Bill Ratliff

Full Name: William R. "Bill" Ratliff

Terms of Service
Biographical Notes
Committee Information
Legislation

Terms of Service top

Chamber	District	Dates of Service	Legislatures	Party	City/County	Note	Counties in District
S	1	Jan 14, 2003 - Jan 10, 2004	78th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾ ⁽³⁾	Republican	Mount Pleasant / Titus		Bowie, Camp, Cass, Franklin, Gregg, Harrison, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Panola, Red River, Rusk, Smith, Titus, Upshur, Wood
S	1	Jan 12, 1999 - Jan 14, 2003	76th 77th ⁽⁴⁾ ⁽⁵⁾	Republican	Mount Pleasant / Titus		Bowie, Camp, Cass, Delta, Franklin, Gregg, Harrison, Hopkins, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Red River, Rusk, Smith, Titus, Upshur
S	1	Jan 10, 1995 - Jan 12, 1999	75th ⁽⁶⁾ 74th ⁽⁷⁾ 75th ⁽⁶⁾	Republican	Mount Pleasant / Titus	Senate President Pro Tempore (75th)	Bowie, Camp, Cass, Delta, Franklin, Gregg, Harrison, Hopkins, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Red River, Rusk, Smith, Titus, Upshur
S	1	Jan 12, 1993 - Jan 10, 1995	73rd ⁽⁸⁾ ⁽⁹⁾	Republican	Mount Pleasant / Titus		Bowie, Camp, Cass, Delta, Franklin, Gregg, Harrison, Hopkins, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Panola, Red River, Rusk, Titus, Upshur
S	1	Jan 10, 1989 - Jan 12, 1993	71st 72nd	Republican	Mount Pleasant / Titus		Bowie, Camp, Cass, Delta, Franklin, Gregg, Harrison, Hopkins, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Panola, Red River, Titus, Upshur

(1) Member retiring. "Ratliff to step down Jan. 10," 11/21/2003. Dallas Morning News.
(2) Kevin Eltife, in special election 2/17/2004, sworn 3/5/2004, succeeded William R. Ratliff, resigned 1/10/2004. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005.
(3) 78th Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 1/14/2003, SR 7, pp. 15-16. Drew 4-year term. Senate Journal.
(4) Ratliff simultaneously held position of lieutenant governor and of senator as provided in Section 9, Article III, Texas Constitution, following Lieutenant Governor Perry's succession to governor. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005.
(5) Elected Lieutenant Governor by colleagues in Texas Senate 12/28/2000. Presiding Officers of the Texas Legislature, 1846-2016, 2016.
(6) 75th Legislature - Senate President Pro Tempore, Ad Interim R.S., elected 6/2/1997. Senate Journal.
(7) 74th Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 1/11/1995, pp. 75-76. Drew 4-year term. Senate Journal.
(8) 73rd Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 3/25/1993, pp. 589-590. Drew 2-year term. Senate Journal.
(9) 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.

Terms of Service top

Senate District 1
Jan 14, 2003 - Jan 10, 2004
Legislatures: 78th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾ ⁽³⁾
Party: Republican
Home City/County: Mount Pleasant / Titus
Counties in district: Bowie, Camp, Cass, Franklin, Gregg, Harrison, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Panola, Red River, Rusk, Smith, Titus, Upshur, Wood

Senate District 1
Jan 12, 1999 - Jan 14, 2003
Legislatures: 76th 77th ⁽⁴⁾ ⁽⁵⁾
Party: Republican
Home City/County: Mount Pleasant / Titus
Counties in district: Bowie, Camp, Cass, Delta, Franklin, Gregg, Harrison, Hopkins, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Red River, Rusk, Smith, Titus, Upshur

Senate District 1
Jan 10, 1995 - Jan 12, 1999
Legislatures: 75th ⁽⁶⁾ 74th ⁽⁷⁾ 75th ⁽⁶⁾
Senate President Pro Tempore (75th)
(75th)
(75th)
Party: Republican
Home City/County: Mount Pleasant / Titus
Counties in district: Bowie, Camp, Cass, Delta, Franklin, Gregg, Harrison, Hopkins, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Red River, Rusk, Smith, Titus, Upshur

Senate District 1
Jan 12, 1993 - Jan 10, 1995
Legislatures: 73rd ⁽⁸⁾ ⁽⁹⁾
Party: Republican
Home City/County: Mount Pleasant / Titus
Counties in district: Bowie, Camp, Cass, Delta, Franklin, Gregg, Harrison, Hopkins, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Panola, Red River, Rusk, Titus, Upshur

Senate District 1
Jan 10, 1989 - Jan 12, 1993
Legislatures: 71st 72nd
Party: Republican
Home City/County: Mount Pleasant / Titus
Counties in district: Bowie, Camp, Cass, Delta, Franklin, Gregg, Harrison, Hopkins, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Panola, Red River, Titus, Upshur

Biographical Information top

Resolutions and Journal entries

72nd Legislature, 1st C.S., SR 176. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary.

