Terms of Service

• Senate, 73rd ^{(7) (9)} Legislature
  1/12/1993 - 1/10/1995
  Democrat
  
• Senate, 72nd & 71st Legislatures
  1/10/1989 - 1/12/1993
  Democrat
  
• Senate, 70th & 69th Legislatures
  1/8/1985 - 1/10/1989
  Democrat
  Senate President Pro Tempore, Regular Session, elected 1/13/1987.
• Senate, 68th ⁽⁸⁾ Legislature
  1/11/1983 - 1/8/1985
  Democrat
  
• Senate, 67th ⁽¹⁰⁾ Legislature
  1/13/1981 - 1/11/1983
  Democrat
  
• Senate, 66th & 65th Legislatures
  1/11/1977 - 1/13/1981
  Democrat
  
• House, 64th Legislature
  1/14/1975 - 1/11/1977
  Democrat
  
• House, 63rd ⁽²⁾ Legislature
  1/9/1973 - 1/14/1975
  Democrat
  Speaker Pro Tem, 6/18/1973.
• House, 62nd Legislature
  1/12/1971 - 1/9/1973
  Democrat
  
• House, 61st Legislature
  1/14/1969 - 1/12/1971
  Democrat
  
• House, 60th Legislature
  1/10/1967 - 1/14/1969
  Democrat
  
• House, 59th Legislature
  1/12/1965 - 1/10/1967
  Democrat
  
• House, 58th ⁽⁶⁾ Legislature
  1/8/1963 - 1/12/1965
  Democrat
  
• House, 57th ^{(1) (3) (4) (5)} Legislature
  11/23/1962 - 1/8/1963
  Democrat
  

(1) Opinion WW-1476 dated 11/15/1962 addresses terms of office for members of the House of Representatives. Newly-elected members may qualify for office and be entitled to a salary on the date the canvassing of the General Election returns is complete. Attorney General of Texas .
(2) Speaker Pro Tem, 6/18/1973. "Parker Speaker Pro Tem," 6/18/1973. Beaumont Enterprise .
(3) "Wilson Opinion Awaited on Exact End of Terms" reports "a legislator can hold office until his successor has qualified or until 'the first of the year. . .'" State canvassing board to certify results of November election on 11/23/1962. Dallas Morning News .
(4) "Senators-Elect Can't Take Oath, Draw Pay Till Jan. 8," Two newly-elected Jefferson County members took oath of office early, on 11/23/1962. "No [House] payroll place left" for Senator-elect Harrington. Dallas Morning News .
(5) "Senators-Elect Can't Take Oath, Draw Pay Till Jan. 8," House newcomers Carl Parker and Leroy Wieting took oath of office for the 58th Legislature early—on 11/23/1962—replacing D. Roy Harrington and Thomas Andrews before the end of the 57th. Dallas Morning News .
(6) Sworn 11/23/1962. Oaths of Office .
(7) 73rd Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 3/25/1993, pp. 589-590. Drew 4-year term. Senate Journal .
(8) 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 .
(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.
(10) 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 .

Biographical Notes and Resources

Selected Newspaper articles

Resolutions and Journal entries

• 67th Legislature, 1st C.S., SR 155. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
• 69th Legislature, 2nd C.S., SR 2. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
• 61st Legislature, R.S., HSR 433. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
• 61st Legislature, 1st C.S., HSR 26. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
• 65th Legislature, 2nd C.S., SR 116. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .

Texas Monthly's Best and Worst Legislators

• Awarded 'Best Amendment'. Best and Worst Legislators 1993.
• Named one of 'The Best'. Best and Worst Legislators 1991.
• Named 'Honorable Mention'. Best and Worst Legislators 1981.
• Awarded 'Sleaziest Comment'. Best and Worst Legislators 1979.
• Named 'Honorable Mention'. Best and Worst Legislators 1973.

Photographs

• Photograph. Representatives John R. Bigham, Carl Parker, and Charles Tupper on the House Floor., House Photography
• Photograph. Carl A. Parker, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. Carl A. Parker, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. Carl Parker, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. Carl Parker, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. Carl Parker, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. Carl A. Parker, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. Carl A. Parker, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. Carl A. Parker, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. Carl A. Parker, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. Carl A. Parker, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. Carl A. Parker, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. Carl A. Parker, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. Carl A. Parker, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. Carl Parker, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. Carl Parker, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. Carl A. Parker, State Preservation Board

