Chamber	District	Dates of Service	Legislatures	Party	City/County	Note	Counties in District
S	22	Jan 10, 2023 - Jan 12, 2027	88th ⁽¹⁾ 89th	Republican	Granbury / Hood		Bosque, Comanche, Eastland, Ellis, Erath, Falls, Hamilton, Hill, Hood, McLennan, Somervell, Tarrant
S	22	Jan 12, 2021 - Jan 10, 2023	87th ⁽²⁾ ⁽³⁾	Republican	Granbury / Hood	Senate President Pro Tempore (87th)	Bosque, Ellis, Falls, Hill, Hood, Johnson, McLennan, Navarro, Somervell, Tarrant
S	22	Jan 10, 2017 - Jan 12, 2021	85th 86th	Republican	Granbury / Hood		Bosque, Ellis, Falls, Hill, Hood, Johnson, McLennan, Navarro, Somervell, Tarrant
S	22	Jan 8, 2013 - Jan 10, 2017	83rd ⁽⁴⁾ 84th	Republican	Granbury / Hood		Bosque, Ellis, Falls, Hill, Hood, Johnson, McLennan, Navarro, Somervell, Tarrant
S	22	Jan 11, 2011 - Jan 8, 2013	82nd ⁽⁵⁾	Republican	Granbury / Hood		Bosque, Coryell, Ellis, Falls, Hill, Hood, Johnson, McLennan, Navarro, Somervell
S	22	Jul 2, 2010 - Jan 11, 2011	81st ⁽⁶⁾ ⁽⁷⁾ ⁽⁸⁾	Republican	Granbury / Hood		Bosque, Coryell, Ellis, Falls, Hill, Hood, Johnson, McLennan, Navarro, Somervell

(1) 88th Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 1/11/2023, SR 9, pp. 26-27. Drew 4-year term. Senate Journal.
(2) 87th Legislature - Senate President Pro Tempore, Regular Session, elected 1/12/2021. Senate Journal.
(3) 2-year term; entire Senate went up for reelection in 2022 due to redistricting. Texas Constitution Art. III, §3, Election and term of office of Senators.
(4) 83rd Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 1/23/2013, SR 36, pp. 81-82. Drew 4-year term. Senate Journal.
(5) 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.
(6) Averitt resignation letter dated 3/17/2010, effective 3/17/2010; Proclamations, 3/17/2010 and 5/19/2010, Ordering special election on 5/8/2010 and runoff election on 6/22/2010 in Senate District 22 to serve unexpired term of Kip Averitt. Governor Rick Perry.
(7) Brian Birdwell, in special election 5/8/2010, runoff 6/22/2010, sworn 7/2/2010, succeeded unexpired term of Kip Averitt, resigned effective 3/17/2010. Texas Secretary of State - Historical Election Returns, 1992-2019.
(8) Oath of office date, 7/2/2010. Texas Senate, Secretary of the Senate.

Biographical Notes and Resources top

Biographical Sketches

Biographical sketch, 82nd Legislature. Texas Senate.
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.
Biographical sketch and photo. Texas Senators, 85th Legislature, 2017.
Biographical sketch and photo. Texas Senators, 86th Legislature, 2019.
Biographical sketch and photo. Texas Senators, 87th Legislature, 2021.
Biographical sketch and photo. Texas Senators, 88th Legislature, 2023.

Military Service Notes

United States Army. Biographical sketch, Current Senators with Military Service, 85th Legislature: "As the Distinguished Military Graduate of the Lamar Army ROTC program in 1984, Brian was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army and served in numerous training deployments and two operational deployments. In 1990, he deployed to Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, where he was awarded the Bronze Star for Exceptional Meritorious Achievement. In 1998, he deployed to Central America as the Joint Operations Officer for Joint Task Force Aguila to execute humanitarian relief operations in the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch. In 2001, Brian was serving on the Department of the Army staff at the Pentagon as the military aide to the Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management." Texas Senate, Secretary of the Senate.
United States Army, Lieutenant Colonel (Retired). Texas Senators, 84th Legislature, 2015.
United States Army. Photo and salute. With Honor and Gratitude: A Special Thank You to Our Texas Senate Members Who Served Our Country, 2017.

