Seventy-eighth Texas Legislature
The Seventy-eighth Texas Legislature met from January 14 to June 2, 2003 in regular session, and in three called sessions in 2003, and a fourth called session in 2004. All members of the House of Representatives and all members of the Senate were elected in the 2002 General Election.
Sessions
- 78th Regular session: January 14, 2003 – June 2, 2003
- 78th First called session: June 30, 2003 – July 28, 2003
- 78th Second called session: July 28, 2003 – August 26, 2003
- 78th Third called session: September 15, 2003 – October 12, 2003
- 78th Fourth called session: April 20, 2004 – May 17, 2004
Party summary
Senate
House of Representatives
Officers
Senate
- Lieutenant Governor: David Dewhurst, Republican
- President Pro Tempore ': Eddie Lucio, Jr., Democrat
- President Pro Tempore ': Jane Nelson, Republican
- President Pro Tempore ':''' Jeff Wentworth, Republican
House of Representatives
- Speaker of the House: Tom Craddick, Republican
Members
Senate
House of Representatives
Membership Changes
Senate
| District | Outgoing Senator | Reason for Vacancy | Successor | Date of Successor's Installation |
| District 1 | Bill Ratliff | Retirement. Senator Ratliff resigned effective January 10, 2004 for personal reasons. | Kevin Eltife | March 5, 2004 |
| District 31 | Teel Bivins | Resignation. Senator Bivins resigned effective January 12, 2004 after being appointed U.S. Ambassador to Sweden by President George W. Bush. | Kel Seliger | March 2, 2003 |
- District 1: A special election was held on January 20, 2004. No candidate received a majority of the votes on that date, so the top two candidates faced each other in a runoff on February 17, 2004. Kevin Eltife received a majority of the vote and was sworn in on March 5, 2004.
- District 31: A special election was held on January 20, 2004. No candidate received a majority of the votes on that date, so the top two candidates faced each other in a runoff on February 17, 2004. Kel Seliger received a majority of the vote and was sworn in on March 2, 2004.
House of Representatives
| District | Outgoing Representative | Reason for Vacancy | Successor | Date of Successor's Installation |
| District 43 | Irma Rangel | Representative Rangel died on March 18, 2003. | Juan Manuel Escobar | May 9, 2003 |
| District 62 | Ron Clark | Representative Clark declined his seat after accepting appointment as United States federal judge. | Larry Phillips | January 14, 2003 |
- District 43: A special election was held on April 15, 2003. No candidate received a majority of the votes on that date, so the top two candidates faced each other in a runoff on May 6, 2003. Juan Manuel Escobar won the runoff and was sworn in 3 days later, on May 9, 2003.
- District 62: Representative Clark was elected in the 2002 General Election, but resigned before re-taking the oath of office for the Seventy-eighth Legislature. A special election was held on December 14, 2002. No candidate received a majority of the votes on that date, so the top two candidates faced each other in a runoff on January 7, 2002. Larry Phillips won the runoff and was sworn in at the opening of the regular session.