Legislation authored by Benjamin Franklin Berkeley

Includes legislation with Benjamin Franklin Berkeley as the primary author for the 39th through 42nd Legislatures. For other types of authorship, search the Legislative Archive System.
Please note author information is not complete for the 43rd through 45th Legislatures or for sessions prior to the 30th.

42nd Regular Session
SB 42	Caption: Relating to amending certain Acts so as to require applicants for registration of vehicles subject to registration to exhibit to the Tax Collector receipts for ad valorem State and County and City taxes.
SB 43	Caption: Relating to the repurchase of certain public school land in Culberson County.
SB 56	Caption: Relating to amending certain statutes relative to the interest on bonds of water improvement districts.
SB 85	Caption: Relating to amending certain Acts regulating registration of non-resident motor vehicles or trailers.
SB 129	Caption: Relating to amending certain statutes authorizing the appointment of a state librarian, defining the qualifications and duties, prescribing the compensation thereof.
SB 182	Caption: Relating to providing for liens in favor of hospitals and other charitable institutions furnishing care, treatment and other maintenance of persons injured in accidents.
SB 183	Caption: Relating to making an appropriation for the benefit of independent and common school districts in the State, which maintain day schools for the blind.
SB 301	Caption: Relating to amending certain Articles by providing for the appointment of an administrator for a person, where it is necessary that such be appointed, to receive funds or money due such person from the Federal Government.
SB 377	Caption: Relating to ratifying and validating an election heretofore held in and throughout Road District Number One of Uvalde County, Texas upon the question and authorizing the issuance of certain bonds.
SB 395	Caption: Relating to repealing an Act of the 39th Legislature approving a compact entered into on February 10, 1925 by Commissioner of State of Texas with Commissioner of State of New Mexico relating to the storage, division and use of the waters of the Pecos River in the State of Texas and New Mexico.
SB 403	Caption: Relating to declaring lands set apart for the endowment of the University of Texas by the Constitution of 1876, and by an Act of the Legislature of 1883, which are now unsold, to be subject to taxation for county purposes in the counties in which they are located.
SB 430	Caption: Relating to validating the organization and creation of all school districts.
SB 433	Caption: Relating to providing for the preservation of, and preventing the destruction, mutilation and removal of certain native plants, prehistoric bones and relics and archaeological matters; prescribing offenses, fines, penalties and punishment.
SB 502	Caption: Relating to directing the Attorney General to file certain suit in regard to the waters of the Pecos River.
SB 534	Caption: Relating to authorizing the appointment of receivers for Irrigation Districts, under certain circumstances.
SCR 31	Caption: Recalling S.B 371 from Governor's office.
SCR 57	Caption: Relating to adjournment sine die on May 26, 1931.
SCR 59	Caption: Granting Lee Moore Contracting Company consent to sue the State of Texas.
SJR 4	Caption: Proposing an amendment so as to permit officers of the National Guard, the National Guard Reserves, and the Officers Reserve Corps of the United States to hold public office in Texas.
SR 14	Caption: Extending privileges of the floor to R. E. Thomason.
SR 88	Caption: Inviting John N. Garner to address the Senate.
42nd 1st Called Session
SB 37	Caption: Relating to providing for the preservation of, and preventing the destruction, mutilation and removal of certain native plants and cacti, prehistoric bones and relics, and certain other archaeological matters as defined herein; prescribing offenses, fines, penalties and punishment.
SB 60	Caption: Relating to amending certain Acts relating to an occupation tax on dealers in cigarettes.
SR 3	Caption: Inviting Claude B. Hudspeth to address the Senate.
SR 9	Caption: Inviting Nazario S. Ortiz Garza to address the Senate.
42nd 2nd Called Session
SB 8	Caption: Relating to providing relief for the Valentine Independent School District.
SCR 6	Caption: Requesting the U.S. War Department to retain certain Texas forts.
42nd 3rd Called Session
SB 16	Caption: Relating to enabling certain water control and improvement districts to create a bond liquidating fund.
SB 29	Caption: Relating to authorizing the creation of corporations formed wholly for the purpose of providing housing for families of low income and/or for reconstruction of slum areas; providing penalties for violation of regulatory measures.