Other Resources

• Photo and profile, pp. 22-26, March/April 1993. Metropolitan Beaumont .
• Delegate to the Texas Constitutional Convention, 1974. Record of Proceedings, Texas Constitutional Convention: Official Journals, January 8 - July 30, 1974 1975.
• Notice of death, 3/25/2024. Speaker of the House .
• Photo and biographical sketch, "Texas Government Insider," 10/31/2008, Strategic Partnerships, Inc. 2008.
• 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.
• Parker, Carl A. Texas State Cemetery .
• United States Naval Reserve, Commander, Navy lawyer. Texas State Cemetery .
• United States Naval Reserve. 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 (Chair) 
• Finance  
• Jurisprudence  
• Redistricting, Ethics and Elections, Committee of the Whole Senate, Special  
• Redistricting, Ethics and Elections, Committee of the Whole Senate, Subcommittee on Elections and Ethics, Standing  
• 72nd R.S. - 1991
• Administration, Special  
• Committee of the Whole on Redistricting, Special  
• Committee of the Whole on Redistricting, Special, Subcommittee on Legislative Districts  
• Economic Development  
• Economic Development Subcommittee on Insurance (Chair) 
• Education (Chair) 
• Environment, Interim  
• Erect a Memorial for Korean and Vietnam Veterans  
• Finance  
• Government Efficiency, Interim  
• Higher Education, Select (Co-Chair) 
• 71st R.S. - 1989
• Administration, Special  
• Committee of the Whole Senate  
• Education (Chair) 
• Finance  
• Job Training Partnership Act Monitoring  
• Jurisprudence  
• Oil Spills and Water Pollution Abatement  
• Proprietary Schools, Interim  
• Public Education, Select (Chair) 
• Texas State Artist (Chair) 
• Waste Management Policy, Task Force on  
• Workers' Compensation Insurance Policies, Special (Vice Chair) 
• 70th R.S. - 1987
• Administration, Special  
• Child Support, Interim  
• Committee of the Whole Senate  
• Education (Chair) 
• Finance  
• Higher Education in South Texas  
• Jurisprudence  
• Post-Secondary Medical, Dental, and Allied Health Education, Special  
• Protective Orders and State Employee Pension Plans  
• Security for Judgments, Special (Co-Chair) 
• Texas Veterans Memorial  
• 69th R.S. - 1985
• Administration, Special  
• Coastline Rehabilitation, Interim  
• Committee of the Whole Senate  
• Education (Chair) 
• Finance  
• Higher Education, Select  
• Jurisprudence  
• 68th R.S. - 1983
• Committee of the Whole Senate  
• Committee of the Whole Senate, Subcommittee on Teachers (Chair) 
• Education (Chair) 
• Finance  
• Higher Education  
• Jurisprudence  
• Jurisprudence Subcommittee on Civil Matters  
• Public Education, Select  
• Rules, Special  
• 67th R.S. - 1981
• Beach Development  
• Diabetes Services in Texas, Special (Chair) 
• Finance  
• Intergovernmental Relations (Vice Chair) 
• Jurisprudence  
• Jurisprudence Subcommittee on Civil Matters (Chair) 
• Quad State Project Participation, Interim (Vice Chair) 
• State Artist Selection (Chair) 
• State Artist Selection, Special (Chair) 
• 66th R.S. - 1979
• Finance  
• Financial Institutions (Chair) 
• Intergovernmental Relations (Vice Chair) 
• Jurisprudence  
• Jurisprudence Subcommittee on Civil Matters  
• State Artist Selection, Special  
• 65th R.S. - 1977
• Beaches  
• Economic Development  
• Intergovernmental Relations (Vice Chair) 
• Intergovernmental Relations Subcommittee on Housing (Chair) 
• Jurisprudence  
• Replacement of Ad Valorem Taxes  
• State Involvement In and Administration of Student Loan Programs For Texas, Special, Interim  
• 64th R.S. - 1975
• Appropriations  
• Energy Resources  
• 63rd R.S. - 1973
• Appropriations  
• Appropriations Subcommittee on Utilization of State Owned Property (Chair) 
• Calendars (Chair) 
• 62nd R.S. - 1971
• Coastal and Marine Resources, Interim  
• Highways and Roads  
• House Rules and Procedures  
• Insurance  
• Judicial Districts (Chair) 
• Judiciary  
• Poverty/Office of Economic Opportunity  
• State Affairs  
• 61st R.S. - 1969
• Constitutional Amendments  
• Federal Relations  
• Judiciary  
• Labor  
• Penitentiaries (Chair) 
• Uninsured Motorists' Coverage (Chair) 
• 60th R.S. - 1967
• Constitutional Amendments (Vice Chair) 
• Criminal Jurisprudence  
• Insurance  
• Interstate Cooperation  
• Labor  
• Organ Transplantation  
• Uninsured Motorists  
• 59th R.S. - 1965
• Constitutional Amendments  
• Criminal Jurisprudence  
• Labor  
• Penitentiaries  
• Pleasure Island  
• Public Printing  
• 58th R.S. - 1963
• Constitutional Amendments  
• Labor  
• Military and Veterans' Affairs  
• Penitentiaries  
• Public Printing