Changes

==The Laredo years==

==The Laredo years==

While in Laredo, Bobbitt was a member of the fraternal organization, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He was commander of the local American Legion post. He helped to establish Rotary International in Laredo, and in 1919, he became president of the chapter. In 1929, he was elected as Rotary district governor. He was for two years president of the Laredo [[Chamber of Commerce]] and was active in the [[Boy Scouts]] and the First [[Presbyterian]] Church. He served on the Texas State Democratic Executive Committee from 1920 to 1922, when he was elected to the first of his three terms in the Texas House of Representatives from Webb County. He aligned himself with the opponents of controversial Governor James Edward "Pa" Ferguson, Jr, (1871-1944). He fought to block a bill granting amnesty and restoring full political rights to [[impeachment|impeached]] former Governor Ferguson, a measure that nonetheless passed the legislature in the first administration of Ferguson's wife, Governor Miriam Amanda Wallace "Ma" Ferguson (1875-1961), who served the first of two nonconsecutive terms from 1925 to 1927. Bobbitt rose to the chairmanship of the House Judiciary Committee before being elected Speaker in 1927. Under Bobbitt's leadership, the House reformed the state appeals court system and passed a law repealing the earlier political amnesty granted Ferguson.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legis/leaders/speakerbio.html|title=Biographies of Speakers of the Texas House of Representatives: Robert Lee Bobbitt|publisher=Texas Legislative Reference Library|accessdate=March 15, 2022}}</ref>

While in Laredo, Bobbitt was a member of the fraternal organization, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He was commander of the local American Legion post. He helped to establish Rotary International in Laredo, and in 1919, he became president of the chapter. In 1929, he was elected as Rotary district governor. He was for two years president of the Laredo [[Chamber of Commerce]] and was active in the [[Boy Scouts]] and the First [[Presbyterian]] Church.<ref name=military/>

 

Bobbitt served on the Texas State Democratic Executive Committee from 1920 to 1922, when he was elected to the first of his three terms in the Texas House of Representatives from Webb County. He aligned himself with the opponents of controversial Governor James Edward "Pa" Ferguson, Jr, (1871-1944). He fought to block a bill granting amnesty and restoring full political rights to [[impeachment|impeached]] former Governor Ferguson, a measure that nonetheless passed the legislature in the first administration of Ferguson's wife, Governor Miriam Amanda Wallace "Ma" Ferguson (1875-1961), who served the first of two nonconsecutive terms from 1925 to 1927. Bobbitt rose to the chairmanship of the House Judiciary Committee before being elected Speaker in 1927. Under Bobbitt's leadership, the House reformed the state appeals court system and passed a law repealing the earlier political amnesty granted Ferguson.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legis/leaders/speakerbio.html|title=Biographies of Speakers of the Texas House of Representatives: Robert Lee Bobbitt|publisher=Texas Legislative Reference Library|accessdate=March 15, 2022}}</ref>

While serving his last days as Speaker, Bobbitt won election as the district attorney for the 49th Judicial District, which then covered Webb, Zapata, Jim Hogg, and Dimmit counties but is now restricted to Webb and Zapata counties.{

While serving his last days as Speaker, Bobbitt won election as the district attorney for the 49th Judicial District, which then covered Webb, Zapata, Jim Hogg, and Dimmit counties but is now restricted to Webb and Zapata counties.{