Texas. Legislature. House of Representatives

Texas State Representative Fred M. Bosse was born on July 18, 1947. He received his BS from Texas A&M University and his JD in 1972 from the University of Houston, Bates College of Law. Bosse was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1990 and served through 2002 as a Democrat from Houston, representing District 128, Harris County (part). While in the House, he served on the following committees: Science and Technology (1991-1992); Natural Resources (1991-1994); Transportation (Vice-Chair 1993-1996); Calendars (1995-1996); State Affairs (1995-1996); Land and Resource Management (Chair 1997-1998, Member 1999-2000); Civil Practices (Member 1997-1998, Chair 1999-2002); Redistricting (1999-2002); and Environmental Regulation (2001-2002). In addition to his committee memberships, Bosse served on the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission from 1997 to 2001.

John Culberson was born in Houston, Texas on August 24, 1956. He earned a BA in history from Southern Methodist University and a JD from South Texas College of Law. After college, he worked in his father's advertising agency.

In 1986, at the age of 29, Culberson was elected to the Texas House of Representatives, where he represented part of Harris County from a Republican platform. During his tenure in the House he served on the Public Education, Science and Technology, Natural Resources, Judicial Affairs, Energy Resources, Urban Affairs, Civil Practices, Corrections (Vice-Chair in 1991), and Environmental Regulation committees. In his last session, the 76th Legislature (1999), Culberson was selected by his Republican colleagues as the House Republican Whip.

Culberson was elected to the United States Congress on November 7, 2000. He was sworn in as District 7's third Congressman on January 3, 2001. He serves on the Steering, Budget, Education & Workforce, and Transportation and Infrastructure Committees.

The Texas House of Representatives is one arm of the Legislature of the State of Texas (the other being the Texas Senate), which the Texas Constitution (Article III, Section 1) vests with all legislative power of the state. The primary legislative power is enacting laws, and the most visible function of the legislature is to make public policy through drafting, considering, and passing bills and resolutions. Biennially, the House of Representatives elects a speaker from its membership to serve as its presiding officer. The House of Representatives consists of 150 representatives elected in even-numbered years for two-year terms. A representative must be at least twenty-one years old, a qualified voter, and a resident of Texas for at least two years and of the district represented for at least one year immediately preceding election.

In addition to legislative powers, the legislature exercises other types of authority. Constituent powers include the ability to alter the state constitution, and the members' authority to exercise powers of attorney in behalf of their constituents. Directory and supervisory powers allow the legislature to regulate the state's administrative machinery, made up of boards, commissions, and departments that conduct the affairs of state. The legislature establishes and funds these bodies and defines their functions. Executive powers of each house include selection of legislative officers, employees, and chairs and members of committees. Investigative powers are exercised through the formation of standing, special, interim, and joint committees to study an issue. House committees are usually charged with a particular purpose by the speaker, although this may also be accomplished by a resolution adopted by the house. Each legislative house holds judicial powers over its members, including punishing or expelling members for cause.

The legislature meets in regular session on the second Tuesday in January of odd-numbered years and in special sessions when convened by the governor. The length of the regular session is limited to 140 days. Special sessions are limited to 30 days, but the number of special sessions that may be called is not limited. Only legislative matters submitted by the governor may be considered in special session. All legislative sessions, except for the senate's executive session, are open. Neither house may, without the consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days or move to a place other than where the legislature is sitting. Two-thirds of each house constitutes a quorum, the number of members required to conduct business. If a quorum is not present, a smaller number may vote to adjourn and compel absent members to attend. The house is required to keep and publish a journal of its proceedings and to record the vote on any question on which three members who are present demand an actual count of yeas and nays.

(Sources include: Guide to Texas State Agencies, 11th (2001) ed.; and the Texas House of Representatives Committees web page http://www.house.state.tx.us/committees/welcome.htm, accessed November 10, 2008.)

