Terms of Service

• Senate, 84th & 83rd ⁽⁵⁾ Legislatures
  1/8/2013 - 1/10/2017
  Democrat
  
• Senate, 82nd ⁽⁸⁾ Legislature
  1/11/2011 - 1/8/2013
  Democrat
  
• Senate, 81st & 80th ⁽⁹⁾ Legislatures
  1/9/2007 - 1/11/2011
  Democrat
  
• Senate, 79th & 78th ⁽⁴⁾ Legislatures
  1/14/2003 - 1/9/2007
  Democrat
  
• Senate, 77th & 76th Legislatures
  1/12/1999 - 1/14/2003
  Democrat
  Senate President Pro Tempore, Ad Interim R.S., elected 5/31/1999.
• Senate, 75th & 74th ⁽²⁾ Legislatures
  1/10/1995 - 1/12/1999
  Democrat
  
• Senate, 73rd ^{(3) (6)} Legislature
  1/12/1993 - 1/10/1995
  Democrat
  
• Senate, 72nd ⁽⁷⁾ Legislature
  1/8/1991 - 1/12/1993
  Democrat
  
• Senate, 71st ⁽¹⁾ Legislature
  2/27/1990 - 1/8/1991
  Democrat
  

(1) Rodney Ellis, in special election 2/13/1990, sworn 2/27/1990, succeeded Craig A. Washington, elected Congressman, 18th district, in runoff election 12/9/1989, resigned 1/23/1990. First session was 71st 3rd Called Session. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004 2005.
(2) 74th Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 1/11/1995, pp. 75-76. Drew 4-year term. Senate Journal .
(3) 73rd Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 3/25/1993, pp. 589-590. Drew 4-year term. Senate Journal .
(4) 78th Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 1/14/2003, SR 7, pp. 15-16. Drew 4-year term. Senate Journal .
(5) 83rd Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 1/23/2013, SR 36, pp. 81-82. Drew 4-year term. Senate Journal .
(6) Due to redistricting litigation, entire Senate went up for reelection in 1994. See also Clips database, 4/6/1993 - 4/8/1993, Redistricting - Legislature; and Guide to 2001 Redistricting - Appendix A, 1990s Redistricting (Texas Legislative Council). Terrazas v. Slagle, 821 F.Supp. 1162 (April 5, 1993) 1993.
(7) 2-year term; entire Senate went up for reelection in 1992 due to redistricting. Texas Constitution Art. III, §3, Election and term of office of Senators .
(8) 2-year term; entire Senate went up for reelection in 2012 due to redistricting. Texas Constitution Art. III, §3, Election and term of office of Senators .
(9) Won election in Democratic primary 3/7/2006; uncontested in general election. Texas Secretary of State - Historical Election Returns, 1992-2019 .

Biographical Notes and Resources

Resolutions and Journal entries

• 73rd Legislature, R.S., SR 586. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
• 85th Legislature, R.S., HR 452, celebrating Black History Month and honoring the leadership and vision of African American lawmakers. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .

Photographs

• Photograph. Rodney Ellis, Presiding Officers of the Texas Legislature, 1846-2006
• Photograph. Rodney Ellis, Texas Senate
• Photograph. Rodney Ellis., State Preservation Board
• Photograph. Rodney Ellis, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. Rodney Ellis, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. Rodney Ellis, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. Rodney Ellis, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. Rodney Ellis, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. Rodney Ellis, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. Rodney Ellis, Texas Senate
• Photograph. Rodney Ellis, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. Rodney Ellis, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. Rodney Ellis, State Preservation Board

Other Resources

• Biographical sketch, "Senator of the Year," p. 4. Hispanic Journal .
• Photo, mentioned in Minority Civil Rights and the Texas Legislature 2018.
• Served as acting lieutenant governor from 12/20-12/28/2000 when newly elected President George W. Bush resigned the governorship and was succeeded by Lieutenant Governor Rick Perry. Rodney Ellis, photo and biographical sketch. Presiding Officers of the Texas Legislature, 1846-2016 2016.
• "Power Outage?", by Janet Elliott, Volume 12, Number 41, 12/23/1996. Texas Lawyer .
• Legislative profile, 74th Legislature, 1995. "Scenes From the 74th: The Laney-Bush Session," 6/16/1995. Texas Observer .
• Biographical sketch, 82nd Legislature. Texas Senate .
• Biographical sketch and photo. Texas Senate, 71st Legislature 1989.
• Biographical sketch and photo. Texas Senate, 72nd Legislature 1991.
• Biographical sketch and photo. Texas Senate, 77th Legislative Session 2001.
• Biographical sketch and photo. Texas Senators, 73rd Legislature 1993.
• Biographical sketch and photo. Texas Senators, 74th Legislature 1995.
• Biographical sketch and photo. Texas Senators, 75th Legislature 1997.
• Biographical sketch and photo. Texas Senators, 76th Legislative Session 1999.
• Biographical sketch and photo. Texas Senators, 78th Legislative Session 2003.
• Biographical sketch and photo. Texas Senators, 79th Legislative Session 2005.
• Biographical sketch and photo. Texas Senators, 80th Legislative Session 2007.
• Biographical sketch and photo. Texas Senators, 81st Legislative Session 2009.
• Biographical sketch and photo. Texas Senators, 82nd Legislative Session 2011.
• Biographical sketch and photo. Texas Senators, 83rd Legislative Session 2013.
• Biographical sketch and photo. Texas Senators, 84th Legislature 2015.
• Ellis, Rodney Glenn. Texas State Cemetery .

