Seventy-eighth Texas Legislature

The Seventy-eighth Texas Legislature met from January 14 to June 2, 2003 in regular session, and in three called sessions in 2003, and a fourth called session in 2004. All members of the House of Representatives and all members of the Senate (15 to two-year terms, 16 to four-year terms) were elected in the 2002 General Election.

Sessions[]

78th Regular session: January 14, 2003 – June 2, 2003
78th First called session: June 30, 2003 – July 28, 2003

To consider legislation relating to congressional redistricting. [1]

78th Second called session: July 28, 2003 – August 26, 2003

To consider legislation relating to congressional redistricting. [2]

78th Third called session: September 15, 2003 – October 12, 2003

To consider legislation relating to congressional redistricting.

To consider legislation relating to state fiscal management, including adjustments to certain school district fiscal matters made necessary by recent changes in state fiscal management; making related appropriations.

To consider legislation relating to the dates of certain elections, the procedures for canvassing the ballots for an election, and the counting of certain ballots voted by mail.

To consider legislation modifying the filing period and related election dates for the primary elections in Texas.

To consider legislation relating to the financing, construction, improvement, maintenance, and operation of toll facilities by the Texas Department of Transportation and the disposition of money generated by the driver responsibility program, fines imposed for certain traffic offenses, and certain fees collected by the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas; making an appropriation.

To consider legislation relating to the reorganization of, efficiency in, and other reform measures applying to state government.

To consider legislation appropriating fees established by legislation from the 78th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature that remain unappropriated. This matter shall be strictly construed to only include fees that were established during that session of the legislature.

Legislation relating to making an appropriation for the purpose of returning to a fund outside of the state treasury cash that was transferred from the fund to the general revenue fund. [3]

78th Fourth called session: April 20, 2004 – May 17, 2004

To consider legislation that provides for performance based incentives to schools that attain higher levels of achievement.

To consider legislation that provides a cap on the growth in the appraisal values of homesteads for property tax purposes.

To consider legislation that provides a cap that is indexed to population and inflation on all property tax revenues received by local governments.

To consider legislation that provides reform of the property tax appraisal process, including having elected officials approve certification rolls, and requiring mandatory sales price disclosure of real property.

To consider legislation that provides for modifications to the recapture provisions of the school finance system, including but not limited to a constitutional amendment that links residential and non-residential tax rates at a lower level than provided by current law, providing for local enrichment.

To consider legislation that creates an Educational Excellence Fund to provide incentive funding, funding to maintain and enhance equity, and greater funding to address the needs of students with limited English proficiency.

To consider legislation on education reforms and property tax reduction proposals that benefit the school children and property tax payers of Texas.

To consider legislation that provides for an increase in cigarette and tobacco product taxes and fees and dedicating the revenue derived from the increase to the Educational Excellence Fund and for school property tax relief for taxpayers.

To consider legislation and amendments to the constitution that authorize and allow the placement and licensing of video lottery terminals at licensed racetracks and certain Indian reservations, providing that the revenue derived from such activity is dedicated to the Educational Excellence Fund, providing that the racetracks and tribes sign a contract with the state.

To consider legislation that privatizes the collection of delinquent taxes.

To consider legislation that provides for a reasonable tax and fees on certain adult entertainment venues.

To consider legislation that provides for an acceleration in the collection of tax revenues.

To consider legislation that reduces fraud in the sale of automobiles.

To consider legislation that closes loopholes in the franchise tax and dedicates the revenue from closing the loopholes to the Educational Excellence Fund and for school property tax relief for taxpayers. [4]

Party summary[]

Senate[]

Affiliation		Members
	Republican Party	19
	Democratic Party	12
Total		31

House of Representatives[]

Affiliation		Members
	Republican Party	88
	Democratic Party	62
Total		150

Officers[]

Senate[]

Lieutenant Governor: David Dewhurst, Republican
President Pro Tempore (regular session): Eddie Lucio, Jr., Democrat
President Pro Tempore (1st–3rd called sessions): Jane Nelson, Republican
President Pro Tempore (4th called session): Jeff Wentworth, Republican

House of Representatives[]

Speaker of the House: Tom Craddick, Republican

Members[]

Members of the Seventy-eighth Texas Legislature at the beginning of the regular session, January 14, 2003:

Senate[]