Texas State Representative Ron Clark (Ronald H. Clark) served three terms in the Texas House of Representatives (1997-2002), representing House District 62, encompassing Grayson and Fannin Counties. A Republican, he served on several house committees including: Judicial Affairs (1997-1998), Urban Affairs (1997-2000), Pensions and Investments (1999-2000), and the Select Committee on Teacher Health Insurance (1999-2002). In 2001 he was named to the Civil Practices Committee, the Economic Development Committee, and the Rules and Resolutions Committee. Clark won re-election in 2002, but less than three weeks after his victory he resigned to take up his appointment as a federal judge for the U.S. District Court, Eastern Division of Texas.

Ron Clark was born in 1953 in Caripito, Venezuela. He obtained bachelor and master degrees in economics from the University of Connecticut, and later received a doctorate in jurisprudence from the University of Texas at Austin. After college, Clark joined the U.S. Army where he qualified as an Airborne Ranger and served in a tank battalion of the 2nd Armored Division as a platoon leader and as company executive officer in both Texas and Germany. He was a partner in the law firm of Wolfe, Clark, Henderson & Tidwell, L.L.P., board certified in civil trial law and civil appellate law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He served as city attorney for both home rule and general law cities and represented cities, counties and water districts in litigation. Clark was the chief consultant and lecturer for the Legislative Update seminars for the Texas Municipal Clerks Certification Program, University of North Texas, Denton. He is the author of the Texas Municipal Law and Procedure Manual, 2nd ed. (1989), a book widely distributed throughout the State of Texas and used by municipal officials and Texas attorneys.

During his service in the Texas Legislature, Clark was named Legislator of the Year by the Texas Purchasing Management Association, Distinguished Legislator by the Republican Caucus, and Legislator of the Year by the Texas Motorcycle Roadriders Association and Texoma ABATE, a motorcycle advocacy group. He was recognized by the Texas Municipal Clerks Association for service to city clerks in Texas.

Clark's memberships include the Republican Veterans of Texas, Amvets Post 47, and American Legion Post 29. He has been active in Grayson County civic and community volunteer organizations and has served the Boy Scouts of America in numerous capacities.

(Sources include: http://hosting.texoma.net/graysongop/clark.htm, and http://www.unt.edu/municlerks/municipal_law_manual_4th.htm, accessed in 2004 but now available only through the Internet Archive http://www.archive.org/index.php .)

Mike Jackson

A native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Texas State Senator (formerly Representative) Mike Jackson was born on August 20, 1953. He attended Louisiana Tech and Louisiana State University. He is a 25-year veteran of the construction industry and currently resides in LaPorte, Texas where he is the president of Force Corporation, his family's La Porte based industrial construction and maintenance company.

First elected in 1988, Republican Mike Jackson served for five terms in the Texas House of Representatives representing District 129. While in the Texas House, Jackson served on a number of Committees, namely Cultural and Historical Resources, Liquor Regulation, Environmental Affairs, Business and Industry, Environmental Regulation (Vice-Chair in 1995 and 1997), Energy Resources, and Land and Resource Management. In 1999, Jackson became the second Republican elected to the 11th Texas Senate District since Reconstruction.

Committee on Energy Resources

The Committee on Energy Resources is a standing committee in the Texas House of Representatives. The committee has nine members, with jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to: the conservation of the energy resources of Texas; the production, regulation, transportation, and development of oil, gas, and other energy resources; mining and the development of mineral deposits within the state; the leasing and regulation of mineral rights under public lands; pipelines, pipeline companies, and all others operating as common carriers in the state; electric utility regulation as it relates to energy production and consumption; and the following state agencies: the Railroad Commission of Texas, the Office of Interstate Oil Compact Commissioner for Texas, the Office of Interstate Mining Compact Commissioner for Texas, the Texas Energy Coordination Council, and the Office of Southern States Energy Board Member for Texas.