42nd 4th Called Session
SR 3	Caption: Reimbursing Senator Beck for expense relating to the delivery of the Governor's message.
41st Regular Session
SB 8	Caption: Relating to fixing the open season for hunting or killing Black Tail Deer in that part of the State west of the Pecos River.
SB 9	Caption: Relating to creating the One Hundred and Ninth Judicial District of Texas and to designating the counties constituting said district, and fixing the time for holding court therein.
SB 133	Caption: Relating to better providing for the salary of Clerks of Courts of Civil Appeals and providing for deputies to said Clerks and providing for stenographers of Courts of Civil Appeals; fixing the compensation thereof.
SB 134	Caption: Relating to the transfer of cases in Courts of Civil Appeals, so as to make provision for the Clerk or his deputy to accompany the Justices of Court to the place from which cases have been transferred to discharge the duties of his office in connection with such transferred cases; providing for traveling and living expenses.
SB 168	Caption: Relating to exempting from inheritance tax, intangible personal property of a non-resident who was, at the time of his death, a resident of a State or Territory of the United States.
SB 169	Caption: Relating to providing for the taking of testimony of a witness or witnesses in this State either on written interrogatories or by oral deposition, on any mandate, writ or commission issued out of any court of record in any other State, Territory, District or Foreign jurisdiction.
SB 170	Caption: Relating to the duties of county school trustees with reference to the boundaries of school districts within their counties.
SB 187	Caption: Relating to appropriating the sum of Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00) to cooperate with the Department of the Interior of the United States Government to investigate reservoir sites and reservoir conditions on the Pecos River, authorizing the Governor to draw upon such funds and regulating the expenditure thereof.
SB 257	Caption: Relating to authorizing the Commissioner of the General Land Office to accept and award all applications for the repurchase of public school land forfeited and reappraised under Chapter 94, an Act approved March 19, 1925, and as amended by Chapter 25, an act approved October 27, 1926, for which applications or the first payment therefor were filed in the Land Office after the expiration of the time allowed by law for the filing thereof but for which applications and the first payment were so filed.
SB 259	Caption: Relating to amending certain articles providing for the redemption within two years of the lands sold under decree of court for the taxes levied by the State; providing the terms, conditions and penalties incidental thereto.
SB 268	Caption: Relating to fixing the salary of the Superintendent of Public Instruction in certain counties in Texas.
SB 351	Caption: Relating to making an appropriation for the compensation and expense of the Commissioner appointed by the Supreme Court of the United States under the decree of that Court to locate and mark upon the ground the boundary line between the State of Texas and the State of New Mexico.
SB 386	Caption: Relating to exempting the proceeds of any policy of life insurance from execution or liability to any creditor of the insured.
SB 405	Caption: Relating to creating a more efficient road system for Jeff Davis County.
SB 468	Caption: Relating to fixing the compensation of and providing for the appointment of Assistant County Attorneys.
SB 474	Caption: Relating to providing better requisitions and inhibitions relating to nepotism in connection with public offices and public employment in this state.
SB 480	Caption: Relating to providing a complete educational system commonly known as the County Unit System for Kinney County.
SB 524	Caption: Relating to providing for neighborhood roads in Brewster County, Texas, under certain conditions and circumstances.
SB 534	Caption: Relating to prohibiting the taking or killing of wild quail in Medina county for a period of five years; prescribing penalties.
SB 535	Caption: Relating to providing a rule in reference to evidence and defenses in criminal cases relative to temporary insanity caused by the recent voluntary use of intoxicating liquor or any narcotic or any narcotic drug or any marihuana.
SB 540	Caption: Relating providing for an fixing the salary of the banking Commissioner of Texas and the Deputy Banking Commissioner of Texas.
SB 541	Caption: Relating fixing limitations on revocations, countermands of payments and stop-payment orders relating to the payment of checks or drafts against bank accounts.
SB 542	Caption: Relating to changing and increasing the compensation of the Departmental Examiner of the Department of Banking.
SB 563	Caption: Relating to changing the time of holding the terms of the District Court of the Thirty-fourth Judicial District of Texas and permitting the continuing of the terms of court in Hudspeth and Culberson counties by the court.
SB 613	Caption: Relating to amending Senate Bill No. 9 which created One Hundred and Ninth Judicial District.