Other Resources

Birdwell, Brian Douglas. Texas State Cemetery.

Photographs

Photograph. Brian Birdwell, 86th Legislature, Texas Senate
Photograph. Brian Birdwell, 82nd Legislature, Texas Senate

Composite Photographs on Display in the Capitol

81st session composite photo of Senate members (Ground floor corridor, north wall. GE.C1). State Preservation Board.
82nd session composite photo of Senate members (Ground floor corridor, north wall. GE.C1). State Preservation Board.
83rd session composite photo of Senate members (Ground floor corridor, north wall. GE.C1). State Preservation Board.
84th session composite photo of Senate members (Senate chamber, west wall. 2E.8). State Preservation Board.
85th session composite photo of Senate members (Senate chamber, west wall. 2E.8). State Preservation Board.
86th session composite photo of Senate members (Senate chamber, west wall. 2E.8). State Preservation Board.
87th session composite photo of Senate members(Senate chamber, west wall. 2E.8). State Preservation Board.

Committee Information top

88th R.S. - 2023 Border Security (Chair) Business and Commerce Education Natural Resources and Economic Development (Chair) Recommend Rules and Procedures for Court of Impeachment, Special (Chair) Redistricting, Special State Affairs
87th R.S. - 2021 Border Security (Chair) Constitutional Issues, Special (Vice Chair) Criminal Justice Education Future of College Sports in Texas, Select Higher Education Natural Resources and Economic Development (Chair) Redistricting, Special State Affairs (Vice Chair) To Protect All Texans, Special
86th R.S. - 2019 Finance Health and Human Services Transition, Legislative Oversight Judicial Selection, Texas Commission on Natural Resources and Economic Development (Chair) Redistricting, Select State Affairs
85th R.S. - 2017 Criminal Justice Economic Stabilization Fund Balance, Select Election Security, Select Finance Health and Human Services Transition, Legislative Oversight Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact Facility Legislative Oversight (Co-Chair) Nominations (Chair) State Affairs State Judicial Salaries
84th R.S. - 2015 Border Security (Co-Chair) Economic Stabilization Fund Balance, Select Finance Health and Human Services Transition, Legislative Oversight Natural Resources and Economic Development Nominations (Chair) State Affairs State Real Property Data Collection, Reporting, and Assessment, Select (Chair) Veteran Affairs and Military Installations Veteran Affairs and Military Installations Subcommittee on Border Security (Chair)
83rd R.S. - 2013 Economic Development Economic Stabilization Fund Balance, Select Education Policy for a Skilled Workforce Finance Government Organization Higher Education Higher Education Governance, Excellence, and Transparency, Select Oversight Human Trafficking Recruitment of Firearms and Ammunition Manufacturers Veteran Affairs and Military Installations (Vice Chair)
82nd R.S. - 2011 Committee of the Whole Senate Economic Development Government Organization Higher Education (Vice Chair) Human Trafficking Veteran Affairs and Military Installations (Vice Chair)
81st R.S. - 2009 Economic Development Government Organization Higher Education Veteran Affairs and Military Installations Veterans Health, Select

This website is a work in progress. Information on this website is provided as a public service by the Legislative Reference Library. The Legislative Reference Library makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy and makes no warranty in regard to its use. Users assume all risk of reliance on the information included on this site.

Have a question, comment or contribution? Email the Library or call 512-463-1252.

Many photos in Texas Legislators: Past and Present are used with permission of the Texas State Preservation Board. For permission to reproduce these photos, please contact the Texas State Preservation Board graphics coordinator at 512-475-3060.