chaos erupted in the Texas House of Representatives on Friday, May 25, 2007, when Rep. Fred Hill, R-Richardson, attempted to offer a motion to remove Tom Craddick as Speaker and have the House elect a new speaker. Craddick (also a Republican) refused to allow him to make the motion.[3] The attempts to oust Craddick continued through the weekend as other Republicans made additional motions, which were also disallowed.

The last time a Texas House speaker was removed by a vote of his fellow members was in 1871, when the House adopted a resolution removing Speaker Ira Evans. The Republican House majority removed Evans because he was seen as cooperating too much with Democrats on an elections bill.[3] While Craddick's close allies say the 2007 attempt to remove Craddick was just an effort by Democrats to gain greater control of the Legislature before the legislative and congressional redistricting process of 2011,[3] Rep. Byron Cook, R-Corsicana, says the fight was about Craddick consolidating power with lobbyists and using campaign contributions to maintain control in the House: "This is about the convergence of money and power and influence," Cook said."[3]

In January 2009, Craddick lost the Speaker's chair after a challenge from Joe Straus.

See also

  • Killer Ds a group of Texas House Democrats who left the state of Texas in 2003 to prevent House consideration of the redistricting legislation that would have benefited Texas Republicans.

References

  1. ^ Democrat Chuck Hobson (D-11) switched parties and joined the Republicans
  2. ^ CBS Channel 42 KeyeTV Investigates: One Lawmaker, Many Votes?, May 14, 2007, available at "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG6X-xtVask"; see also Wilson, Nanci, One Lawmaker, Many Votes?, May 14, 2007, available at "www.keyetv.com/topstories/local_story_134224129.html"
  3. ^ a b c d R.G. Ratcliffe and Gary Scharrer. "The House struggles to move forward". Houston Chronicle, chron.com (May 27, 2007). http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4839441.html. Retrieved 2007-05-27. 

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