SCR 5	Caption: Providing for a Joint Meeting of the Senate Committee on Public Land and the House Committee on Public Lands and Buildings with the General Land Office for the purpose of securing certain information from the Commissioner of the General Land Office as part of the investigation into the sale and administration of certain public lands.
SCR 11	Caption: Resolving that it go on record favoring a fair and adequate tariff rate on all products of both the farm and ranch, and requesting the members of both Houses of Congress to give careful study to such schedule with Special attention to the interest of the farmer and stock raiser.
SCR 31	Caption: Inviting the President-elect of the United States Herbert Hoover to visit El Paso during the 11th Annual Convention of the West Texas Chamber of Commerce.
SCR 50	Caption: Requesting the Governor to return S. B. No. 257 in order to make certain corrections.
SJR 5	Caption: Proposing an amendment to provide for the constitution of Grand and Petit juries in the District Court.
SR 58	Caption: Endorsing the 10-year cooperative program for control of predatory animals as outlined by the U. S. Secretary of Agriculture.
41st 1st Called Session
SB 34	Caption: Relating to ratifying the Rio Grande Compact between the States of Colorado, New Mexico and Texas concerning the Division of the Waters of the Rio Grande above Fort Quitman; amending certain laws.
SB 35	Caption: Relating to providing for the creation of a Common School District embracing certain counties and which does not embrace the whole or any part of an independent School District, and in which there is no outstanding bonded indebtedness against any Common School District in such county, and which has an assessed valuation of more than four million and less than six million dollars, upon a vote of a majority of the qualified resident property taxpaying voters of such county voting at said election.
SB 88	Caption: Relating to validating proceedings of the district court of the thirty fourth judicial district of Texas, sitting at El Paso, in certain criminal matters.
SB 89	Caption: Relating to making an appropriation to pay claims of certain persons for losses sustained by reason of the establishment by the state of a non-cotton zone in Brewster County, Texas.
SB 110	Caption: Relating to providing for the destruction of certain predatory animals and rodent pests; authorizing an appropriation.
41st 2nd Called Session
SB 32	Caption: Relating to making an appropriation to pay claims of certain persons for losses sustained by reason of the establishment by the state of a non-cotton zone in Brewster County.
SB 33	Caption: Relating to making an appropriation providing for the destruction of certain predatory animals and rodent pests.
SB 34	Caption: Relating to amending a certain Act, known as House Bill No. 160 of the First Called Session of the 41st Legislature, relating to predatory animals.
SB 76	Caption: Relating to providing for the payment of the salaries and office and traveling expenses of the county superintendent of schools in certain counties.
SB 160	Caption: Relating to providing for certain compensation of County Commissioners in Presidio County in connection with public roads.
SCR 15	Caption: Directing the creation of a committee to confer with a committee from the State of New Mexico in order to settle certain disputes regarding the boundary between the two States.
SCR 24	Caption: Requesting the Governor to return S. C. R. No. 15. to the Senate for further consideration.
41st 3rd Called Session
SB 25	Caption: Relating to creating the 112th Judicial District and reorganizing the 33rd and 83rd Districts.
41st 4th Called Session
SB 38	Caption: Relating to authorizing the appointment of a State Librarian.
SB 43	Caption: Relating to amending the stock law as to Culberson County.
SB 51	Caption: Relating to creating and validating Maverick County Water Control and Improvement District No. 1.
SB 52	Caption: Relating to providing for the adoption of what is commonly known as the County Unit System of education in certain counties.
SCR 16	Caption: Requesting the House to return H. B. No. 10 to the Senate for further consideration.
41st 5th Called Session
SB 23	Caption: Relating to authorizing the sale of certain lands owned by the State of Texas located near El Paso and known as the abandoned site of the State School of Mines and Metallurgy.
SB 24	Caption: Relating to authorizing the Commissioner of the General Land Office to accept and award all applications for the re-purchase of public school land located in Jeff Davis County, Texas, forfeited and reappraised; such acceptance and award to be subject to existing rights of any third party who may have filed oil and gas applications thereon.
SB 29	Caption: Relating to better providing for neighborhood roads.