Biographical Sketches

Biography in LRL collection, 328.73092 ST45B 2016. Bill Ratliff: A Profile of Courage and Leadership in American Politics, 2016.
40th Lieutenant Governor: Bill Ratliff. Photo and biographical sketch. Presiding Officers of the Texas Legislature, 1846-2016, 2016.
Photo and biographical sketch included in "Texas Government Insider," June 2008. Strategic Partnerships, Inc., 2008.
Biographical sketch, "TCJL's 'Eleven Best' Legislators," July 1999, pp. 1, 3. Texas Civil Justice League Advocate.
Biographical sketch, "Movers and Shakers: Meet the Legislators Who Make the Decisions About Public Education," March 1995, pp. 13-17. Texas Lone Star.
Legislative profile, 74th Legislature, 1995. "Scenes From the 74th: The Laney-Bush Session," 6/16/1995. Texas Observer.
Biographical sketch, 77th 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.

Military Service Notes

United States Army Reserve, Sergeant. Texas Senators, 78th Legislative Session, 2003.
United States Army Reserve. Photo and salute. With Honor and Gratitude: A Special Thank You to Our Texas Senate Members Who Served Our Country, 2017.

Other Resources

"Texas' Ratliff Among Profiles in Courage Winners," 5/17/2005, p. A2. Austin American-Statesman.
Star Legislator, "Legislative Stars Shine Through Difficult Session," Volume 15, Number 2, Summer 1995, pp. 8-9, 29. The Classroom Teacher: The Magazine of the Texas Classroom Teachers Association.
Relatives: William "Bill" Ratliff - father; Bennett Ratliff - son. "Five GOP Candidates Vying to Replace Longtime Texas House District 115 Representative," 5/20/2012. Dallas Morning News.
Bill Ratliff named 2005 recipient of the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award, March 10, 2005. John F. Kennedy Library and Museum.
News release: "Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin and Former Texas Senator Bill Ratliff receive 2005 Profile in Courage Award," 5/16/2005. John F. Kennedy Library and Museum.
Remarks of Bill Ratliff, former Lieutenant Governor of Texas, at the 2005 Profile in Courage awards ceremony, 5/16/2005. John F. Kennedy Library and Museum.
Interview on school finance reform [SB 7, 73rd Legislature], natural resources, tort reform, and engineering, "Senator Bill Ratliff, P.E. Looks at How the 74th Texas Legislature Shapes Up," January/February 1995, p. 10. Texas Professional Engineer.
Ratliff, William R. Texas State Cemetery.

Photographs

Photograph. Bill Ratliff, 78th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Bill Ratliff, 77th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Bill Ratliff, 76th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Bill Ratliff, 75th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Bill Ratliff, 74th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Bill Ratliff, 73rd Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Bill Ratliff, 72nd Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Bill Ratliff, 71st Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Bill Ratliff, Presiding Officers of the Texas Legislature, 1846-2006

Composite Photographs on Display in the Capitol

71st session composite photo of Senate members (Ground floor corridor, north wall. GE.C1). State Preservation Board.
72nd session composite photo of Senate members (Ground floor corridor, north wall. GE.C1). State Preservation Board.
73rd session composite photo of Senate members (Ground floor corridor, north wall. GE.C1). State Preservation Board.
74th session composite photo of Senate members (Ground floor corridor, north wall. GE.C1). State Preservation Board.
75th session composite photo of Senate members (Ground floor corridor, north wall. GE.C1). State Preservation Board.
76th session composite photo of Senate members (Ground floor corridor, north wall. GE.C1). State Preservation Board.
77th session composite photo of Senate members (Ground floor corridor, north wall. GE.C1). State Preservation Board.
78th session composite photo of Senate members (Ground floor corridor, north wall. GE.C1). State Preservation Board.

Committee Information top

78th R.S. - 2003 Committee of the Whole Senate Criminal Justice Government Organization Health and Human Services State Affairs (Chair)
77th R.S. - 2001 Committee of the Whole Senate
76th R.S. - 1999 21st Century Colleges and Universities, Special Committee of the Whole Senate Education Education Subcommittee on Higher Education Finance (Chair) Natural Resources
75th R.S. - 1997 Administration Children's Health Insurance, Interim Criminal Justice, Interim Education Finance (Chair) Funding Issues in Education, Interim (Co-Chair) Hopwood, and State Contract and Employment Practices, Special International Relations, Trade, and Technology Legislative and Congressional Redistricting, Committee of the Whole Senate Texas Integrated Enrollment Services, Legislative Oversight Transportation, Interim
74th R.S. - 1995 Education (Chair) Finance (Chair) Finance Subcommittee III (Chair) International Relations, Trade and Technology Legislative and Congressional Redistricting, Committee of the Whole Senate, Special Natural Resources Natural Resources Subcommittee on Agriculture (Vice Chair)
73rd R.S. - 1993 Committee of the Whole Senate Education (Chair) Finance Natural Resources Natural Resources Subcommittee on Agriculture Public School Facilities, Interim Redistricting, Ethics and Elections, Committee of the Whole Senate, Special Review of the Central Education Agency, Select (Co-Chair)
72nd R.S. - 1991 Committee of the Whole on Redistricting, Special Committee of the Whole on Redistricting, Special, Subcommittee on Legislative Districts Development Over Closed Landfills, Special Education Finance Finance, Interim Government Efficiency, Interim Natural Resources Natural Resources Subcommittee on Agriculture
71st R.S. - 1989 Committee of the Whole Senate Economic Development Employee Benefits, Select Intergovernmental Relations Legislative Redistricting, Select Natural Resources Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water Nursing Home Rate Reimbursement, Interim

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