Committee on Environmental Regulation

The Committee on Environmental Regulation is also a standing committee with nine members. It has jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to: air, land, and water pollution, including the environmental regulation of industrial development; the regulation of waste disposal; environmental matters that are regulated by the Department of Health or the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission; oversight of the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission as it relates to environmental regulation; and the following state agencies: the Texas Agriculture Resources Protection Authority, the Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact Commission, and (until 1998-1999) the Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Authority.

Texas State Representative Patricia Gray, was born on October 2, 1946, earned a BA and Masters of Education from Mississippi State University, a MA from the University of Texas at Austin, and a JD from the South Texas College of Law. Gray practiced as an attorney and was elected to the Texas House of Representatives, as a Democrat, in 1992 to represent District 23, Galveston County. She was reelected and continued to serve through 2002.

While in the House, Gray served on the following committees: Corrections, 1993-2002 (Vice-Chair, 1995-1996); Environmental Regulation, 1993-1994; Appropriations 1995-1996; General Investigating, 1995-1998; Civil Practices, 1997-1998 (Chair); and Public Health, 1999-2002 (Chair). In addition, she was appointed to the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission in 1995, for a four year term to begin in 1996, and served as Vice-Chair of the Commission in 1999.

The Texas Legislature's investigation of Commissioner of Agriculture James E. McDonald took place over the course of multiple sessions of the 44th Legislature. McDonald became Commissioner of Agriculture in 1931. One of the programs founded and, eventually, eliminated during his administration was the Jacks and Stallions Division, which distributed registered and high-grade mules and horses over the state for the purpose of breeding. The program and McDonald's management of it first attracted legislative attention during the Regular Session of the 44th Legislature, 1935.

House Simple Resolution 39 was introduced by Representative King on January 30th to "provide for the creation of a committee to inquire into the matter of the necessity for appropriations for the maintenance of the various State departments, and to investigate the use to which past appropriations have been put, and the necessity for making various appropriations in the future." The resolution, calling for a seven member investigating committee, was approved on February 6th and, on February 8th, Representatives King, Calvert, Graves, Pope, Knetsch, Hunter, and Petsch were appointed to the Committee to Investigate Expenditures of State Funds (also referred to as the "Committee in Regard to Investigating State Departments" and the "Special Committee Appointed to Investigate the Permanent School Fund"). The committee's reports were submitted on May 10th and 11th. The committee had investigated the Permanent School Fund, the Life Insurance Commissioner, the State Highway Department, the School for the Deaf and Dumb, the Jack and Stallion Fund, counterfeit cigarette taxes, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, the State Health Officer, the Board of Barber Examiners, and an individual's misrepresentation of himself as an agent of the Governor. As a part of the findings and recommendations, the committee noted irregularities in the Jack and Stallion Fund and the laxness and carelessness of J.E. McDonald, Commissioner of Agriculture. It made no recommendation in regard to the conduct or punishment of the Commissioner, but did advise that the Board of Control take over the purchase of jacks and stallions, have authority to approve the distribution of the animals, and have authority to approve all contracts.

While this committee was deliberating, the State Auditor submitted a report to the Legislature on April 29, 1935 stating that certain irregularities existed in the administration of the Department of Agriculture, particularly within the Jack and Stallion Fund. As a result of this report and the work being conducted under the auspices of HSR 39, Representative Hunter introduced House Concurrent Resolution 105 on May 6, 1935. Hunter asked for the creation of a joint committee of five Senators and five Representatives to investigate nine charges brought against McDonald, including nepotism, agents acceptance of commissions and bribes, acceptance of gifts, diversion of funds, confusion of public and private funds, neglect of duty and general incompetence in fee collection, and the promotion of the interests of agricultural distributing organizations to the detriment of the producers. The resolution passed and was sent to the Senate, which amended the resolution to remove itself from the committee while promising to convene as a court in the event that articles of impeachment were passed and presented to the members. The changes were approved by the House on May 10th, and the committee was assigned Representatives E.E. Hunter (Chair), Leonard Westfall (Vice-Chair), R.H. Good, C.C. Canon, and Pat Dwyer.

