Terms of Service

• Senate, 57th ⁽²⁾ Legislature
  1/10/1961 - 1/8/1963
  Democrat
  Senate President Pro Tempore, 1st C.S., elected 7/11/1961.
• Senate, 56th & 55th ⁽¹⁾ Legislatures
  1/8/1957 - 1/10/1961
  Democrat
  
• House, 51st Legislature
  1/11/1949 - 1/9/1951
  Democrat
  
• House, 50th Legislature
  1/14/1947 - 1/11/1949
  Democrat
  
• House, 49th Legislature
  1/9/1945 - 1/14/1947
  Democrat
  

(1) Theatre business. "55th Texas Legislature: 20 Senators, 62 Representatives of 55th Legislature Are Lawyers; Other Legislators Have Varied Occupations, Jobs," Volume 20, Number 1, January 1957, pp. 6, 7, 48. Texas Bar Journal .
(2) 2-year term; entire Senate went up for reelection in 1962 due to redistricting. Texas Constitution Art. III, §3, Election and term of office of Senators .

Biographical Notes and Resources

Selected Newspaper articles

Resolutions and Journal entries

• 63rd Legislature, R.S., HSR 15. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
• 60th Legislature, 1st C.S., SR 118. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
• 60th Legislature, R.S., SR 213. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
• 59th Legislature, R.S., HCR 50. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
• 60th Legislature, R.S., HSR 148. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
• 61st Legislature, R.S., HSR 34. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
• 62nd Legislature, R.S., HSR 192. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
• 58th Legislature, R.S., SR 624. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
• 60th Legislature, R.S., SR 758. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
• 74th Legislature, R.S., SCR 83. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
• 59th Legislature, R.S., SR 845. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .

Photographs

• Photograph. Preston Smith, Presiding Officers of the Texas Legislature, 1846-2006
• Photograph. Preston Smith, Texas Yearbook, 56th Legislature
• Photograph. Preston Smith, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. Preston Smith, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. Preston Smith, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. Preston Smith, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. Preston Smith, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. Preston Smith, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. The signing of HB 762, 62nd R.S. Standing behind Gov. Preston Smith, L-R Billy Williamson, Bill Bass, Ed Howard, Lindley Beckworth. Photo courtesy of the family of Billy H. Williamson., Donated Material

Other Resources

• Memorial biographical sketch and photo. A State of Remembrance 2005.
• Biographical sketch and color photos, Governor Preston Smith. Choice of Texans: Leaders in the Statehouse, 61st Legislature 1969.
• SMITH, PRESTON EARNEST (1912-2003). 40th Governor of Texas. Handbook of Texas Online .
• Governor of Texas 1969-1973. Legislative Reference Library, Governors of Texas, 1846-present .
• 35th Lieutenant Governor: Preston Earnest Smith. Photo and biographical sketch. Presiding Officers of the Texas Legislature, 1846-2016 2016.
• Smith, Preston Earnest. Texas State Cemetery .

Committee Information

• 57th R.S. - 1961
• Agriculture and Livestock  
• Banking (Vice Chair) 
• Education  
• Finance (Vice Chair) 
• Interstate Cooperation (Chair) 
• Nominations  
• Public Health  
• 56th R.S. - 1959
• Agriculture and Livestock  
• Banking  
• Education  
• Finance (Vice Chair) 
• Interstate Cooperation (Chair) 
• Nominations  
• Public Health  
• 55th R.S. - 1957
• Aged Citizens  
• Agriculture and Livestock  
• Education  
• Finance  
• Military and Veterans Affairs (Vice Chair) 
• Public Health  
• Utilize Available Space in Capitol Building  
• 51st R.S. - 1949
• Appropriations  
• Congressional and Legislative Districts  
• Judicial Districts  
• Public Printing  
• Rules (Vice Chair) 
• Water Code  
• 50th R.S. - 1947
• Appropriations  
• Congressional and Legislative Districts (Chair) 
• Constitutional Amendments  
• Judicial Districts  
• Motor Traffic  
• 49th R.S. - 1945
• Congressional and Legislative Districts  
• Federal Relations  
• Judicial Districts  
• Local and Uncontested Bills  
• Motor Traffic  
• Public Lands and Buildings