Materials do not circulate, but may be used in the State Archives search room. Materials will be retrieved from and returned to storage areas by staff members.
Because of the possibility that portions of these records fall under Public Information Act
exceptions including, but not limited to, communications of citizens with a member
of the legislature, or the lieutenant governor (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section
552.101 (information confidential under specific statues, Texas Government Code,
Section 306.004)); common law privacy (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 552.101);
agency memoranda (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 552.111); student records
(V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 552.114); home address, home telephone number,
personal cellular phone number, personal pager number, personal family information
of government employees or officials (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 552.117);
motor vehicle records (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 552.130); confidentiality
of access device numbers (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 552.136); and email
addresses (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 552.137), an archivist must review
these records before they can be accessed for research. The records may be requested
for research under the provisions of the Public Information Act (V.T.C.A.,
Government Code, Chapter 552). The researcher may request an interview with an
archivist or submit a request by mail (Texas State Library and Archives Commission,
P. O. Box 12927, Austin, TX 78711), fax (512-463-5436), email
(Dir_Lib@tsl.state.tx.us), or see our web page (
Records series described in this finding aid have access restrictions specific to each of them. The terms of access are found following the series' descriptions.
Most records created by Texas state agencies are not copyrighted. State records also include materials received by, not created by, state agencies. Copyright remains with the creator. The researcher is responsible for complying with U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17 U.S.C.).
Researchers are required to wear gloves provided by the Archives when reviewing photographic materials.
None.
The governor of Texas is the chief executive officer of the state, elected by the citizens every four years. The duties and responsibilities of the governor include serving as commander-in-chief of the state's military forces; convening special sessions of the legislature for specific purposes; delivering to the legislature at the beginning of each regular session a report on the condition of the state, an accounting of all public money under the governor's control, a recommended biennial budget, an estimate of the amounts of money required to be raised by taxation, and any recommendations he deems necessary; signing or vetoing bills passed by the legislature; and executing the laws of the state. The governor can grant reprieves and commutations of punishment and pardons, upon the recommendation of the Board of Pardons and Paroles, and revoke conditional pardons. He appoints numerous state officials (with the consent of the Senate), fills vacancies in state and district offices (except vacancies in the legislature), calls special elections to fill vacancies in the legislature, fills vacancies in the United States Senate until an election can be held, and serves as ex officio member of several state boards.
The office of governor was first established by the Constitution of 1845 and superseded the office of president of the Republic of Texas. The position now exists under authority of Article IV, Section 1 of the Constitution of 1876 and Texas Government Code, Chapter 401. To be elected governor, a person must be at least thirty years old, a United States citizen, and a resident of Texas for at least five years preceding the election. In 1972, the term of office was extended from two to four years, effective in 1975. Since 1856 the governor has had the use of the Governor's Mansion.
In 1999 there were 198 full time equivalent employees in the Office of the Governor. Thirteen divisions outside of the Executive Office assist the governor in carrying out his functions: Administration, Appointments, Budget & Planning, Communications, General Counsel, Legislative, Policy, Scheduling, Criminal Justice Division, Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities, Office of Film, Music, Television and Multimedia Industries, Women's Commission, and Texas Council on Workforce and Economic Competitiveness.
Within the Executive Office, Ofelia Vanden Bosch served as Governor George W. Bush's administrative assistant, handling his in office schedule. Israel Hernandez traveled with the Governor and maintained the speech file. Logan Walters was responsible for the gift log.
(Sources include:
George W. Bush served as governor of Texas from January 17, 1995 to December 21, 2000, resigning as governor in the middle of his second term to become president of the United States.
He challenged the incumbent governor, Democrat Ann Richards, running on promises to improve public education and to reform the juvenile justice system, welfare, and the state's tort laws -- the system under which an injured person may sue for damages. During the 74th Legislature in 1995, he worked with the Democrats who controlled both houses of the Texas legislature and managed to get bills passed that dealt with the four issues he had emphasized in his campaign. Bush was seen as pro-business and a consensus-builder.
Bush advocated and signed the two largest tax cuts to date in Texas history, totaling over $3 billion. To pay for the cuts, he sought (unsuccessfully) federal approval of a plan to privatize Texas' social services. Education reform was a priority throughout his terms, with legislation emphasizing local control of schools, higher standards, and a revised curriculum. Controversy has followed, with charter schools mired in financial scandals and protests against one test determining a child's promotion. After winning reelection in 1998, Bush began his bid for the presidency and was not as involved in the 76th Legislature in 1999.