The Legislative Committee Investigating J.E. McDonald, Commissioner of Agriculture worked during the interim between the Regular and 1st Called Sessions of the 44th Legislature, 1935. On September 27, 1935, during the 1st Called Session, the committee issued a minority report (written by Hunter and Canon and dated September 23rd) complaining about Representative Dwyer's favorable attitude toward McDonald, laying out 11 specific charges against McDonald, and proposing the filing of articles of impeachment. On October 8, Representatives Hunter offered a Simple Resolution (HSR 36) stating that the minority report of the committee revealed violations of laws and other acts of malfeasance and misconduct on the part of McDonald that warranted his impeachment and asking the Speaker to appoint a Board of Managers to present the charges and articles of impeachment to the House and Senate. Attached to the resolution were 11 articles of impeachment based on the original nine charges the committee investigated. HSR 36 passed, surviving several motions to reconsider the vote. The investigating committee's majority report, which stated that there was not sufficient evidence to file articles of impeachment, was presented on October 9th. On October 14th Representatives Aiken, Bradbury, Davison of Fisher County, Fox, and Reed of Dallas were appointed to the Board of Directors. On October 15th, the majority report was adopted.

Investigation of the charges did not begin immediately. The 2nd Called Session began on October 16th but it was not until November 8th that Representative Fox moved that the House adjourn on the 14th of November (the last day of the 2nd Session) and reconvene to hear the charges on December 2nd. Representative Roane immediately offered a substitute calling McDonald before the House to receive a reprimand and then dismissing the charges. Roane's motion was tabled. Representative Good then offered a motion consisting of the investigating committee's majority report, calling for no further actions by the Legislature because impeachment charges were not warranted. Good's motion was also tabled. Finally, Fox's motion was amended, to have the House reconvene on November 15th, and adopted. Later, on November 14th, Representative McKinney offered a House Simple Resolution calling upon the House to resolve itself into a committee of the Whole at midnight and providing for legal counsel for both parties. The resolution was adopted and later that evening the House convened as the Committee of the Whole House for the Purpose of Considering Certain Matters Relative to Certain Charges Against Hon. J.E. McDonald, Commissioner of Agriculture. Representative J Franklin Spears was appointed Chair.

The Committee of the Whole met on a daily basis from November 18th through November 22, 1935, on which date the House voted to approve a resolution of censure and reprimand introduced by Representative Calvert. The resolution stated that McDonald was not guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors, but that he was guilty of acts and conduct ill-becoming a state official and the dignity of the office of Commissioner of Agriculture. Following the conclusion of the proceedings, McDonald was reelected as Commissioner of Agriculture every two years until John C. White defeated him in 1950.

In 1994, Texas State Representative Harryette Ehrhardt, a Democrat, was elected to the Texas House of Representatives, representing District 107, Dallas County (part). She served four consecutive terms from 1995 to 2002, during which time she was appointed to the following committees: Rules and Resolutions, Human Services, Urban Affairs, Financial Institutions, and Select Teacher Health Insurance Committees. While in office, Ehrhardt worked to pass legislation on issues including home equity loans, anti-hate crime laws, measures to end school violence and reform low-income housing laws, a major tax reduction, and health care for school teachers.

Ehrhardt was born in Hallisburg, Mississippi on August 5, 1934. She earned a B.A. and M.A. from Southern Methodist University, a Doctorate of Education from the University of Houston, and worked in Dallas County as classroom teacher, principal, and college professor. In addition to her legislative service, she has been involved with a variety of Dallas area boards and commissions, including: Member, Dallas Independent School District Board of Education; Chair, Housing Committee Dallas County Community Development Block Grant Commission; Chair, Greater Dallas Community Relations Commission; and First Chair, Dallas Health Alliance.