Terms of Service

• Senate, 89th & 88th ⁽³⁾ Legislatures
  1/10/2023 - 1/12/2027
  Republican
  
• Senate, 87th ⁽⁵⁾ Legislature
  1/12/2021 - 1/10/2023
  Republican
  Senate President Pro Tempore, Regular Session, elected 1/12/2021.
• Senate, 86th & 85th Legislatures
  1/10/2017 - 1/12/2021
  Republican
  
• Senate, 84th & 83rd ⁽²⁾ Legislatures
  1/8/2013 - 1/10/2017
  Republican
  
• Senate, 82nd ⁽⁴⁾ Legislature
  1/11/2011 - 1/8/2013
  Republican
  
• Senate, 81st ^{(1) (6) (7)} Legislature
  7/2/2010 - 1/11/2011
  Republican
  

(1) 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 .
(2) 83rd Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 1/23/2013, SR 36, pp. 81-82. Drew 4-year term. Senate Journal .
(3) 88th Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 1/11/2023, SR 9, pp. 26-27. Drew 4-year term. Senate Journal .
(4) 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 .
(5) 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 .
(6) 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 .
(7) Oath of office date, 7/2/2010. Texas Senate, Secretary of the Senate .

Biographical Notes and Resources

Photographs

• Photograph. Brian Birdwell, Texas Senate
• Photograph. Brian Birdwell, Texas Senate

Other Resources

• Book by Senator Brian Birdwell and Mel Birdwell in LRL collection, 328.764 B532B 2004. Refined by Fire: A Family's Triumph of Love and Faith: A Soldier's Story of 9-11 2004.
• Biographical sketch, 82nd Legislature. Texas Senate .
• 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 .
• 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.
• United States Army, Lieutenant Colonel (Retired). 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.
• Birdwell, Brian Douglas. Texas State Cemetery .
• United States Army. Photo and salute. With Honor and Gratitude: A Special Thank You to Our Texas Senate Members Who Served Our Country 2017.

Committee Information

• 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