Terms of Service

• Senate, 73rd ^{(3) (6) (9)} Legislature
  1/12/1993 - 1/10/1995
  Republican
  Dean of the Senate.
• Senate, 72nd & 71st Legislatures
  1/10/1989 - 1/12/1993
  Republican
  
• Senate, 70th & 69th Legislatures
  1/8/1985 - 1/10/1989
  Republican
  
• Senate, 68th ⁽⁴⁾ Legislature
  1/11/1983 - 1/8/1985
  Republican
  
• Senate, 67th ⁽⁸⁾ Legislature
  1/13/1981 - 1/11/1983
  Republican
  
• Senate, 66th & 65th Legislatures
  1/11/1977 - 1/13/1981
  Republican
  
• Senate, 64th & 63rd ⁽⁵⁾ Legislatures
  1/9/1973 - 1/11/1977
  Republican
  Senate President Pro Tempore, Ad Interim R.S., elected 5/28/1973.
• Senate, 62nd & 61st Legislatures
  1/14/1969 - 1/9/1973
  Republican
  
• Senate, 60th ⁽¹⁾ Legislature
  11/21/1967 - 1/14/1969
  Republican
  
• House, 58th ^{(2) (7)} Legislature
  1/8/1963 - 1/12/1965
  Republican
  

(1) O.H. Harris, in special election 11/11/1967, took office 11/21/1967, succeeded George M. Parkhouse, died 8/24/1967. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004 2005.
(2) Sworn 11/21/1962. Oaths of Office .
(3) 73rd Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 3/25/1993, pp. 589-590. Drew 2-year term. Senate Journal .
(4) 68th Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 3/17/1983, p. 495. Drew 2-year term (also see message from President, p. 467). Senate Journal .
(5) 63rd Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 1/10/1973, pp. 12-13. Drew 4-year term. Senate Journal .
(6) 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.
(7) Republican. 1964-1965 edition, pp. 532-533. Texas Almanac and State Industrial Guide .
(8) 2-year term; entire Senate went up for reelection in 1982 due to redistricting. Texas Constitution Art. III, §3, Election and term of office of Senators .
(9) See the Fort Worth Star Telegram, 11/23/1992 ("For the first time in modern history, the dean of the Senate will be a Republican, Ike Harris of Dallas."). Texas Senate, Secretary of the Senate - Memo, January 8, 2002, 'Deans of the Texas Senate' 2002.

Biographical Notes and Resources

Selected Newspaper articles

Resolutions and Journal entries

• 60th Legislature, 1st C.S., SR 8. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
• 68th Legislature, 2nd C.S., SR 19. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
• 87th Legislature, 1st C.S., SR 3. Resolutions - Memorial .

Texas Monthly's Best and Worst Legislators

• Named one of 'The Worst'. Best and Worst Legislators 1993.
• Named 'Most Improved'. Best and Worst Legislators 1981.
• Named one of 'The Worst'. Best and Worst Legislators 1975.

Photographs

• Photograph. O.H. (Ike) Harris, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. O.H. (Ike) Harris, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. O.H. "Ike" Harris, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. O.H. "Ike" Harris, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. O.H. "Ike" Harris, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. O.H. "Ike" Harris, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. O.H. "Ike" Harris, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. O.H. (Ike) Harris, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. O.H. (Ike) Harris, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. O.H. (Ike) Harris, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. O.H. (Ike) Harris, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. O.H. (Ike) Harris, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. O.H. (Ike) Harris, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. O.H. "Ike" Harris, State Preservation Board

Other Resources

• Memorial biographical sketch and photo. A State of Remembrance 2023.
• Background Information on Senator O.H. "Ike" Harris by John C. Heal, Jr. Donated Material .
• Oral history interviews available in Oral History Collection, University of North Texas .
• Delegate to the Texas Constitutional Convention, 1974. Record of Proceedings, Texas Constitutional Convention: Official Journals, January 8 - July 30, 1974 1975.
• Biographical sketch and photo. Senate Biographies, 63rd Legislature 1973.
• Notice of death, 7/8/2021. Speaker of the House .
• Mentioned in "Access Through the Lobby," 2/24/1995, pp. 14-17. Texas Observer .
• Biographical sketch and photo. Texas Senate, 66th Legislature 1979.
• Biographical sketch and photo. Texas Senate, 67th Legislature 1981.
• Biographical sketch and photo. Texas Senate, 68th Legislature 1983.
• Biographical sketch and photo. Texas Senate, 69th Legislature 1985.
• Biographical sketch and photo. Texas Senate, 70th Legislature 1987.
• Biographical sketch and photo. Texas Senate, 71st Legislature 1989.
• Biographical sketch and photo. Texas Senate, 72nd Legislature 1991.
• Biographical sketch and photo. Texas Senators, 73rd Legislature 1993.
• Harris, Orland Harold. Texas State Cemetery .
• United States Air Force, Captain, instructor pilot. Texas State Cemetery .
• Biographical sketch and photo. The Senators of Texas, 64th Session 1975.
• United States Air Force. Photo and salute. With Honor and Gratitude: A Special Thank You to Our Texas Senate Members Who Served Our Country 2017.