George W. Bush was born July 6, 1946 in New Haven, Connecticut and grew up in Midland and Houston, Texas. He graduated from Andover Academy, and received a bachelor's degree from Yale University and a master's from Harvard Business School. He served as a pilot in the Texas Air National Guard. In 1978, Bush was defeated in a run for the U.S. Congress in West Texas. He was involved in energy exploration from the 1970s into the 1980s. From 1989 until his election as governor, Bush worked with the Texas Rangers baseball organization, leading a group of partners in purchasing the team, and then serving as managing general partner. He married Laura Welch in 1977; they have two daughters.
(Sources include: Versions of the Governor's Office web site during Governor Bush's
term available on the Internet Archive at
Executive Office staff provided support services to Governor George W. Bush as he carried out his duties as governor. Executive Office records of Texas Governor George W. Bush (1995-2000) include printouts of and attachments to the electronic gift log; schedules and calendars including a transition office calendar; Transition Office correspondence; copies of out-of-state letters notifying the acting governor when Bush would be absent from and returning to the state to resume his gubernatorial duties; autograph and photo requests; photo op requests and attachments; Press Christmas party photographs; and visitors' registers. The material dates from 1976, 1982-1984, 1987, 1989-2000, bulk 1995-2000.
The gift logs series consist mainly of printouts from the gift log database with some attachments maintained by the Governor's Executive Office staff and administered by intern and personal aide, Logan Walters. Records date from 1976, 1982, 1984, 1987, 1989-2000, the bulk dating 1995-2000. Attachments are correspondence, cards, memoranda, notes, clippings, and a few photographs, primarily from constituents, corporations, legislators, foreign officials, personal friends, and others, that accompanied the gifts to the Governor; and copies of the Governor's thank you letters, a few handwritten, acknowledging receipt of these gifts.
The schedules and calendars series provides a comprehensive agenda of Governor George W. Bush's out of office activities and travel, dating 1995-2000. Records also include edited schedules, January 1995-May 1999; a Transition Office calendar, dated January 1-16, 1995; handwritten office calendars (1995-2000); and Lotus printouts of office schedules, dating April 1998-December 1998 and January-July, 2000 (scattered dates).
Transition Office correspondence to and from Governor-elect George W. Bush consists mainly of congratulatory letters; appointment requests and recommendations; constituents' concerns on various issues; requests for and copies from Governor-elect Bush of recognition letters for Eagle Scouts, birthdays, anniversaries, etc.; reference requests; and meeting and conference invitations, dating 1983, 1993-1995.
Out-of-state letters are copies of correspondence notifying the Lieutenant Governor,
or other acting governors, of the approximate date and time Governor George W. Bush
would be absent from the state and when he would be returning to resume his duties
as governor, 1999-2000. Also included are copies of the Governor's out-of-state time
sheets, June 1999-July 2000, and a few Executive Office fax cover sheets, undated.
Additional out-of-state letters can be found in the file
Autograph and photo request correspondence and logs, 1995-2000, bulk 1998-1999, include cards, memoranda, notes, clippings, and a few photographs from the Executive Office of Texas Governor George W. Bush. The three autograph logs that are also present are dated April-November 1995.
Photo op request forms with some attachments concern requests from individuals or groups to be photographed with Texas Governor George W. Bush, 1996-1999, bulk 1998-1999.
Photographs are from the Texas Governor's Office Press Christmas parties held at the Governor's Mansion, 1995-1998. Most are images of Governor's Office staff or members of the press, both local and statewide, and their families posing with Governor George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush. Unidentified photograph numbers are not included in the folder listing. Bette Redman Reichman, Public Eye Photography, Austin, Texas, holds the copyright on all of the photographs in this series.
Bound volumes of visitors' registers, 1995-2000, record such information as the day's date, visitor's name and address, and arrival and departure times of visitors who signed in while visiting the office of Texas Governor George W. Bush. There are no registers present for the dates April 2, 1997 through February 5, 1998 or February 18 through July 18, 1999.
These records are organized into eight series.