Committee Information

• 84th R.S. - 2015
• Business and Commerce  
• State Affairs (Vice Chair) 
• Transportation  
• 83rd R.S. - 2013
• Natural Resources  
• Open Government (Chair) 
• State Affairs  
• Transportation  
• 82nd R.S. - 2011
• Committee of the Whole Senate  
• Criminal Justice  
• Government Organization (Chair) 
• Higher Education Governance, Excellence, and Transparency, Oversight  
• Open Government, Select  
• State Affairs  
• Transportation and Homeland Security  
• 81st R.S. - 2009
• Committee of the Whole Senate  
• Criminal Justice  
• Government Organization (Chair) 
• State Affairs  
• Transportation and Homeland Security  
• 80th R.S. - 2007
• Committee of the Whole Senate  
• Criminal Justice  
• Government Organization (Chair) 
• State Affairs  
• Transportation and Homeland Security  
• 79th R.S. - 2005
• Criminal Justice  
• Government Organization (Chair) 
• Nominations  
• State Affairs  
• Transportation and Homeland Security  
• 78th R.S. - 2003
• Committee of the Whole Senate  
• Criminal Justice  
• Government Organization (Chair) 
• Infrastructure Development and Security  
• State Affairs  
• 77th R.S. - 2001
• Committee of the Whole Senate  
• Finance (Chair) 
• Jurisprudence  
• Redistricting, Special  
• 76th R.S. - 1999
• Administration  
• Advisory Council on the Digital Economy  
• Committee of the Whole Senate  
• Intergovernmental Relations  
• Jurisprudence (Chair) 
• TEXAS and Teach for Texas Grant Programs, Legislative Oversight (Co-Chair) 
• 75th R.S. - 1997
• Economic Development  
• Economic Development, Interim  
• General Investigating, Special  
• Hopwood, and State Contract and Employment Practices, Special  
• Housing, Interim  
• Jurisprudence (Chair) 
• Legislative and Congressional Redistricting, Committee of the Whole Senate  
• State Affairs  
• Statutory Probate Courts Jurisdiction, Interim  
• Tax Reform and Public School Finance, Select  
• Workforce Development, Legislative Oversight (Vice Chair) 
• 74th R.S. - 1995
• Economic Development  
• Finance  
• Finance Subcommittee III (Vice Chair) 
• General Investigating, Special  
• Intergovernmental Relations (Chair) 
• Jurisprudence (Chair) 
• Legislative and Congressional Redistricting, Committee of the Whole Senate, Special  
• Workforce Development, Legislative Oversight (Chair) 
• 73rd R.S. - 1993
• Administration, Special  
• Committee of the Whole Senate  
• Economic Development  
• Finance  
• Health and Human Services (Vice Chair) 
• Historically Underutilized Businesses, Select (Co-Chair) 
• Nominations, Special  
• Redistricting, Ethics and Elections, Committee of the Whole Senate, Special  
• Redistricting, Ethics and Elections, Committee of the Whole Senate, Special Subcommittee (Chair) 
• Redistricting, Ethics and Elections, Committee of the Whole Senate, Subcommittee on Elections and Ethics, Standing  
• 72nd R.S. - 1991
• Committee of the Whole on Redistricting, Special  
• Committee of the Whole on Redistricting, Special, Subcommittee on Legislative Districts  
• Criminal Justice  
• Development Over Closed Landfills, Special  
• Erect a Memorial for Korean and Vietnam Veterans  
• Intergovernmental Relations  
• Intergovernmental Relations Subcommittee on Urban Affairs  
• State Affairs  
• State Affairs, Interim  
• State Affairs, Interim Subcommitee on Workforce Development (Chair) 
• 71st R.S. - 1989
• Committee of the Whole Senate  
• Criminal Justice  
• Intergovernmental Relations  
• Intergovernmental Relations Subcommittee on Urban Affairs  
• State Affairs  
• State Affairs Subcommittee on Elections