Lieutenant Governor of Texas

Template:Short description Template:Infobox official post The lieutenant governor of Texas is the second-highest executive office in the government of Texas, a state in the U.S. It is the second most powerful post in Texas government because its occupant controls the work of the Texas Senate and controls the budgeting process as a leader of the Legislative Budget Board.

Under the provisions of the Texas Constitution, the lieutenant governor is president of the Texas Senate. Unlike with most other states' senates and the U.S. Senate, the lieutenant governor regularly presides over the chamber rather than delegating this function to the president pro tempore or a majority leader. By the rules of the Senate, the lieutenant governor establishes all special and standing committees, appoints all chairpersons and members, and assigns all Senate legislation to the committee of his choice. The lieutenant governor decides all questions of parliamentary procedure in the Senate. The lieutenant governor also has broad discretion in following Senate procedural rules.

The lieutenant governor is an ex officio member of several statutory bodies, including the Legislative Budget Board, the Legislative Council, and the Legislative Audit Committee, which have considerable sway over state programs, the budget and policy. The lieutenant governor is also a member of the Legislative Redistricting Board (together with the speaker of the House, attorney general, comptroller, and land commissioner), which is charged with adopting a redistricting plan for the Texas House of Representatives, Texas Senate, or U.S. House of Representatives after the decennial census if the Legislature fails to do so.

In the case of a vacancy in the lieutenant governor's office, the Senate elects one of its members to act as President of the Senate until the next statewide office election, in effect becoming the lieutenant governor. A senator elected as presiding officer in this way retains their district seat and the voting privileges entailed with his Senate election. The lieutenant governor is sworn in on the third Tuesday every four years, the same as the governor.

Dan Patrick has been the lieutenant governor of Texas since January 20, 2015.

The term of office was two years from 1846 to 1972. Voters then increased it to four years, effective for the 1974 election.<ref>Template:Handbook of Texas</ref>

The lieutenant governor assumes the powers of the governor of Texas when the governor is out of the state or otherwise unable to discharge the office. The lieutenant governor is elected separately from the governor, rather than on the same ticket; it is therefore possible for the governor and lieutenant governor to be from different political parties (which was the case during Governor George W. Bush's first term and also during Bill Clements's two non-consecutive terms). The lieutenant governor becomes the governor if the elected governor resigns, dies or is removed from office via impeachment and conviction. Former governor Rick Perry took office upon George W. Bush's resignation on December 21, 2000, ahead of Bush becoming U.S. president. When Perry became lieutenant governor on January 19, 1999, he became the first Republican since Albert Jennings Fountain in 1873 to serve as lieutenant governor, and the first Republican to be elected as lieutenant governor since James W. Flanagan in 1869.

Compared to other lieutenant governors

Texas is one of the few states that vests significant power in the office of lieutenant governor, making it among the most influential.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> By contrast, the lieutenant governor position in other states has few (if any) legislative responsibilities, akin to the vice president of the United States.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