Committee Information

• 73rd R.S. - 1993
• Committee of the Whole Senate  
• Economic Development  
• Jurisprudence  
• Nominations, Special  
• Redistricting, Ethics and Elections, Committee of the Whole Senate, Special (Vice Chair) 
• Redistricting, Ethics and Elections, Committee of the Whole Senate, Subcommittee on Elections and Ethics, Standing (Vice Chair) 
• State Affairs (Chair) 
• 72nd R.S. - 1991
• Committee of the Whole on Redistricting, Special  
• Committee of the Whole on Redistricting, Special, Subcommittee on Legislative Districts (Vice Chair) 
• Economic Development (Vice Chair) 
• Economic Development Subcommittee on Insurance (Vice Chair) 
• Economic Development, Interim  
• Jurisprudence  
• Jurisprudence, Interim (Chair) 
• Nominations, Special (Vice Chair) 
• State Affairs  
• 71st R.S. - 1989
• Administration, Special  
• Committee of the Whole Senate  
• Economic Development (Chair) 
• Finance  
• Insurance Regulation, Special  
• Legislative Redistricting, Select  
• Nominations, Special (Vice Chair) 
• Public Education, Select  
• State Affairs  
• State Guaranty Funds, Select  
• 70th R.S. - 1987
• Administration, Special  
• Committee of the Whole Senate  
• Deceptive Trade Practices  
• Economic Development (Chair) 
• Finance  
• Health Care Reimbursement Alternatives, Commission on  
• Nominations, Special (Vice Chair) 
• Security for Judgments, Special  
• Space Science Industry Commission  
• State Affairs  
• 69th R.S. - 1985
• Administration, Special  
• Committee of the Whole Senate  
• Economic Development (Chair) 
• Finance  
• Local Measured Telephone Service, Interim  
• Nominations, Special  
• State Affairs  
• State Affairs Subcommittee on Elections  
• 68th R.S. - 1983
• Business, Technology and Education, Special  
• Committee of the Whole Senate  
• Committee of the Whole Senate, Subcommittee on Educational Quality  
• Economic Development (Chair) 
• Finance  
• Rules, Special  
• State Affairs  
• State Affairs Subcommittee on Nominations  
• 67th R.S. - 1981
• Economic Development (Chair) 
• Finance  
• New Federalism, Task Force  
• Redistricting, Subcommittee of the Committee of the Whole Senate, Special  
• Redistricting, Subcommittee of the Committee of the Whole Senate, Special Congressional Panel  
• State Affairs  
• State Affairs Subcommittee on Elections  
• 66th R.S. - 1979
• Economic Development (Vice Chair) 
• Education  
• State Affairs  
• State Affairs Subcommittee on Elections  
• 65th R.S. - 1977
• Economic Development  
• Education  
• Human Resources  
• Human Resources Subcommittee on Public Health and Welfare (Chair) 
• Long-term Care Alternatives  
• 64th R.S. - 1975
• Economic Development  
• Human Resources  
• Jurisprudence  
• Jurisprudence Subcommittee on Criminal Matters (Vice Chair) 
• Public Health  
• 63rd R.S. - 1973
• Constitutional Convention Planning  
• Economic Development  
• Human Resources  
• Human Resources Subcommittee on Public Health and Welfare  
• Jurisprudence (Vice Chair) 
• Jurisprudence Subcommittee on Criminal Matters  
• Prison Reform  
• Public Health  
• Special Districts, Special  
• 62nd R.S. - 1971
• Banking  
• Constitutional Amendments (Vice Chair) 
• Consumer Protection  
• County, District and Urban Affairs  
• Drug Study, Interim  
• Economic Development  
• Foreign Livestock Trade and Grain Development  
• General Investigating, Special  
• Horse Racing and Pari-mutuel Betting, Interim (Chair) 
• Insurance  
• Jurisprudence  
• Labor and Management Relations  
• Legislative, Congressional and Judicial Districts  
• Oil and Gas  
• Parks and Wildlife  
• Prairie View A&M College, Investigation  
• Prairie View A&M College, Investigation, Special  
• Public School Finance, Interim  
• Sales Tax, Interim  
• Special Districts  
• State Affairs  
• State Tax Policy  
• Transportation  
• 61st R.S. - 1969
• Agriculture and Industry  
• Banking  
• County, District, and Urban Affairs  
• Federal Programs and Relations (Vice Chair) 
• Finance  
• Insurance  
• Liquor Laws  
• Military and Veterans Affairs (Vice Chair) 
• Oil and Gas  
• Penal Servitude and Parole  
• Transportation  
• Water and Conservation  
• 60th R.S. - 1967
• Banking  
• Constitutional Amendments  
• Finance  
• Insurance  
• Legislative, Congressional and Judicial Districts  
• Oil and Gas  
• Public Health  
• State Affairs  
• Transportation  
• Water and Conservation  
• 58th R.S. - 1963
• Claims and Accounts  
• Criminal Jurisprudence  
• Examination of Comptroller's and Treasurer's Accounts  
• Public Health  
• School Districts