Texas Legislators: Past & Present

Chet Brooks

Full Name: Chester Edward "Chet" Brooks
Birth date: August 18, 1935
Death date: May 11, 2016

Terms of Service

Senate, 72nd ⁽⁹⁾ Legislature
1/8/1991 - 1/12/1993
Democrat
Dean of the Senate.
Senate, 71st & 70th Legislatures
1/13/1987 - 1/8/1991
Democrat
Dean of the Senate.
Dean of the Senate.
Senate, 69th ⁽⁷⁾ ⁽¹¹⁾ ⁽¹⁴⁾ & 68th ⁽³⁾ ⁽⁸⁾ ⁽¹³⁾ Legislatures
1/11/1983 - 1/13/1987
Democrat
Dean of the Senate.
Dean of the Senate.
Senate, 67th ⁽⁶⁾ ⁽¹²⁾ & 66th Legislatures
1/9/1979 - 1/11/1983
Democrat
Dean of the Senate.
Senate, 65th & 64th Legislatures
1/14/1975 - 1/9/1979
Democrat
Senate, 63rd ⁽⁴⁾ Legislature
1/9/1973 - 1/14/1975
Democrat
Senate, 62nd ⁽¹⁰⁾ Legislature
1/12/1971 - 1/9/1973
Democrat
Senate President Pro Tempore, 3rd C.S., elected 6/14/1972.
Senate, 61st & 60th ⁽⁵⁾ Legislatures
1/10/1967 - 1/12/1971
Democrat
House, 59th ⁽¹⁾ Legislature
1/12/1965 - 1/10/1967
Democrat
House, 58th ⁽²⁾ Legislature
1/8/1963 - 1/12/1965
Democrat

(1) Sworn 11/23/1964. Oaths of Office .
(2) Sworn 11/23/1962. Oaths of Office .
(3) 68th Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 3/17/1983, p. 495. Drew 4-year term (also see message from President, p. 467). Senate Journal .
(4) 63rd Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 1/10/1973, pp. 12-13. Drew 2-year term. Senate Journal .
(5) 60th Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 1/11/1967, p. 19. Drew 4-year term. Senate Journal .
(6) 67th Legislature - Presentation of Deans of Senate, 1/13/1981, p. 8. [The Senate] selected 3 Members to serve as Deans of the Senate. Senator Brooks will serve the first 4 mos; Senator Mauzy the second 4 mos and Senator Snelson the last 4 mos of the year. Senate Journal .
(7) Journal does not indicate who assumed title of Dean of the Senate during the regular session. However, Chet Brooks served as chair of the senate caucus, an honor traditionally bestowed upon the dean, pp. 4-6, 69th Legislature, Regular Session, Senate Journal .
(8) Journal refers to Chet Brooks as Dean of the Senate, p. 10, 68th Legislature, Regular Session. Senate Journal .
(9) 2-year term; entire Senate went up for reelection in 1992 due to redistricting. Texas Constitution Art. III, §3, Election and term of office of Senators .
(10) 2-year term; entire Senate went up for reelection in 1972 due to redistricting. Texas Constitution Art. III, §3, Election and term of office of Senators .
(11) Refers to Chet Brooks as 'Dean of the Senate,' 'The Ten Best and [Groan] the Ten Worst,' July 1985, Texas Monthly .
(12) Senators Brooks, Mauzy, and Snelson shared the title of dean. See the Senate Journal, 67th Legislature, Vol. I, p. 8. Texas Senate, Secretary of the Senate - Memo, January 8, 2002, 'Deans of the Texas Senate' 2002.
(13) Brooks and Mauzy shared seniority during the 68th Legislature, Texas Senate, Secretary of the Senate - Memo, January 8, 2002, 'Deans of the Texas Senate' 2002.
(14) Brooks and Mauzy shared seniority during the 69th Legislature, Texas Senate, Secretary of the Senate - Memo, January 8, 2002, 'Deans of the Texas Senate' 2002.

Legislative Reference Library

Chet Brooks

Terms of Service

Biographical Notes and Resources

Resolutions and Journal entries

Texas Monthly's Best and Worst Legislators

Photographs

Other Resources

Committee Information