SB 39	Caption: Relating to providing for procuring and filing in the General Land Office certain papers, maps, sketches and reports relating to the survey of lands by virtue of certificates issued by the State to The Texas & Pacific Railway Company and its predecessors in title, now in the custody of said railway company, the same to become archives of the General Land Office.
SB 72	Caption: Relating to extension of term of certain oil and gas leases.
40th Regular Session
SB 55	Caption: Relating to better providing for protection of game and providing in a more adequate manner for limits of game or wild birds and animals that may be taken, killed or possessed.
SB 56	Caption: Relating amending certain laws relating to pelts so as to provide that said section shall not apply to wild fox in that portion of Texas lying north and west of a line starting at the mouth of the San Antonio River where it empties into the Corpus Christi Bay.
SB 57	Caption: Relating to make it lawful to teach the Spanish language in the elementary grades in public free schools in counties bordering on the boundary line between the United States and the Republic of Mexico, having a city or cities of a population of fifty thousand inhabitants, or more, according to the United States census of 1920.
SB 58	Caption: Relating to regulating the assessment of candidates for the payment of primary expenses and providing that no candidate's name shall be placed upon ballot unless he shall have paid his share of such expense so as to limit the amount required to be paid by candidates for Chief Justice or Associate Justice of a Court of Civil Appeals, or for representative in Congress or for district judge or district attorney or any other district office in representative or judicial districts composed of four or more counties.
SB 59	Caption: Relating to county clerks and their compensation for ex-officio and other public services rendered so as to provide that the total amount paid the county clerk in one year shall not be less than fifty nor more than fifteen hundred dollars.
SB 110	Caption: Relating to increasing and fixing the salary of the superintendent of public instruction of El Paso County, Texas; providing for office expenses.
SB 111	Caption: Relating to repealing certain laws, allowing an appeal to the Court of Civil Appeals from every order of any district or County Court in civil cases, granting motions for new trials
SB 112	Caption: Relating to making it unlawful for any guest of a hotel or boarding house to remove or cause to be removed any baggage or other property from such hotel or boarding house without the written consent of the hotel or boarding housekeeper, or without paying his bill; providing a punishment.
SB 113	Caption: Relating to the compensation of county commissioners.
SB 128	Caption: Relating to providing for co-operation between the State of Texas and the United States Department of Agriculture in the destruction of predatory animals; appropriating funds for such purposes.
SB 161	Caption: Relating to preventing the spread of disease through surface privies and cess pools, prescribing certain regulations, localizing authority for the enforcement of same and placing of penalty.
SB 185	Caption: Relating to authorizing and directing the Secretary of State to exchange Court Reports, Session Acts, and other publications of the State for like publications of other States, and of the United States and of foreign counties, for the benefit of the law library of the University of Texas.
SB 186	Caption: Relating to regulating elections and primary elections and nominations and providing for a better primary election system of this State.
SB 265	Caption: Relating to transferring the civil and criminal jurisdiction of the county court of Edwards County to the district court of said county.
SB 282	Caption: Relating to regulating the slaughter and sale of animals in this State.
SB 313	Caption: Relating to compensation for employees hired in Texas but injured outside of Texas.
SB 390	Caption: Relating to authorizing conservation and reclamation districts cooperating under contract with the United States to waive the preference lien given them by statute.
SB 391	Caption: Relating to authorizing conservation and reclamation districts obtaining a water supply under contract with the United States, to waive the statutory lien given them.
SB 402	Caption: Relating to requiring the drilling of wells upon land awarded to the owner for development of mineral bearing deposits, placers, veins, lodes and rock carrying metallic or non-metallic substances except oil, natural gas, coal and lignite, that may be in any lands included in this Chapter.
SB 405	Caption: Relating to authorizing lands, either within or without existing water improvement districts, to be included within a district organized for cooperation with the United State under the Federal Reclamation Laws, for the purpose of the construction of irrigation works or the obtaining of a water supply therefrom.
SB 418	Caption: Relating to authorizing every person, firm, corporation, limited partnership, joint stock association or other association operating or constructing aerial or other kind of tramways between mines and railways and smelters to acquire rights-of-way by condemnation.
