81st Texas Legislature

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The 81st Texas Legislature began meeting in regular session on January 11, 2009. The regular session adjourned sine die on June 1, 2009.

Contents

Rick Perry, the Governor of Texas, called a special session of the Legislature on July 1, 2009. The Legislature passed two bills, both related to the sunset process, and adjourned sine die on July 10.

All members of the House of Representatives and 13 members of the Senate were elected on 4 November 2008 in the general election.

Party summary

Senate

AffiliationMembersNote
  Republican Party 19
  Democratic Party 12
Total31

House of Representatives

AffiliationMembersNote
  Republican Party 76
  Democratic Party 74
Total150

The numbers above reflect the partisan composition of the House at the beginning of the legislative session in January 2009. On November 6, 2009, Chuck Hopson (D—Jacksonville) announced he was changing his affiliation to Republican, resulting in 77 Republicans and 73 Democrats. On February 3, 2010, Rep. Terri Hodge (D—Dallas) announced she would resign due to pending felony charges against her. [1] This left the House with 77 Republicans, 72 Democrats and one vacancy.

The composition of the State Senate has remained unchanged since the beginning of the 81st Legislature.

Officers

Senate

House of Representatives

Members

Senate

SenatorPartyDistrictHome TownTook 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 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

House of Representatives

RepresentativePartyHome Town/CityDistrict ↑County
Stephen Frost D New Boston 1 Bowie, Cass, Marion, Morris
Dan Flynn R Canton 2 Rains, Hunt, Van Zandt
Mark S. 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 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 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 Ames 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, Kleberg, 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 Maldonado 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 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
Nathan Macias R Spring Branch 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 King D Eagle Pass 80 Kinney, Maverick, Zavala, Dimmit, La Salle, Frio, Medina
Tryon D. Lewis 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
Joseph P. 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 M. 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 Ford 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 Jones 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

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