79th Texas Legislature

• 79th Regular session: 11 January 2005 – 30 May 2005 • 79th First called session: 21 June 2005 – 20 July 2005 :To consider legislation that addresses educator compensation, benefits and certification. :To consider legislation that provides for public school financial accountability and that increases transparency in school district financial reporting. :To consider legislation that provides for performance-based incentives to educators and schools that attain higher levels of student achievement. :To consider legislation that funds textbooks and that creates the instructional materials allotment for public schools. :To consider legislation that provides for charter school funding and reform. :To consider legislation that provides for modifications to the recapture provisions of the public school finance system. :To consider legislation that provides for November elections for public school boards of trustees. :To consider legislation providing funding for the public school finance system and the continuation of the Texas Education Agency. :To consider legislation providing for end-of-course examinations to be used in public schools. :To consider legislation that provides for increased accountability and intervention for schools failing to meet state standards. :To consider legislation that provides for local property tax rate compression and voter approval of local property tax rates. :To consider legislation that establishes indicators of college readiness and higher levels of student achievement in the public school accountability system. :Legislation relating to limiting the use of eminent domain to take private property for private parties or economic development purposes. [https://web.archive.org/web/20051028154305/http://www.governor.state.tx.us/divisions/press/proclamations/proclamation.2005-07-08 • 79th Second called session: 21 July 2005 – 19 August 2005 :To consider legislation to limit the ad valorem tax appraisals and rates of certain taxing units. :To consider legislation that provides ad valorem tax relief and protects taxpayers. :To consider legislation to increase the homestead ad valorem tax exemption. :Legislation that addresses educator compensation, benefits, and certification. :Legislation that provides for public school financial accountability and that increases transparency in school district financial reporting. :Legislation that provides for performance-based incentives to educators and schools that attain higher levels of student achievement. :Legislation that funds textbooks and that creates the instructional materials allotment for public schools. :Legislation that provides for charter school funding and reform. :Legislation that provides for modifications to the recapture provisions of the public school finance system. :Legislation that provides for November elections for public school boards of trustees. :Legislation providing funding for the public school finance system and the continuation of the Texas Education Agency. :Legislation providing for end-of-course examinations to be used in public schools. :Legislation that provides for increased accountability and intervention for schools failing to meet state standards. :Legislation that provides for local property tax rate compression and voter approval of local property tax rates. :Legislation that establishes indicators of college readiness and higher levels of student achievement in the public school accountability system. :Legislation relating to the authorization, issuance, and funding of tuition revenue bonds. [https://web.archive.org/web/20051103154157/http://www.governor.state.tx.us/divisions/press/proclamations/proclamation.2005-07-21 :Legislation relating to an increase in the compensation of judges, including salary and retirement benefits. :Legislation related to further competition in the telecommunications market. :Legislation related to the provision of broadband over powerlines. :Legislation related to the issuance of state-issued certificate of franchise authority for cable and video services. [https://web.archive.org/web/20051103155504/http://www.governor.state.tx.us/divisions/press/proclamations/proclamation3.2005-07-21 • 79th Third called session: 17 April 2006 ==Party summary==

Senate House of Representatives ==Officers==

Senate • Lieutenant Governor: David Dewhurst, Republican • President Pro Tempore: : 'Regular Session': Florence Shapiro, Republican : 'Ad Interim' (30 May 2005-16 April 2006): Frank Madla, Democrat : 'Ad Interim' (17 April 2006-8 January 2007): Royce West, Democrat House of Representatives • Speaker of the House: Tom Craddick, Republican ==Members==

Members of the Seventy-ninth Texas Legislature at the beginning of the regular session, 11 January 2005: Senate House of Representatives : In the 2004 General Election, Elizabeth Ames Jones won the District 121 seat but declined it, having received an appointment as a member of the Texas Railroad Commission. ==Membership changes==

Senate None House of Representatives • District 48: A special election was held on 17 January 2006. No candidate received a majority of the votes on that date, so the top two candidates will face each other in a runoff. Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst, as acting governor, set the date of the runoff for 14 February 2006. [https://web.archive.org/web/20061014235554/http://www.governor.state.tx.us/divisions/press/proclamations/proclamation.2006-01-24. Donna Howard won the runoff and was later sworn in. • District 106: A special election was held on 28 February 2006 Kirk England won, but, as of 6 March 2006, has not yet been sworn in. • District 121: A special election was held on 5 February 2005. [https://web.archive.org/web/20051103154136/http://www.governor.state.tx.us/divisions/press/proclamations/proclamation.2005-01-14 Joe Straus received a majority of the votes. He was sworn in five days later, on 10 February 2005. • District 143: A special election was held on 8 November 2005. No candidate received a majority of the votes on that date, so the top two candidates faced each other in a runoff on 10 December 2005. Ana E. Hernandez won the runoff and was sworn in 10 days later, on 20 December 2005. ==Notable events==

• Sushree Prabhakari Devi, Vice-President of Barsana Dham Hindu Temple, delivered the first ever Hindu prayer in the Texas Senate. ==External links==