SJR 28	Caption: Proposing an amendment authorizing Tom Green, Schleciher, Sutton and Edwards and Val Verde counties, or districts in said counties, pursuant to a majority vote of the taxpaying voters in said counties or districts, to issue bonds and invest the proceeds thereof in aid of railroad construction.
SR 38	Caption: Directing the Commissioner of the General Land Office to survey recently-discovered petrified forest in the Big Bend region.
40th 1st Called Session
SB 18	Caption: Relating to providing for the eradication of scabies among sheep and cattle, to provide adequate quarantine and sanitary measures, to provide for the inspection and dipping, and certification of said livestock, and to provide adequate penalties for violation of quarantine and dipping orders of the Live Stock Sanitary Commission.
SB 37	Caption: Relating to making an appropriation to grant aid made necessary by the public calamity that recently fell upon the City of Rock Springs and vicinity in the nature of a tornado which caused loss of life and great destruction of property.
SB 46	Caption: Relating to providing for an adequate system of Vital Statistics, and for the registration of all births and deaths in this State, and for the compiling and preservation of records for such purposes; providing penalties for violating certain provisions of this Act.
SB 47	Caption: Relating to better protecting and promoting the health of the people of Texas; establishing the State Department of Health, to consist of a State Board of Health, appointed by the Governor, a State Health Officer, appointed by the State Board of Health.
SB 61	Caption: Relating to fixing the open season for hunting, taking or killing Black Tail Deer in that part of the State west of the Pecos River; limiting and restricting the killing of such deer during said territory; prescribing the penalty for violating any provision of this Act.
SB 120	Caption: Relating to conferring authority upon the commissioners' court of any organized county that does not have a county board of trustees to appoint a county board of trustees to serve until the next election of school trustees, as provided by law; defining the powers and duties of county boards of trustees.
SR 41	Caption: Increasing salary for C.K. Walker, custodian of the Senate Chamber and lecturer.
39th Regular Session
SB 16	Caption: Relating to authorizing the Governor to appoint a commissioner to represent the State of Texas in a conference with the commissioners from the states of New Mexico and Colorado, and a representative of the Government of the United States to negotiate an agreement respecting the use, control and disposition of the waters of the Rio Grande and its tributaries above Fort Quitman, Texas, and prescribing the authority and duties of such commissioner, authorizing the co-operation of certain officers of the State, authorizing the accumulation of engineering and other date pertinent thereto, prescribing the method of reaching such agreement and submitting it to the Legislature for ratification, and making an appropriation to carry out the purposes of this Act.
SB 17	Caption: Relating to providing for cooperation between the State of Texas and the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the destruction of rodent pests- prairie dogs, rats, pocket gophers and ground squirrels; and predatory animals- coyotes, wolves, mountain lion, bob-cats and other predatory animals; appropriating funds such purposes.
SB 18	Caption: Relating to amending certain statute by changing the time and terms of holding court in the Eighty-third Judicial District.
SB 19	Caption: Relating to authorizing and empowering the Governor of this State to appoint and commission as State Rangers the bona fide, salaried Inspectors of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers' Association and the Sheep and Goat Raisers' Association as Texas Ranger, providing how such appointments shall be made; prescribing the qualifications of such appointees.
SB 37	Caption: Relating to preventing untrue and damaging statements in reference to banks, banking institutions, trust companies, surety companies, guaranty companies, title insurance companies or other financial institutions; providing the necessary penalties to accomplish such purpose.
SB 60	Caption: Relating to amending certain statute relating to the proceedings for the removal of a county seat so as to provide that in all counties regardless of the population thereof, the application for the election for aid purpose shall be held sufficient when it shall have been signed by a majority of the resident freeholders and qualified voters of the county, whose names appear on the last approved and rendered resident assessment roll, said majority of free-holder and qualified voters to be determined by the county judge, or in case of his failure or inability to act, then by any two of the county commissioner of said county form the assessment roll thereof.
SB 75	Caption: Relating to regulating and providing for a better election and primary election system in this State; providing for a preferential or first and second choice ballot in primaries.
SB 90	Caption: Relating to exempting the county of Culberson from certain statutes relating to inspection of hides and animals.
SB 135	Caption: Relating to authorizing owners of oil and gas permits and leases on University Land to sell and transfer same as a whole or in tracts not less than forty acres except in cases where a less quantity remains in a permit or lease.
