The 56th Texas Legislature met from January 13, 1959, to May 7, 1959, and in three special sessions from May to August of that same year. All members present during this session were elected in the 1958 general elections.

Sessions

Regular Session: January 13, 1959 – May 12, 1959 1st Called Session: May 18, 1959 – June 16, 1959 2nd Called Session: June 17, 1959 – July 16, 1959 3rd Called Session: July 17, 1959 – Aug 6, 1959

Party summary

Senate

House

Officers

Senate

* Lieutenant Governor: Ben Ramsey (D) * President Pro Tempore:

George Parkhouse George Marshall Parkhouse (May 13, 1900 – August 24, 1967) was a Democratic member of both the Texas House of Representatives and the Texas Senate from District 8 Dallas County. He did this despite having lost his left arm and left leg in a chil ...

(D),

Rudolph A. Weinert Rudolph A. Weinert (December 19, 1894 – January 24, 1974) was a politician from Seguin, Texas, who served in the Texas Senate for 27 years. Early life and family Rudolph A. Weinert was born December 19, 1894. Weinert was married to Johnnye Po ...

(D), Jarrard Secrest (D), Andrew J. “Andy” Rogers (D), Abraham “Chick” Kazen (D), Frank Owen, III (D)

House

* Speaker of the House:

Waggoner Carr Vincent Waggoner Carr (October 1, 1918 – February 25, 2004) was an American politician who served as Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives The Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the Texas House ...

(D)

Members

Senate

Dist. 1 * Howard A. Carney (D), Atlanta Dist. 2 * Wardlow Lane (D), Center Dist. 3 *

Martin Dies, Jr. Martin Dies Jr. (November 5, 1900 – November 14, 1972), also known as Martin Dies Sr., was a Texas politician and a Democratic Party (United States), Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives. He was elected as a Democrat ...

(D),

Lufkin Lufkin is the largest city in Angelina County, Texas and the county seat. The city is situated in Deep East Texas and about 60 miles west of the Texas-Louisiana border. Its estimated population is 35,021 as of July 1, 2019. Lufkin was founded ...

Dist. 4 * Jep Fuller (D), Port Arthur Dist. 5 * Neveille H. Colson (D),

Navasota Navasota is a city in Grimes County, Texas, Grimes County, Texas, United States. The population was 7,643 at the 2020 census. In 2005, the Texas Legislature designated Navasota as the "Blues Capital of Texas" in honor of the late Mance Lipscomb, ...

Dist. 6 * Robert W. Baker (D), Houston Dist. 7 * Bill D. Wood (D),

Tyler Tyler may refer to: People and fictional characters * Tyler (name), an English name; with lists of people with the surname or given name * Tyler, the Creator (born 1991), American rap artist and producer * John Tyler, 10th president of the United ...

Dist. 8 * George M. Parkhouse (D), Dallas Dist. 9 *

Ray Roberts Herbert Ray Roberts (March 28, 1913 – April 13, 1992) represented Texas's 4th congressional district from 1962 to 1981. He was a Democrat. Early life and education Roberts was born in rural Collin County, Texas in 1913. He grew up in the ran ...

(D), McKinney Dist. 10 * Doyle Willis (D),

Fort Worth Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, covering nearly into four other counties: Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise. According ...

Dist. 11 * William T. "Bill" Moore (D),

Bryan Bryan may refer to: Places United States * Bryan, Arkansas * Bryan, Kentucky * Bryan, Ohio * Bryan, Texas * Bryan, Wyoming, a ghost town in Sweetwater County in the U.S. state of Wyoming * Bryan Township (disambiguation) Facilities and structur ...

Dist. 12 *

Crawford Martin Crawford Collins Martin (March 13, 1916 – December 29, 1972) was a Texas State Senator, Texas Secretary of State and Attorney General of Texas from 1967 until his death. Early life Martin was born to Will M. Martin and Daisy (Beavers) Martin at ...

(D), Hillsboro Dist. 13 * Jarrard Secrest (D), Temple Dist. 14 * Charles F. Herring (D),

Austin Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...

Dist. 15 * Culp Krueger (D), El Campo Dist. 16 *

Louis Crump Louis Morris Crump (May 21, 1916 – April 6, 2019) was an American politician in the state of Texas. Crump was born in Santa Anna, Texas. He was a lawyer, residing in San Saba, Texas. He served in the Texas State Senate from 1959 to 1967 as a ...

(D), San Saba Dist. 17 * Jimmy Phillips (D), Angleton Dist. 18 * William S. Fly (D), Victoria Dist. 19 *

(D), Seguin Dist. 20 * Bruce Reagan (D), Corpus Christi Dist. 21 *

Abraham Kazen Abraham Kazen Jr., usually known as Chick Kazen (January 17, 1919 – November 29, 1987), was a U.S. Representative from Texas's 23rd congressional district, the first to serve in that particular position. Elected in 1966, Kazen served unti ...

(D), Laredo Dist. 22 * Wayne Wagonseller (D), Stoneburg Dist. 23 * George Moffett (D), Chillicothe Dist. 24 * David Ratliff (D), Stamford Dist. 25 *

Dorsey B. Hardeman Dorsey Brodie Hardeman (December 11, 1902 – August 11, 1992) was an American Democratic politician, attorney, businessman, farmer, and rancher from San Angelo, Texas. Background Dorsey Hardeman was born in Henderson in Chester County, Tenn ...

(D), San Angelo Dist. 26 *

Henry B. Gonzalez Henry may refer to: People *Henry (given name) *Henry (surname) * Henry Lau, Canadian singer and musician who performs under the mononym Henry Royalty * Portuguese royalty ** King-Cardinal Henry, King of Portugal ** Henry, Count of Portugal, ...

(D), San Antonio Dist. 27 * Hubert R. Hudson (D), Brownsville Dist. 28 *

Preston Smith Preston Smith may refer to: * Preston Smith (American football coach) (1871–1945), American football coach at Colgate University * Preston Smith (linebacker) (born 1992), American football outside linebacker * Preston Smith (governor) (1912–20 ...

(D), Lubbock Dist. 29 * Frank Owen, III (D), El Paso Dist. 30 * Andrew J. "Andy" Rogers (D), Childress Dist. 31 * Grady Hazlewood (D), Amarillo

House

The House was composed of 149 Democrats and one Independent. House members included future Congressmen Robert Eckhardt,

Kika de la Garza Eligio "Kika" de la Garza II (September 22, 1927March 13, 2017) was an American politician who served as the Democratic representative for the 15th congressional district of Texas from January 3, 1965, to January 3, 1997. Biography De la Garza ...

and Joe Pool, as well as future Lieutenant Governor Bob Bullock, future Texas Attorney General

, and future Land Commissioner

Jerry Sadler Gerald Anthony Sadler (September 8, 1907 – February 25, 1982), was a Democratic politician from the U.S. state of Texas. He was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1955 to 1961, the Texas Railroad Commission from 193 ...

Notes

Sources

* Legislative Reference Library of Texas

External links

{{TexasLegislatures Texas legislative sessions, 56th Texas Legislature 1959 in Texas 1959 U.S. legislative sessions