Because of the possibility that portions of these records fall under the Public Information Act exceptions including violations of the privacy of individuals, these records must be reviewed by an archivist before they can be accessed for research. The records may be requested for research under the provisions of the Public Information Act (Texas Government Code, Chapter 552). The researcher may request an interview with an archivist or submit a request by mail, fax, or email including enough description and detail about the information requested to enable the archivist to accurately identify and locate the information requested. If our review reveals records covered by exceptions to the Public Information Act, we are obligated to seek an Open Records Opinion from the Attorney General before the files can be provided to the researcher. The Public Information Act allows the Archives ten business days after receiving the written request to make this determination.
Where necessary, records will be redacted or restricted to comply with the Public Information Act and the Attorney General's decision.
(Identify the item and cite the series), Records, Office of the Secretary, Senate, Texas Legislature. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
The Secretary of the Senate is elected by the Texas Senate as its chief executive administrator. The Secretary participates in the legislative process by calling roll and reading bills, maintaining legislative records, and receiving legislative messages and communications. The Secretary also receives prefiled bills for the upcoming session as provided for in Senate Rule 7.04, supervises the elected officers of the Senate, and controls and coordinates the operation of the central Senate staff.
Beyond his/her administrative duties in the office and legislative duties on the floor, the Secretary must satisfy the demands of his/her electorate, the 31 members of the Senate. She or he must answer queries from citizens and groups from throughout the state and the nation, and participate in ceremonial and social occasions as a representative of the Senate. During the interim, the Secretary of the Senate's office serves as a general administrative office, information center and clearinghouse for staff functions.
Records consist of memoranda, printed materials, correspondence, proclamations, messages, reports, press releases, clippings, contracts, floor plans, and a speech that document the activities of the Texas Senate's Office of the Secretary from 1982-1997, 1999 (bulk 1985-1995). Governor's appointments and messages document the terms of governors Mark White, William P. Clements and Ann W. Richards. The records include messages from the governors to the legislature and actions of the Senate in response to the governors' recommendations for appointments. Proclamations are from the governors convening sessions of the legislature and submitting matters for the legislature's consideration. The general office files document the Secretary's administrative concerns and business with various legislators, the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House, Texas state agencies, and the general public. Subjects addressed in the records include Senate policies and procedures, open records requests, background information for event planning, audits, budgets and funding, media services, and facilities maintenance, restoration, renovation, and appraisal. Finally, the records include a copy of a speech given by President George H.W. Bush to a joint session of the Texas State Legislature on April 26, 1989, plus multiple copies of tickets for the President's speech, to the Gallery and to the Floor of the House Chamber.
To prepare this inventory, the described materials were cursorily reviewed to delineate series, to confirm the accuracy of contents lists, to provide an estimate of dates covered, and to determine record types.
These records are organized into three series:
Tony Black, November 1989
Lisa M. Hendricks, March 1997
Nancy Enneking, August 2001
Accession numbers: 1989/138, 1997/057, 2001/100
These records were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the Office of the Secretary of the Senate on May 31, 1989; January 2, 1997; and February 13, 2001.
Types of records include proclamations, messages, letters, reports, and some press releases dating from 1983 to 1994 (bulk 1985-1993) held by the Texas Senate's Office of the Secretary during the terms of Texas Governors Mark White, William P. Clements and Ann W. Richards. Records document messages to the legislature by the governors and actions of the Senate in response to recommendations for appointments made by the governors. Proclamations are from the governors convening sessions of the legislature and submitting matters for the legislature's consideration. Messages and letters from the governors inform the legislature of nominations or withdrawals of nominations for various positions, giving the name of the appointee or nominee, the position, and the length of term of appointment. Memoranda are to governors from the Secretary of the Senate informing him/her of actions by the senate regarding confirmation of nominees for appointments. Reports are to the senate from the Senate Committee on Nominations informing that body of the committee's recommendations for final consideration. Of special note here are Governor Ann Richards' inaugural address (January 15, 1991) and her declaration of a state day of mourning for former President Richard M. Nixon (April 27, 1994).