SB 136	Caption: Relating to amending certain statute setting aside the interest and income from the University permanent fund and lands for the purpose of constructing permanent improvements on the campus of the University or its branches by repealing the provision providing that no lease of said land shall be made for a period of more than four years during the fifteen-year period.
SB 164	Caption: Relating to amending certain statute regarding the unlawful boarding of trains.
SB 260	Caption: Relating to amending certain Act creating the Imperial Independent School District in Pecos County, Texas by redefining the boundaries.
SB 268	Caption: Relating to amending certain statute relating to the advertisement and sale of public free school and asylum land by providing for validating sales held by the Supreme Court to be void and other sales; allowing forfeiting owners six months in which to redeem their forfeited land.
SB 287	Caption: Relating to amending certain statute relating to the filing of notice of pendency of suit so as to provide for the cancellation of such notice of pendency of suit by the court in which the suit or action is pending.
SB 303	Caption: Relating to providing that owners of public free school land, that has heretofore been forfeited, and remaining unsold, and that which may hereafter be forfeited for non-payment of interest accrued prior to November 1, 1925, shall have a right to repurchase same at the price fixed upon a revaluation thereof by the Commissioner of the General Land Office.
SB 306	Caption: Relating to amending certain statute so as to abolish the limitation of four weeks as the period of time which the insurance association operating under aid Act shall furnish medical aid, hospital services, supplies and medicine to an injured employee, and requiring such association to furnish such medical aid and services after the period of four weeks from the time of the accident of whether injuries incurred are sufficient to require the employee to be placed in a hospital or not.
SB 339	Caption: Relating to amending certain Act creating the Rock Springs Independent School District.
SB 355	Caption: Relating to authorizing water improvement districts or conservation and reclamation districts which are or may be operating under contract with the United States Government or any department thereof.
SB 363	Caption: Relating to authorizing the owners of oil and gas permits and leases heretofore issued or hereafter issued on fresh water lakes to sell and transfer same as a whole or in tracts of not less than forty acres, and authorizing owners of oil and gas permits after issued on river beds to sell and transfer same as a whole or in six hundred forty linear feet following the meandering of such river.
SB 371	Caption: Relating to creating a special road law for Cottle County, Texas.
SB 448	Caption: Relating to making an appropriation to the Board of Water Engineers of the funds which the United States government shall turn over to the State of Texas to reimburse the State for expense of hydrographic surveys on the Rio Grande for the International Boundary Commission.
SB 470	Caption: Relating to providing for the sale to the United States of twenty-two acres of land owned by the State of Texas located near El Paso and known as the abandoned site of the School of Mines and Metallurgy; regulating the manner, terms and price of the sale; authorizing and empowering the Governor to make the sale.
SJR 10	Caption: Proposing an amendment providing for taxation of school lands owned by counties.
SJR 20	Caption: Relating to the Pecos River Compact and its ratification.
SJR 22	Caption: Relating to authorizing the State Park Board to solicit donations for the purpose of public parks and to accept the title to any such tracts of land.
SR 19	Caption: Relating to increase in salary to Senate Porter.
SR 59	Caption: Inviting Congressman Claude B. Hudspeth to address the Senate.
39th 1st Called Session
SB 74	Caption: Relating to creating Road District Number One (1), in Reeves County, validating and approving all orders made by the commissioners' court of said county, in respect to the organization of said district.
SB 75	Caption: Relating to creating Road District Number One (1), in Uvalde County, validating and approving all orders made by the commissioners' court of said county, in respect to the organization of said district.
SB 191	Caption: Relating to creating Road District Number Three (3), in Reeves County, validating and approving all orders made by the commissioners' court of said county, in respect to the organization of said district.
SB 209	Caption: Relating to creating Road District Number Two (2), in Medina County, Texas, validating and approving all orders made by the commissioners' court of said county, in respect to the organization of said district.
SB 212	Caption: Relating to creating Road District Number One (1), in El Paso County, Texas, validating and approving all orders made by the commissioners' court of said county, in respect to the organization of said district.
SB 278	Caption: Relating to creating Saragosa Independent School District in Reeves County, Texas.
SB 282	Caption: Relating to the salaries of District Attorneys.