(Identify the item and cite the series), Texas Governor George W. Bush Executive Office records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Sherry Severson, July 2004
Finding aid updated and made DACS compliant by Jessica Tucker and Tonia J. Wood, April 2013
Accession number: 2002/151
In December 2000, Governor George W. Bush designated the George Bush Presidential Library as the repository for the records from his tenure as Governor of Texas, under authority of Texas Government Code, Section 441.201. Shortly after he left office, the records were shipped to the Bush Library in College Station, Texas. Texas Attorney General John Cornyn ruled the records are state records subject to the Texas Public Information Act and the management of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission even after transfer to a federal facility (Opinion No. JC-0498, May 3, 2002). In July 2002 the records were transferred from the Bush Library to the Texas State Archives in Austin for preparation for research use. In June 2003, a memorandum of understanding signed by representatives of the National Archives and Records Administration, the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, and George W. Bush replaced a January 2002 interim memorandum of understanding. The records were moved to the George W. Bush Presidential Library in February 2013.
Governor George W. Bush's Executive Office staff maintained gift logs to provide a record of gifts received by the governor and the identity of the gift donors. The gift logs series consist mainly of printouts from the gift log database along with attachments maintained by the Governor's Executive Office staff and administered by intern and personal aide, Logan Walters, concerning gifts sent to Texas Governor George W. Bush. Records date from 1976, 1982, 1984, 1987, 1989-2000, the bulk dating from 1995-2000. The gift log printouts list such information as the unique ID number assigned to each gift; name, address, and telephone number of donor; brief gift description; artist or author's name when applicable; date gift received; disposition of gift; date donor was thanked; and estimated value of each gift. Attachments are correspondence, cards, memoranda, notes, clippings, and a few photographs, primarily from constituents, corporations, legislators, foreign officials, personal friends, and others, that accompanied the gifts to the Governor; and copies of the Governor's thank you letters, a few handwritten, acknowledging receipt of these gifts. Some of the gifts were accepted for the state, eaten, returned, donated, purchased, sent to the Texas State Archives, or sent to the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum. As there are some printouts missing from this series, especially from 1995 to 1996, consult the Gifts database on CD-ROM, because it contains a more complete list of the gifts received by the Governor's office. This CD-ROM was created by the Governor's office and is available from the Texas State Archives.
These records are arranged in reverse numeric order by computer generated unique ID number.
(Identify the item), Gift logs, Texas Governor George W. Bush Executive Office records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Because of the possibility that portions of these records fall under Public Information Act
exceptions including, but not limited to, communications of citizens with a
member of the legislature, or the lieutenant governor (V.T.C.A., Government
Code, Section 552.101 (information confidential under specific statues,
Texas Government Code, Section 306.004)); common law privacy (V.T.C.A.,
Government Code, Section 552.101); agency memoranda (V.T.C.A., Government
Code, Section 552.111); home address, home telephone number, personal
cellular phone number, personal pager number, personal family information of
government employees or officials (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section
552.117); confidentiality of access device numbers (V.T.C.A., Government
Code, Section 552.136); and email addresses (V.T.C.A., Government Code,
Section 552.137), an archivist must review these records before they can be
accessed for research. The records may be requested for research under the
provisions of the Public Information Act (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Chapter
552). The researcher may request an interview with an archivist or submit a
request by mail (Texas State Library and Archives Commission, P. O. Box
12927, Austin, TX 78711), fax (512-463-5436), email
(Dir_Lib@tsl.state.tx.us), or see our web page (
Researchers are required to wear gloves provided by the Archives when reviewing photographic materials.
Sherry Severson, July 2004
Executive Office staff created schedules and calendars to provide a comprehensive agenda of Texas Governor George W. Bush's out of office activities and travel. Records date from 1995 to 2000. Included are detailed schedules of gubernatorial events providing information such as event name, departure date and time, approximate number of attendees, introductory speaker's name, manifest of staff traveling with the Governor, approximate length of Governor's remarks, and contact names and telephone numbers. Records also include edited schedules, January 1995-May 1999, where information concerning times of departure and airplane registration numbers was redacted by the Governor's Office for security purposes. In addition, calendars created and maintained for the Governor by Ofelia Vanden Bosch are present, which include a Transition Office calendar, dated January 1-16, 1995, and handwritten office calendars (1995-2000). Lotus printouts of office schedules are also included, dating April 1998-December 1998 and January-July 2000 (scattered dates).
These records are arranged by type and then in chronological order.