List of lieutenant governors of Texas

Legend: Template:Legend2 Template:Legend2

citation

CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Abbr	Image	Lieutenant Governor		Party	Term in office	Governor
1	File:Albert Clinton Horton.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Albert Clinton HortonTemplate:Efn	Democratic	May 2, 1846 – December 21, 1847	James Pinckney Henderson
2	File:John Alexander Greer.JPG	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	John Alexander Greer	Democratic	December 21, 1847 – December 22, 1851	George Tyler Wood Peter Hansborough Bell
3	File:James w henderson.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	James W. HendersonTemplate:Efn	Democratic	December 22, 1851 – November 23, 1853	Peter Hansborough Bell
4	File:David Catchings Dickson.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	David Catchings Dickson	Democratic	December 21, 1853 – December 21, 1855	Elisha M. Pease
5	File:Hardin runnels.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Hardin Richard Runnels	Democratic	December 21, 1855 – December 21, 1857	Elisha M. Pease
6	File:Francis lubbock.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Francis Lubbock	Democratic	December 21, 1857 – December 21, 1859	Hardin Richard Runnels
7	File:Edward clark.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Edward Clark	Democratic	December 21, 1859 – March 16, 1861	Sam Houston
8	File:John McClannahan Crockett.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	John McClannahan Crockett	Democratic	November 7, 1861 – November 5, 1863	Francis Lubbock
9	File:FLETCHER STOCKDALE.PNG	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Fletcher Stockdale	Democratic	November 5, 1863 – June 17, 1865	Pendleton Murrah
—	Vacant				June 17, 1865 – August 9, 1866	Fletcher Stockdale Andrew Jackson Hamilton
10	File:George Washington Jones (Texas Congressman).jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	George Washington JonesTemplate:Efn	Democratic	August 9, 1866 – July 30, 1867	James W. Throckmorton
—	Vacant				July 30, 1867 – January 8, 1870	Elisha M. Pease
—	File:James W. Flanagan - Brady-Handy (cropped).jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	James W. FlanaganTemplate:Efn	Republican	January 8, 1870 – February 24, 1870	Edmund J. Davis
—	VacantTemplate:Efn				February 24, 1870 – January 15, 1874	Edmund J. Davis
11	File:Richard hubbard.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Richard B. Hubbard	Democratic	January 15, 1874 – December 1, 1876	Richard Coke
—	VacantTemplate:Efn				December 1, 1876 – January 21, 1879	Richard B. Hubbard
12	File:GovJosephSayers.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Joseph Draper Sayers	Democratic	January 21, 1879 – January 18, 1881	Oran Milo Roberts
13	File:Leonidas Jefferson Storey.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Leonidas Jefferson Storey	Democratic	January 18, 1881 – January 16, 1883	Oran Milo Roberts
14	File:Francis Marion Martin.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Francis Marion Martin	Democratic	January 16, 1883 – January 20, 1885	John Ireland
15	File:Barnett Gibbs.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Barnett Gibbs	Democratic	January 20, 1885 – January 19, 1887	John Ireland
16	File:Thomas Benton Wheeler.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Thomas Benton Wheeler	Democratic	January 19, 1887 – January 21, 1891	Lawrence Sullivan Ross
17	File:George Cassety Pendleton.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	George C. Pendleton	Democratic	January 21, 1891 – January 17, 1893	Jim Hogg
18	File:Martin McNulty Crane.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Martin McNulty Crane	Democratic	January 17, 1893 – January 15, 1895	Jim Hogg
19	File:George Taylor Jester.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	George Taylor Jester	Democratic	January 15, 1895 – January 17, 1899	Charles Allen Culberson
20	File:James Nathan Browning.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	James Browning	Democratic	January 17, 1899 – January 20, 1903	Joseph D. Sayers
21	File:George D. Neal.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	George D. Neal	Democratic	January 20, 1903 – January 15, 1907	S. W. T. Lanham
22	File:Asbury Bascom Davidson.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Asbury Bascom Davidson	Democratic	January 15, 1907 – January 21, 1913	Thomas Mitchell Campbell Oscar Branch Colquitt
23	File:Mayes William.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	William Harding Mayes	Democratic	January 21, 1913 – August 14, 1914	Oscar Branch Colquitt
—	Vacant				August 14, 1914 – January 19, 1915	Oscar Branch Colquitt
24	File:William hobby.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	William P. Hobby Sr.	Democratic	January 19, 1915 – August 25, 1917	James E. Ferguson
—	Vacant				August 25, 1917 – January 21, 1919	William P. Hobby
25	File:Willard Arnold Johnson.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Willard Arnold Johnson	Democratic	January 21, 1919 – January 18, 1921	William P. Hobby
26	File:Lynch Davidson.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Lynch Davidson	Democratic	January 18, 1921 – January 16, 1923	Pat Morris Neff
27	File:Seal of Lt. Governor of Texas.svg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Thomas Whitfield Davidson	Democratic	January 16, 1923 – January 20, 1925	Pat Morris Neff
28	File:Barry Miller.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Barry Miller	Democratic	January 20, 1925 – January 20, 1931	Miriam A. Ferguson Dan Moody
29	File:Seal of Lt. Governor of Texas.svg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Edgar E. Witt	Democratic	January 20, 1931 – January 15, 1935	Ross S. Sterling Miriam A. Ferguson
30	File:Seal of Lt. Governor of Texas.svg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Walter Frank Woodul	Democratic	January 15, 1935 – January 17, 1939	James V. Allred
31	File:Coke R. Stevenson.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Coke R. Stevenson	Democratic	January 17, 1939 – August 4, 1941	W. Lee O'Daniel
—	Vacant				August 4, 1941 – January 19, 1943	Coke R. Stevenson
32	File:Seal of Lt. Governor of Texas.svg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	John Lee Smith	Democratic	January 19, 1943 – January 21, 1947	Coke R. Stevenson Beauford H. Jester
33	File:Allan Shivers.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Allan Shivers	Democratic	January 21, 1947 – July 11, 1949	Beauford H. Jester
—	Vacant				July 11, 1949 – January 16, 1951	Allan Shivers
34	File:Seal of Lt. Governor of Texas.svg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Ben Ramsey	Democratic	January 16, 1951 – September 18, 1961	Allan Shivers Price Daniel
—	Vacant				September 18, 1961 – January 15, 1963	Price Daniel
35	File:Governor Preston Smith (cropped).jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Preston Smith	Democratic	January 15, 1963 – January 21, 1969	John Connally
36	File:Ben Barnes (cropped).jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Ben Barnes	Democratic	January 21, 1969 – January 16, 1973	Preston Smith
37	File:William P. Hobby Jr..jpeg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	William P. Hobby Jr.	Democratic	January 16, 1973 – January 15, 1991	Dolph Briscoe (Democratic) Bill Clements (Republican) Mark White (Democratic) Bill Clements (Republican)
38	File:Seal of Lt. Governor of Texas.svg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Bob Bullock	Democratic	January 15, 1991 – January 19, 1999	Ann Richards (Democratic) George W. Bush (Republican)
39	File:RickPerry2006 (1).jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Rick PerryTemplate:Efn	Republican	January 19, 1999 – December 21, 2000	George W. Bush
40	File:Seal of Lt. Governor of Texas.svg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Bill RatliffTemplate:Efn	Republican	December 28, 2000 – January 21, 2003	Rick Perry
41	File:David Dewhurst head shot.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	David Dewhurst	Republican	January 21, 2003 – January 20, 2015	Rick Perry
42	File:Dan Patrick Texas (alt crop).jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Dan Patrick	Republican	January 20, 2015 – IncumbentTemplate:Efn	Greg Abbott

External links

• Legislative Reference Library of Texas
• Presiding Officers of the Texas Legislature, 1846–1982, Texas Legislative Council, Austin, Texas, August 1982.
• Duties and Powers of the lieutenant governor