title: Fifty-third Texas Legislature
text: # Fifty-third Texas Legislature
  
  The 53rd Texas Legislature met from January 13, 1953, to May 27, 1953, and March 15, 1954, to April 13, 1954. All members present during this session were elected in the 1952 general elections.
  
  ## Sessions
  
  Regular Session: January 13, 1953 – May 27, 1953
  
  Called Session: March 15, 1954 – April 13, 1954
  
  ## Party summary
  
  ### Senate
  
  | Affiliation | Affiliation | Members | Note |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | | Democratic Party | 31 | |
  | Total | Total | 31 | |
  
  ### House
  
  | Affiliation | Affiliation | Members |
  | - | - | - |
  | | Democratic Party | 149 |
  | | Independent | 1 |
  | Total | Total | 150 |
  
  ## Officers
  
  ### Senate
  
  * Lieutenant Governor: Ben Ramsey (D)
  * President Pro Tempore: Rogers Kelley (D) Jimmy Phillips (D) Gus J. Strauss (D) Dorsey B. Hardeman (D)
  
  ### House
  
  * Speaker of the House: Reuben Senterfitt (D)
  
  ## Members
  
  ### House
  
  The House was composed of 149 Democrats and 1 Independent, Charles J. Lieck, Jr., elected as a member of the conservative Good Government League of San Antonio.
  
  House members included future Governor Dolph Briscoe, future federal judge Barefoot Sanders and future Congressmen Kika de la Garza, Joe Kilgore, and Joe Pool, as well as future Texas Attorney General Waggoner Carr, and future Texas Agriculture Commissioner Jack Hightower.
  
  ## Sources
  
  * Legislative Reference Library of Texas,
  