District	Senator	Party	Took office
1	Bill Ratliff	Republican	1989
2	Bob Deuell	Republican	2003
3	Todd Staples	Republican	2000
4	Tommy Williams	Republican	2003
5	Steve Ogden	Republican	1997
6	Mario Gallegos, Jr.	Democrat	1995
7	Jon Lindsay	Republican	1997
8	Florence Shapiro	Republican	1993
9	Chris Harris	Republican	1991
10	Kim Brimer	Republican	2003
11	Mike Jackson	Republican	1999
12	Jane Nelson	Republican	1993
13	Rodney Ellis	Democrat	1990
14	Gonzalo Barrientos	Democrat	1985
15	John Whitmire	Democrat	1983
16	John J. Carona	Republican	June 1996
17	Kyle Janek	Republican	November 2002
18	Kenneth L. Armbrister	Democrat	1987
19	Frank L. Madla	Democrat	1993
20	Chuy Hinojosa	Democrat	2003
21	Judith Zaffirini	Democrat	1987
22	Kip Averitt	Republican	April 2002
23	Royce West	Democrat	1993
24	Troy Fraser	Republican	1997
25	Jeff Wentworth	Republican	1993
26	Leticia R. Van de Putte	Democrat	1999
27	Eddie Lucio, Jr.	Democrat	1991
28	Robert L. Duncan	Republican	December 1996
29	Eliot Shapleigh	Democrat	1997
30	Craig Estes	Republican	December 2001
31	Teel Bivins	Republican	1989

House of Representatives[]

District	Representative	Party	Took office
1	Barry B. Telford	Democrat	1986
2	Dan Flynn	Republican	2003
3	Mark Homer	Democrat	1999
4	Betty Brown	Republican	1999
5	Bryan Hughes	Republican	2003
6	Leo Berman	Republican	1999
	Tommy Merritt	Republican	1997
	Byron Cook	Republican	2003
	Wayne Christian	Republican	1996
	Jim Pitts	Republican	1993
		Democrat	2001
	Jim McReynolds	Democrat	1997
	Lois Kolkhorst	Republican	2001
		Republican	1999
		Republican	2003
		Republican	1999
		Democrat	1997
		Democrat	1998
		Republican	2003
	Dan Gattis	Republican	2003
	Allan Ritter	Democrat	1999
	Joe Deshotel	Democrat	1999
	Craig Eiland	Democrat	1995
	Larry Taylor	Republican	2003
	Dennis Bonnen	Republican	1997
	Charles F. "Charlie" Howard	Republican	1995
	Dora Olivo	Democrat	1997
	Glenn Hegar	Republican	2003
		Republican	2003
	Geanie Morrison	Republican	1999
	Ryan Guillen	Democrat	2003
		Republican	1997
		Democrat	1993
		Democrat	1998
		Democrat	2003
		Democrat	1997
		Democrat	1991 (first time: 1981–1987)
		Democrat	1993
		Democrat	1996
	Aaron Pena	Democrat	2003
	Roberto Gutierrez	Democrat	1992
	Richard Raymond	Democrat	2001 (first time: 1993–1999)
	Irma Rangel	Democrat	1976
		Republican	1983
	Patrick Rose	Democrat	2003
	Dawnna Dukes	Democrat	1995
47		Republican	1997
		Republican	2003
	Elliott Naishtat	Democrat	1991
		Republican	2003
	Eddie Rodriguez	Democrat	2003
		Republican	1993
	Harvey Hilderbran	Republican	1989
	Suzanna Gratia Hupp	Republican	1996
		Republican	1991
		Democrat	2003
	Jim Dunnam	Democrat	1997
	Arlene Wohlgemuth	Republican	1994
	Sid Miller	Republican	2001
	Jim Keffer	Republican	1997
	Phil King	Republican	1999
62	Larry Phillips^[5]	Republican	2003
63		Republican	1993
64	Myra Crownover	Republican	2000
65	Burt Solomons	Republican	1995
66		Republican	1991
67		Republican	1993
	Rick Hardcastle	Republican	1999
	David Farabee	Democrat	1999
	Ken Paxton	Republican	2003
	Robert Dean Hunter	Republican	1986
		Republican	2003
		Republican	2003
	Pete P. Gallego	Democrat	1991
		Democrat	2003
	Norma Chavez	Democrat	1997
	Paul C. Moreno	Democrat	1975 (first time: 1967–1973)
		Republican	1989
		Democrat	1995
		Democrat	2003
		Republican	1993
	Tom Craddick	Republican	1969
83	Delwin Jones	Republican	1989 (first time: 1965–1981)
		Republican	1997
	Pete Laney	Democrat	1973
	John Smithee	Republican	1985
		Republican	1991
		Republican	1989
	Jodie Anne Laubenberg	Republican	2003
	Lon Burnam	Democrat	1997
		Republican	2003
		Republican	1997
	Toby Goodman	Republican	1991
		Republican	1987
		Democrat	1994
	Bill Zedler	Republican	2003
		Republican	1988
	Vicki Truitt	Republican	1999
	Charlie Geren	Republican	2001
		Democrat	1997
		Republican	1993
	Tony Goolsby	Republican	1989
	Steven D. Wolens	Democrat	1996
	Roberto R. Alonzo	Democrat	2003 (first time: 1993–1997)
		Republican	2003
106		Republican	1993
	Bill Keffer	Republican	2002
	Dan Branch	Republican	2003
	Helen Giddings	Democrat	1993
		Democrat	1993
	Yvonne Davis	Democrat	1993
	Fred Hill	Republican	1989
	Joe Driver	Republican	1993
	Will Ford Hartnett	Republican	1991
	Kenny Marchant	Republican	1986
	Trey Martinez Fischer	Democrat	2001
		Republican	2003
	Carlos Uresti	Democrat	1997
		Democrat	1991
	Ruth McClendon	Democrat	1996
	Elizabeth Ames Jones	Republican	2000
		Republican	1993
	Mike Villarreal	Democrat	2000
	Jose Menendez	Democrat	2001
	Joaquin Castro	Democrat	2003
		Republican	1991
		Republican	1993
	Wayne Smith	Republican	2003
	John E. Davis	Republican	1999
		Republican	2003
		Democrat	1976
	Bill Callegari	Republican	2001
		Republican	1995
	Martha Wong	Republican	2003
	Gary Elkins	Republican	1995
	Beverly Woolley	Republican	1995
137	Scott Hochberg	Democrat	1993
	Dwayne Bohac	Republican	2003
	Sylvester Turner	Democrat	1989
	Kevin Bailey	Democrat	1991
	Senfronia Thompson	Democrat	1973
	Harold V. Dutton, Jr.	Democrat	1985
		Democrat	1998
	Robert Talton	Republican	1993
	Rick Noriega	Democrat	1999
	Al Edwards	Democrat	1979
	Garnet Coleman	Democrat	1991
	Jessica Farrar	Democrat	1995
	Talmadge L. Heflin	Republican	1992
150	Debbie Riddle	Republican	2002

