Changes

==Senate service==

==Senate service==

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Caperton had said in 1980 that he would serve only ten years in public office,<ref name=houch/> and he therefore did not run again in 1990.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/memberdisplay.cfm?memberID=319|title=http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/memberdisplay.cfm?memberID=319|title=Legislative Reference Library of Texas: Kent A. Caperton|publisher=lrl.state.tx.us|accessdate=September 5, 2011}}</ref> The Senate seat went to another Democrat, James W. "Jim" Turner of Crockett in Houston County (not to be confused with the city of [[Houston, Texas|Houston]]), later a [[U.S. Representative]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/memberDisplay.cfm?memberID=57&searchparams=chamber=S~city=~countyID=0~district=5~first=~gender=~last=~leaderNote=~leg=72~party=Democrat~roleDesc=~Committee=|title=Jim Turner|publisher=Legislative Reference Library of Texas: Jim Turner|accessdate=September 5, 2011}}</ref> Turner defeated the [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[Lou Zaeske]], an engineer from Bryan and the founder of the American Ethnic Coalition, an organization in the forefront of the [[English]]-only movement. Zaeske had initially planned to oppose Caperton who spoke out against English-only.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl/1988_583490/english-backer-cites-supporters-advocate-plans-to.html|title=English backer cites supporters/Advocate plans to run for office|date=November 12, 1988|publisher=''Houston Chronicle''|accessdate=September 5, 2011}}</ref>​

Caperton had said in 1980 that he would serve only ten years in public office,<ref name=houch/> and he therefore did not run again in 1990.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/memberdisplay.cfm?memberID=319|title=http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/memberdisplay.cfm?memberID=319|title=Legislative Reference Library of Texas: Kent A. Caperton|publisher=lrl.state.tx.us|accessdate=March 22, 2020}}</ref> The Senate seat went to another Democrat, James W. "Jim" Turner of Crockett in Houston County (not to be confused with the city of [[Houston, Texas|Houston]]), later a [[U.S. Representative]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/memberDisplay.cfm?memberID=57&searchparams=chamber=S~city=~countyID=0~district=5~first=~gender=~last=~leaderNote=~leg=72~party=Democrat~roleDesc=~Committee=|title=Jim Turner|publisher=Legislative Reference Library of Texas: Jim Turner|accessdate=September 5, 2011}}</ref> Turner defeated the [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[Lou Zaeske]], an engineer from Bryan and the founder of the American Ethnic Coalition, an organization in the forefront of the [[English]]-only movement. Zaeske had initially planned to oppose Caperton who spoke out against English-only.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl/1988_583490/english-backer-cites-supporters-advocate-plans-to.html|title=English backer cites supporters/Advocate plans to run for office|date=November 12, 1988|publisher=''Houston Chronicle''|accessdate=September 5, 2011}}</ref>​

In 1981, ''Texas Monthly'' magazine named him "Rookie of the Year." In 1982, he was an advocate of utility regulatory reform, an issue which may have helped the Democrat [[Mark  White]], the state attorney general at the time, to oust the Republican [[Governor]] [[Bill Clements]]. In 1983, Caperton was a negotiator for House Bill 72, which sought to upgrade public education and required athletes to pass all course. In 1985, in his second Senate term, Caperton headed the newly created Senate Criminal Justice Committee. In 1987, then Lieutenant Governor  William Pettus "Bill" Hobby named Caperton to the Legislative Budget Board. In 1989, Hobby asked Caperton to lead the fight to increase funding for higher education. He soon headed the Senate Finance Committee, the most powerful chairmanship in Austin. He was a conspicuous advocate of sunshine laws, open meetings, and open records<ref name=houch/> In 1989, Caperton was one of five senators to serve as the President Pro Tempore; others included fellow Democrats Craig Anthony Washington and Hugh Q. Parmer, and Republicans [[J. E. "Buster" Brown]] and Millard Robert "Bob" McFarland (born 1941).

In 1981, ''Texas Monthly'' magazine named him "Rookie of the Year." In 1982, he was an advocate of utility regulatory reform, an issue which may have helped the Democrat [[Mark  White]], the state attorney general at the time, to oust the Republican [[Governor]] [[Bill Clements]]. In 1983, Caperton was a negotiator for House Bill 72, which sought to upgrade public education and required athletes to pass all course. In 1985, in his second Senate term, Caperton headed the newly created Senate Criminal Justice Committee. In 1987, then Lieutenant Governor  William Pettus "Bill" Hobby named Caperton to the Legislative Budget Board. In 1989, Hobby asked Caperton to lead the fight to increase funding for higher education. He soon headed the Senate Finance Committee, the most powerful chairmanship in Austin. He was a conspicuous advocate of sunshine laws, open meetings, and open records<ref name=houch/> In 1989, Caperton was one of five senators to serve as the President Pro Tempore; others included fellow Democrats Craig Anthony Washington and Hugh Q. Parmer, and Republicans [[J. E. "Buster" Brown]] and Millard Robert "Bob" McFarland (born 1941).