To prepare this inventory, the described materials were cursorily reviewed to delineate series, to confirm the accuracy of contents lists, to provide an estimate of dates covered, and to determine record types.
Overall arrangement of the records is by legislative session and by governor. Within each session, records appear to be arranged in roughly reverse chronological order. Records remain in order as received.
(Identify the item), Governors' appointments and messages, Office of the Secretary, Senate, Texas Legislature. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Accession number: 1997/057
These records were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the Secretary of the Senate on January 2, 1997.
Because of the possibility that portions of these records fall under the Public Information Act exceptions including violations of the privacy of individuals, these records must be reviewed by an archivist before they can be accessed for research. The records may be requested for research under the provisions of the Public Information Act (Texas Government Code, Chapter 552). The researcher may request an interview with an archivist or submit a request by mail, fax, or email including enough description and detail about the information requested to enable the archivist to accurately identify and locate the information requested. If our review reveals records covered by exceptions to the Public Information Act, we are obligated to seek an Open Records Opinion from the Attorney General before the files can be provided to the researcher. The Public Information Act allows the Archives ten business days after receiving the written request to make this determination.
Where necessary, records will be redacted or restricted to comply with the Public Information Act and the Attorney General's decision.
Lisa M. Hendricks, March 1997
Records consist of memoranda, printed materials, correspondence, clippings, contracts, and floor plans that document the activities of the Texas Senate's Office of the Secretary from 1982 to 1997 and 1999 (bulk 1991-1995). The majority of the memoranda and correspondence pass between the Secretary and various legislators, the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House, Texas state agencies, and the general public. Subjects addressed in the records include Senate policies and procedures, open records requests, background information for event planning, audits, budgets and funding, media services, and facilities maintenance, restoration, renovation, and appraisal. The single appointment file regards appointments made by the Texas Supreme Court. The records reflect the work of the Office of the Secretary as an administrative center, an information center, and a clearinghouse for Senate staff functions.
To prepare this inventory, the described materials were cursorily reviewed to delineate series, to confirm the accuracy of contents lists, to provide an estimate of dates covered, and to determine record types.
These records are arranged in alphabetical order.
(Identify the item), General office files, Office of the Secretary, Senate, Texas Legislature. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Accession number: 2001/101
These records were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the Secretary of the Senate on February 18, 2001.
Because of the possibility that portions of these records fall under the Public Information Act exceptions including violations of the privacy of individuals, these records must be reviewed by an archivist before they can be accessed for research. The records may be requested for research under the provisions of the Public Information Act (Texas Government Code, Chapter 552). The researcher may request an interview with an archivist or submit a request by mail, fax, or email including enough description and detail about the information requested to enable the archivist to accurately identify and locate the information requested. If our review reveals records covered by exceptions to the Public Information Act, we are obligated to seek an Open Records Opinion from the Attorney General before the files can be provided to the researcher. The Public Information Act allows the Archives ten business days after receiving the written request to make this determination.
Where necessary, records will be redacted or restricted to comply with the Public Information Act and the Attorney General's decision.
Nancy Enneking, August 2001
This record consists of a copy of a speech given by United States President George H.W. Bush to a joint session of the Texas Legislature on April 26, 1989, plus multiple copies of tickets for the President's speech, to the Gallery and to the Floor of the House Chamber. The records were maintained by the Office of the Secretary of the Texas Senate.
To prepare this preliminary inventory, the described materials were cursorily reviewed to delineate series, to confirm the accuracy of contents lists, to provide an estimate of dates covered, and to determine record types.
The records consists of a speech and tickets filed together.
Speech, Office of the Secretary, Senate, Texas Legislature. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Accession number: 1989/138
These records were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the Office of the Secretary of the Senate on May 31, 1989.
None.
None.
Tony Black, November 1989