(Identify the item), Schedules and calendars, Texas Governor George W. Bush Executive Office records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Because of the possibility that portions of these records fall under Public Information Act
exceptions including, but not limited to, home address, home telephone
number, personal cellular phone number, personal pager number, personal
family information of government employees or officials (V.T.C.A.,
Government Code, Section 552.117), an archivist must review these records
before they can be accessed for research. The records may be requested for
research under the provisions of the Public Information Act (V.T.C.A.,
Government Code, Chapter 552). The researcher may request an interview with
an archivist or submit a request by mail (Texas State Library and Archives
Commission, P. O. Box 12927, Austin, TX 78711), fax (512-463-5436), email
(Dir_Lib@tsl.state.tx.us), or see our web page (
Sherry Severson, July 2004
The Transition Office division of the Executive Office assisted Governor-elect George W. Bush in the process of becoming governor of Texas. Records are Transition Office correspondence to and from Governor-elect George W. Bush consisting mainly of congratulatory letters; appointment requests and recommendations; constituents' concerns on various issues; requests for and copies from Governor-elect Bush of recognition letters for Eagle Scouts, birthdays, anniversaries, etc.; reference requests; and meeting and conference invitations dating 1993-1995, with attachments dating back to 1983. Correspondents include campaign supporters, friends, legislators, pastors of Austin-area churches, and the general public. Notes by Ofelia Vanden Bosch, administrative assistant, indicating disposition of correspondence are present, as are a few handwritten responses by Bush.
These records are arranged somewhat chronologically by year.
(Identify the item), Transition Office correspondence, Texas Governor George W. Bush Executive Office records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Because of the possibility that portions of these records fall under Public Information Act
exceptions including, but not limited to, communications of citizens with a
member of the legislature, or the lieutenant governor (V.T.C.A., Government
Code, Section 552.101 (information confidential under specific statues,
Texas Government Code, Section 306.004)); common law privacy (V.T.C.A.,
Government Code, Section 552.101); agency memoranda (V.T.C.A., Government
Code, Section 552.111); student records (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section
552.114); home address, home telephone number, personal cellular phone
number, personal pager number, personal family information of government
employees or officials (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 552.117); motor
vehicle records (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 552.130);
confidentiality of access device numbers (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section
552.136); and email addresses (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 552.137),
an archivist must review these records before they can be accessed for
research. The records may be requested for research under the provisions of
the Public Information Act (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Chapter 552). The
researcher may request an interview with an archivist or submit a request by
mail (Texas State Library and Archives Commission, P. O. Box 12927, Austin,
TX 78711), fax (512-463-5436), email (Dir_Lib@tsl.state.tx.us), or see our
web page (
Sherry Severson, July 2004
The Executive Office composed letters (known as "out-of-state") to notify the Lieutenant
Governor, or other acting governors, of the approximate date and time
Governor George W. Bush would be absent from the state and when he would be
returning to resume his duties as governor. Letters are copies of
correspondence and date 1999-2000. Letters are addressed to Lieutenant
Governor Rick Perry, Senator Rodney Ellis, and Speaker of the House James
E.
These records are arranged in reverse chronological order.
(Identify the item), Out-of-state letters, Texas Governor George W. Bush Executive Office records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Sherry Severson, July 2004
The Executive Office responded to requests for Governor George W. Bush's autograph and
personalized photographs signed by the governor. Records are autograph and
photo request correspondence and logs, 1995-2000, bulk 1998-1999, along with
attachments including cards, memoranda, notes, clippings, and a few
photographs from the Executive Office of Texas Governor George W. Bush.
Requests are for the Governor's autograph, his autographed photo,
personalized photos to be signed by the Governor, and his signature on such
items as baseballs, posters, golf balls, sports' scorecards, clothing, and
books. Also included are three autograph logs, April-November 1995,
recording the date each request was received, description of request, and
the requestor's name, address, and telephone number. Correspondents are
primarily constituents, legislators, award recipients, schoolteachers,
students, autograph collectors, and others. From the dates of the records,
it appears that in February 2000 this function was moved to the
These records are arranged in chronological order by year.
