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Lieutenant Governor of Texas facts for kids

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Lieutenant Governor and President of the Senate of Texas
Seal of Lt. Governor of Texas.svg
Dan Patrick Texas (alt crop).jpg
Incumbent
Dan Patrick

since January 20, 2015
Style The Honorable
Term length Four years, no term limits
Inaugural holder Albert Clinton Horton
1846
Formation Texas Constitution
Website Office of the Lieutenant Governor

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. These include the Legislative Budget Board, the Legislative Council, the Legislative Audit Committee, the Legislative Board and Legislative Council, 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.

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 19 January 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. By contrast, the lieutenant governor position in other states has few (if any) legislative responsibilities, akin to the vice president of the United States.

Lieutenant governors of Texas

Parties

      Democrat (38 lieutenant governors)       Republican (5 lieutenant governors)

No. Image Lieutenant Governor Years in office Governor(s) served under Party
1 Albert Clinton Horton.jpg Albert Clinton Horton May 2, 1846 – December 21, 1847 James Pinckney Henderson Democratic
2 John Alexander Greer.JPG John Alexander Greer December 21, 1847 – December 22, 1851 George Tyler Wood
Peter Hansborough Bell
Democratic
3 James w henderson.png James W. Henderson December 22, 1851 – November 23, 1853 Peter Hansborough Bell Democratic
4 David Catchings Dickson.jpg David Catchings Dickson December 21, 1853 – December 21, 1855 Elisha M. Pease Democratic
5 Hardin runnels.png Hardin Richard Runnels December 21, 1855 – December 21, 1857 Elisha M. Pease Democratic
6 Francis lubbock.jpg Francis Lubbock December 21, 1857 – December 21, 1859 Hardin Richard Runnels Democratic
7 Edward clark.jpg Edward Clark December 21, 1859 – March 16, 1861 Sam Houston Democratic
8 John McClannahan Crockett.jpg John McClannahan Crockett November 7, 1861 – November 5, 1863 Francis Lubbock Democratic
9 FLETCHER STOCKDALE.PNG Fletcher Stockdale November 5, 1863 – June 17, 1865 Pendleton Murrah Democratic
Vacant Vacant June 17, 1865 – August 9, 1866 Fletcher Stockdale
Andrew Jackson Hamilton
  –
10 George Washington Jones (Texas Congressman).jpg George Washington Jones August 9, 1866 – July 30, 1867 James W. Throckmorton Democratic
Vacant Vacant July 30, 1867 – January 8, 1870 Elisha M. Pease   –
James W. Flanagan - Brady-Handy (cropped).jpg James W. Flanagan January 8, 1870 – February 24, 1870 Edmund J. Davis Republican
Vacant Vacant February 24, 1870 – January 15, 1874 Edmund J. Davis   –
11 Richard hubbard.jpg Richard B. Hubbard January 15, 1874 – December 1, 1876 Richard Coke Democratic
Vacant Vacant December 1, 1876 – January 21, 1879 Richard B. Hubbard   –
12 GovJosephSayers.jpg Joseph Draper Sayers January 21, 1879 – January 18, 1881 Oran Milo Roberts Democratic
13 Leonidas Jefferson Storey.jpg Leonidas J. Storey January 18, 1881 – January 16, 1883 Oran Milo Roberts Democratic
14 Francis Marion Martin.jpg Francis Marion Martin January 16, 1883 – January 20, 1885 John Ireland Democratic
15 Barnett Gibbs.jpg Barnett Gibbs January 20, 1885 – January 19, 1887 John Ireland Democratic
16 Thomas Benton Wheeler.jpg Thomas Benton Wheeler January 19, 1887 – January 21, 1891 Lawrence Sullivan Ross Democratic
17 George Cassety Pendleton.jpg George C. Pendleton January 21, 1891 – January 17, 1893 Jim Hogg Democratic
18 Martin McNulty Crane.jpg Martin McNulty Crane January 17, 1893 – January 15, 1895 Jim Hogg Democratic
19 George Taylor Jester.jpg George Taylor Jester January 15, 1895 – January 17, 1899 Charles Allen Culberson Democratic
20 James Nathan Browning.jpg James Browning January 17, 1899 – January 20, 1903 Joseph D. Sayers Democratic
21 George D. Neal.jpg George D. Neal January 20, 1903 – January 15, 1907 S. W. T. Lanham Democratic
22 Asbury Bascom Davidson.jpg Asbury Bascom Davidson January 15, 1907 – January 21, 1913 Thomas Mitchell Campbell
Oscar Branch Colquitt
Democratic
23 Mayes William.jpg William Harding Mayes January 21, 1913 – August 14, 1914 Oscar Branch Colquitt Democratic
Vacant Vacant August 14, 1914 – January 19, 1915 Oscar Branch Colquitt   –
24 William hobby.jpg William P. Hobby Sr. January 19, 1915 – August 25, 1917 James E. Ferguson Democratic
Vacant Vacant August 25, 1917 – January 21, 1919 William P. Hobby   –
25 Willard Arnold Johnson.jpg Willard Arnold Johnson January 21, 1919 – January 18, 1921 William P. Hobby Democratic
26 Lynch Davidson.jpg Lynch Davidson January 18, 1921 – January 16, 1923 Pat Morris Neff Democratic
27 Thomas Whitfield Davidson January 16, 1923 – January 20, 1925 Pat Morris Neff Democratic
28 Barry Miller.jpg Barry Miller January 20, 1925 – January 20, 1931 Miriam A. Ferguson
Dan Moody
Democratic
29 Edgar E. Witt January 20, 1931 – January 15, 1935 Ross S. Sterling
Miriam A. Ferguson
Democratic
30 Walter Frank Woodul January 15, 1935 – January 17, 1939 James V. Allred Democratic
31 Coke R. Stevenson.jpg Coke R. Stevenson January 17, 1939 – August 4, 1941 W. Lee O'Daniel Democratic
Vacant Vacant August 4, 1941 – January 19, 1943 Coke R. Stevenson   –
32 John Lee Smith January 19, 1943 – January 21, 1947 Coke R. Stevenson
Beauford H. Jester
Democratic
33 Allan Shivers.jpg Allan Shivers January 21, 1947 – July 11, 1949 Beauford H. Jester Democratic
Vacant Vacant July 11, 1949 – January 16, 1951 Allan Shivers   –
34 Ben Ramsey January 16, 1951 – September 18, 1961 Allan Shivers
Price Daniel
Democratic
Vacant Vacant September 18, 1961 – January 15, 1963 Price Daniel   –
35 Governor Preston Smith (cropped).jpg Preston Smith January 15, 1963 – January 21, 1969 John Connally Democratic
36 Ben Barnes (cropped).jpg Ben Barnes January 21, 1969 – January 16, 1973 Preston Smith Democratic
37 William P. Hobby Jr..jpeg William P. Hobby Jr. January 16, 1973 – January 15, 1991 Dolph Briscoe (Democratic)
Bill Clements (Republican)
Mark White (Democratic)
Bill Clements (Republican)
Democratic
38 Bob Bullock January 15, 1991 – January 19, 1999 Ann Richards (Democratic)
George W. Bush (Republican)
Democratic
39 RickPerry2006 (1).jpg Rick Perry January 19, 1999 – December 21, 2000 George W. Bush Republican
40 Bill Ratliff December 28, 2000 – January 21, 2003 Rick Perry Republican
41 David Dewhurst head shot.jpg David Dewhurst January 21, 2003 – January 20, 2015 Rick Perry Republican
42 Dan Patrick Texas (alt crop).jpg Dan Patrick January 20, 2015 – present Greg Abbott Republican
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