Texas Legislators: Past & Present

Irma Rangel

Full Name: Irma Lerma Rangel
Birth date: May 15, 1931
Death date: March 18, 2003

Terms of Service

House, 78th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾ ⁽⁴⁾ Legislature
1/14/2003 - 3/18/2003
Democrat
House, 77th Legislature
1/9/2001 - 1/14/2003
Democrat
House, 76th Legislature
1/12/1999 - 1/9/2001
Democrat
House, 75th Legislature
1/14/1997 - 1/12/1999
Democrat
House, 74th Legislature
1/10/1995 - 1/14/1997
Democrat
House, 73rd Legislature
1/12/1993 - 1/10/1995
Democrat
House, 72nd Legislature
1/8/1991 - 1/12/1993
Democrat
House, 71st Legislature
1/10/1989 - 1/8/1991
Democrat
House, 70th Legislature
1/13/1987 - 1/10/1989
Democrat
House, 69th Legislature
1/8/1985 - 1/13/1987
Democrat
House, 68th ⁽³⁾ Legislature
1/11/1983 - 1/8/1985
Democrat
House, 67th Legislature
1/13/1981 - 1/11/1983
Democrat
House, 66th Legislature
1/9/1979 - 1/13/1981
Democrat
House, 65th Legislature
1/11/1977 - 1/9/1979
Democrat

(1) Proclamation, 3/25/2003, Ordering special election in House District 43 on 4/15/2003 to serve unexpired term of Irma Rangel. Governor Rick Perry .
(2) Juan M. Escobar, in special election 5/6/2003, sworn 5/9/2003 [House Journal p. 2941], succeeded Irma L. Rangel, died 3/18/2003. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004 2005.
(3) Sworn 1/11/1983. Oaths of Office .
(4) Juan M. Escobar, in special election 4/15/2003, runoff election 5/6/2003, sworn 5/9/2003, succeeded unexpired term of Irma L. Rangel, died 3/18/2003. Texas Secretary of State - Historical Election Returns, 1992-2019 .

Biographical Notes and Resources

Selected Newspaper articles

Resolutions and Journal entries

79th Legislature, R.S., HR 693. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
79th Legislature, R.S., HR 2225. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
80th Legislature, R.S., HR 148. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
71st Legislature, 5th C.S., HR 92. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
69th Legislature, R.S., HR 445. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
70th Legislature, R.S., HR 583. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
68th Legislature, R.S., HR 392. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
80th Legislature, R.S., HR 147. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
Mentioned in 74th Legislature, R.S., HCR 122, recognizing the 100th anniversary of the first female legislators. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
73rd Legislature, R.S., HR 715. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
86th Legislature, R.S., SR 685. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
78th Legislature, R.S., HR 518. First Mexican American woman elected to the Texas House of Representatives. Resolutions - Memorial .
78th Legislature, R.S., SR 405. First Mexican American woman elected to the Texas House of Representatives, first Mexican American chair of House Committee on Higher Education, first Mexican American woman elected chair of Mexican American Legislative Caucus. Resolutions - Memorial .
78th Legislature, R.S., HR 616. Resolutions - Memorial .
78th Legislature, R.S., HR 1194. Resolutions - Memorial .
78th Legislature, R.S., HR 966, requesting that a portrait of the Honorable Irma Rangel be placed on display in the house chamber. Did not pass; last action: referred to House Administration 5/1/2003. Resolutions - Memorial .
78th Legislature, R.S., HR 1271, directing the House Administration Committee to hang a portrait of the Honorable Irma Rangel in the house chamber. Did not pass; last action: Referred to House Administration 5/20/2003. Resolutions - Memorial .

Texas Monthly's Best and Worst Legislators

Named one of 'The Best'. Best and Worst Legislators 2003.
Named one of the 'Used Furniture'. Best and Worst Legislators 1987.
Named one of the 'Squeaky Furniture'. Best and Worst Legislators 1985.

Photographs

Photograph. Irma Rangel, Members of the 78th Legislature Texas House of Representatives (CD-RW)
Photograph. Irma Rangel, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Irma Rangel, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Irma Rangel, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Irma Rangel, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Irma Rangel, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Irma Rangel, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Irma Rangel, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Irma Rangel, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Irma Rangel, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Irma Rangel, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Irma Rangel, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Irma Rangel, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Irma Rangel, State Preservation Board
Photograph, Flip Book Photographs: Texas House of Representatives, 74th Legislature 1995.

Other Resources

Photo and biographical sketch, pp. 204-206. Capitol Women: Texas Female Legislators, 1923-1999 2000.
"Irma Rangel - A Legend in Her Own Time." April/May 2003, p. 5. Hispanic Journal .
Photo and biographical sketch, Hispanic Journal, 2000 Legislative Guide 2000.
Biography in the LRL Young Texans collection. Irma Rangel 2015.
Mentioned in Minority Civil Rights and the Texas Legislature 2018.
Biographical sketch in LRL collection, 340.092 C366R 2008. Rough Road to Justice: The Journey of Women Lawyers in Texas 2008.
"Irma Rangel: Educator, Attorney, Legislator and Friend," 2006 edition, pp. 157-167. South Texas Studies 1995.
Biographical sketch included in Tejano Struggle for Representation 2004.
78th Legislature, R.S., HB 3552, Relating to naming the school of pharmacy at Texas A&M University--Kingsville and its physical facility after Irma Rangel. Texas Legislature Online .
Rangel, Irma Lerma. Texas State Cemetery .
H. Res. 159, 108th Congress, 1st Session. Expressing profound sorrow on the occasion of the death of Irma Rangel. THOMAS, U. S. Congress .
Photo and biographical sketch. Tribute to the Mexican American Legislators of Texas 1978.
Biographical sketch in LRL collection, 976.4 R638W 2022. Women Across Time = Mujeres a Través del Tiempo: Sixteen Influential South Texas Women 2022.