^ : In the 2002 General Election, Ron Clark won the District 62 seat but declined it, having received an appointment as a United States federal judge. Phillips was elected prior to the start of the regular session.

Membership Changes[]

Senate[]

District	Outgoing Senator	Reason for Vacancy	Successor	Date of Successor's Installation
District 1	Bill Ratliff	Retirement. Senator Ratliff resigned effective January 10, 2004 for personal reasons.	Kevin Eltife^[6]	March 5, 2004
District 31	Teel Bivins	Resignation. Senator Bivins resigned effective January 12, 2004 after being appointed U.S. Ambassador to Sweden by President George W. Bush.	Kel Seliger^[7]	March 2, 2003

^ District 1: A special election was held on January 20, 2004. No candidate received a majority of the votes on that date, so the top two candidates faced each other in a runoff on February 17, 2004. Kevin Eltife received a majority of the vote and was sworn in on March 5, 2004.
^ District 31: A special election was held on January 20, 2004. No candidate received a majority of the votes on that date, so the top two candidates faced each other in a runoff on February 17, 2004. Kel Seliger received a majority of the vote and was sworn in on March 2, 2004.

House of Representatives[]

District	Outgoing Representative	Reason for Vacancy	Successor	Date of Successor's Installation
	Irma Rangel	Representative Rangel died on March 18, 2003.	^[8]	May 9, 2003
District 62	Ron Clark	Representative Clark declined his seat after accepting appointment as United States federal judge.	Larry Phillips^[9]	January 14, 2003

^ : A special election was held on April 15, 2003. No candidate received a majority of the votes on that date, so the top two candidates faced each other in a runoff on May 6, 2003. won the runoff and was sworn in 3 days later, on May 9, 2003.
^ District 62: Representative Clark was elected in the 2002 General Election, but resigned before re-taking the oath of office for the Seventy-eighth Legislature. A special election was held on December 14, 2002. No candidate received a majority of the votes on that date, so the top two candidates faced each other in a runoff on January 7, 2002. Larry Phillips won the runoff and was sworn in at the opening of the regular session.

External links[]

Texas Legislature Online
Texas Senate
Texas House of Representatives
Election Results from the Office of the Secretary of State
Legislative Reference Library

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]