(Identify the item), Autograph and photo request correspondence and logs, Texas Governor George W. Bush Executive Office records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Because of the possibility that portions of these records fall under Public Information Act
exceptions including, but not limited to, communications of citizens with a
member of the legislature, or the lieutenant governor (V.T.C.A., Government
Code, Section 552.101 (information confidential under specific statues,
Texas Government Code, Section 306.004)); common law privacy (V.T.C.A.,
Government Code, Section 552.101); agency memoranda (V.T.C.A., Government
Code, Section 552.111); student records (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section
552.114); home address, home telephone number, personal cellular phone
number, personal pager number, personal family information of government
employees or officials (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 552.117); motor
vehicle records (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 552.130);
confidentiality of access device numbers (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section
552.136); and email addresses (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 552.137),
an archivist must review these records before they can be accessed for
research. The records may be requested for research under the provisions of
the Public Information Act (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Chapter 552). The
researcher may request an interview with an archivist or submit a request by
mail (Texas State Library and Archives Commission, P. O. Box 12927, Austin,
TX 78711), fax (512-463-5436), email (Dir_Lib@tsl.state.tx.us), or see our
web page (
Researchers are required to wear gloves provided by the Archives when reviewing photographic materials.
Sherry Severson, July 2004
The Executive Office responded to and coordinated requests from groups and individuals to
be photographed with Governor George W. Bush. Records are mainly photo op
request forms with some attachments concerning requests from individuals or
groups to be photographed with Texas Governor George W. Bush, 1996-1999,
bulk 1998-1999. The photo op request forms list such information as date and
time of photo; contact person; organization's name, address, and telephone
numbers; reason for request; if request concerns a proclamation; number of
people attending; photographer's name; representative and/or senator's name;
and possible alternate dates. Attachments are daily photo opportunity
schedules, official photographic guidelines, Texas State Capitol driving and
parking instructions, memoranda, notes, correspondence, proclamation copies,
fax cover sheets, and a few photographs. Photo op requests were primarily
from legislators, private and non-profit organizational leaders, private
citizens, state government officials, foreign officials, teachers, students,
and others. It should be noted that the majority of the photo op requests
forms from 1997 to 1999 list Austin photographer, Bill Records, as the
photographer for the Governor's Office. Additional photo op requests can be
found in the file
These records are arranged in chronological order.
(Identify the item), Photo op requests, Texas Governor George W. Bush Executive Office records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Because of the possibility that portions of these records fall under Public Information Act
exceptions including, but not limited to, communications of citizens with a
member of the legislature, or the lieutenant governor (V.T.C.A., Government
Code, Section 552.101 (information confidential under specific statues,
Texas Government Code, Section 306.004)); common law privacy (V.T.C.A.,
Government Code, Section 552.101); agency memoranda (V.T.C.A., Government
Code, Section 552.111); student records (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section
552.114); home address, home telephone number, personal cellular phone
number, personal pager number, personal family information of government
employees or officials (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 552.117); motor
vehicle records (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 552.130);
confidentiality of access device numbers (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section
552.136); and email addresses (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 552.137),
an archivist must review these records before they can be accessed for
research. The records may be requested for research under the provisions of
the Public Information Act (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Chapter 552). The
researcher may request an interview with an archivist or submit a request by
mail (Texas State Library and Archives Commission, P. O. Box 12927, Austin,
TX 78711), fax (512-463-5436), email (Dir_Lib@tsl.state.tx.us), or see our
web page (
Researchers are required to wear gloves provided by the Archives when reviewing photographic materials.
Sherry Severson, July 2004
Governor Bush hosted annual Christmas parties for members of the press at the Governor's Mansion. Records are photographs from the Texas Governor's Office Press Christmas parties held at the Governor's Mansion, 1995-1998. Most are images of Governor's Office staff or members of the press, both local and statewide, and their families posing with Governor George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush. Unidentified photographs are not included in the list of images. As images are identified, they will be added to this finding aid. Bette Redman Reichman, Public Eye Photography, Austin, Texas, holds the copyright on all of the photographs in this series.
These records are arranged in chronological order by year, and are in no particular order within each year.
(Identify the item), Press Christmas party photographs, Texas Governor George W. Bush Executive Office records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Bette Redman Reichman, Public Eye Photography, Austin, Texas, holds the copyright on all of the photographs in this series.
Researchers are required to wear gloves provided by the Archives when reviewing photographic materials.
Sherry Severson, July 2004
The Executive Office maintained a record of visitors who visited the office of Texas
Governor George W. Bush. Records are bound volumes of visitors' registers,
1995-2000, recording such information as the day's date, visitor's name and
address, and arrival and departure times of visitors who signed in while
visiting the office of Texas Governor George W. Bush. There are no registers
present for the dates April 2, 1997 through February 5, 1998 or February 18
through July 18, 1999. An additional visitors' register can be found in the
file
These records are arranged in chronological order.
(Identify the item), Visitors' registers, Texas Governor George W. Bush Executive Office records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Sherry Severson, July 2004