Texas. Legislature. House of Representatives. Committee on Redistricting

See online finding aid for agency history and history of the Redistricting Committee.

From the description of House of Representatives Committee on Redistricting record, 1971-2001, undated, bulk 1990-1992, 2000-2001. (Texas State Library & Archives Commission). WorldCat record id: 752598349

The Texas House of Representatives Committee on Redistricting has jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to legislative districts, both House and Senate, and any changes or amendments; congressional districts, their creation, and any changes or amendments; establishing districts for the election of judicial officers or of governing bodies or representatives of political subdivisions or state agencies as required by law; and preparations for the redistricting process. Redistricting entails the revision of existing districts into new districts with different geographical boundaries. The Texas Constitution (Article III, Section 28) requires the legislature to redistrict seats in the Texas House of Representatives and the Senate during its first regular session after publication of each United States decennial census, which occurs in each year ending in zero. The U.S. Constitution (Article I, Section 2) calls for reapportionment of congressional seats according to population from a decennial census. Texas state law (Senate Bill 2, 72nd Legislature, 2nd Called Session, 1991) provides for a decennial reapportionment of State Board of Education boundaries, and the Texas Constitution ( Article V, Section 7a) and state law (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 24.941 et seq.) provide for a statewide reapportionment of judicial districts within three years of the federal decennial census. As a result of these provisions, the 72nd Legislature was involved in redistricting the boundaries for the Texas House of Representatives and Senate, the U.S. Congress, the State Board of Education, and the state's judicial districts. The basic purpose of decennial redistricting is to equalize population in state and congressional districts after publication of the federal census indicates an increase, decrease, or shift in population location. Two primary requirements govern all redistricting decisions. First, districts of a given type (Texas House of Representatives and Senate, U.S. Congress, State Board of Education) must have equal or nearly equal populations; and, second, districts must be drawn in a manner that does not have the purpose, and will not have the effect, of denying or abridging the right to vote on the basis of race or language group. These requirements are based on the guarantees of the Fourteenth (the equal protection provision) and Fifteenth (prohibiting voting discrimination because of race) Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, the federal Voting Rights Act, and Article I, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution.

From the description of House of Representatives Committee on Redistricting records, 1966-1992 bulk 1990-1992. (Texas State Library & Archives Commission). WorldCat record id: 770419919

The Texas House of Representatives is one arm of the Legislature of the State of Texas (the other being the Texas Senate), which the Texas Constitution (Article III, Section 1) vests with all legislative power of the state. The primary legislative power is enacting laws, and the most visible function of the legislature is to make public policy through drafting, considering, and passing bills and resolutions. Biennially, the House of Representatives elects a speaker from its membership to serve as its presiding officer. The House of Representatives consists of 150 representatives elected in even-numbered years for two-year terms. A representative must be at least twenty-one years old, a qualified voter, and a resident of Texas for at least two years and of the district represented for at least one year immediately preceding election.

In addition to legislative powers, the legislature exercises other types of authority. Constituent powers include the ability to alter the state constitution, and the members' authority to exercise powers of attorney in behalf of their constituents. Directory and supervisory powers allow the legislature to regulate the state's administrative machinery, made up of boards, commissions, and departments that conduct the affairs of state. The legislature establishes and funds these bodies and defines their functions. Executive powers of each house include selection of legislative officers, employees, and chairs and members of committees. Investigative powers are exercised through the formation of standing, special, interim, and joint committees to study an issue. House committees are usually charged with a particular purpose by the speaker, although this may also be accomplished by a resolution adopted by the house. Each legislative house holds judicial powers over its members, including punishing or expelling members for cause.

The legislature meets in regular session on the second Tuesday in January of odd-numbered years and in special sessions when convened by the governor. The length of the regular session is limited to 140 days. Special sessions are limited to 30 days, but the number of special sessions that may be called is not limited. Only legislative matters submitted by the governor may be considered in special session. All legislative sessions, except for the senate's executive session, are open. Neither house may, without the consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days or move to a place other than where the legislature is sitting. Two-thirds of each house constitutes a quorum, the number of members required to conduct business. If a quorum is not present, a smaller number may vote to adjourn and compel absent members to attend. The house is required to keep and publish a journal of its proceedings and to record the vote on any question on which three members who are present demand an actual count of yeas and nays.

The House of Representatives functions through committees set up under its own rules. The house maintains more standing committees than the senate. By custom the speaker appoints standing, special, and conference committees, although the house is free to designate its own method of selection. Under the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1961, the committee system was expanded, and provisions were made whereby standing, special, and general investigating committees created by each body could function whether or not the legislature was in session. As of 2011, the house has 36 standing committees:

The Texas House of Representatives Committee on Redistricting has jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to legislative districts, both house and senate, and any changes or amendments; congressional districts, their creation, and any changes or amendments; establishing districts for the election of judicial officers or of governing bodies or representatives of political subdivisions or state agencies as required by law; and preparations for the redistricting process. Redistricting entails the revision of existing districts into new districts with different geographical boundaries. The Texas Constitution (Article III, Section 28) requires the legislature to redistrict seats in the Texas House of Representatives and Senate during its first regular session after publication of each United States decennial census, which occurs in each year ending in zero. The U.S. Constitution (Article I, Section 2) calls for reapportionment of congressional seats according to population from a decennial census. Texas state law (Senate Bill 2, 72nd Legislature, 2nd Called Session, 1991) provides for a decennial reapportionment of State Board of Education boundaries, and the Texas Constitution ( Article V, Section 7a ) and state law (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 24.941 et seq.) provide for a statewide reapportionment of judicial districts within three years of the federal decennial census. As a result of these provisions, the 73rd through 77th Legislatures were involved in redistricting the boundaries for the Texas House of Representatives and Senate, the U.S. Congress, the State Board of Education, and the state's judicial districts, after the 1990 and the 2000 U.S. Census.

The basic purpose of decennial redistricting is to equalize population in state and congressional districts after publication of the federal census indicates an increase, decrease, or shift in population location. Two primary requirements govern all redistricting decisions. First, districts of a given type (Texas House of Representatives and Senate, U.S. Congress, State Board of Education) must have equal or nearly equal populations; and, second, districts must be drawn in a manner that does not have the purpose, and will not have the effect, of denying or abridging the right to vote on the basis of race or language group. These requirements are based on the guarantees of the Fourteenth (the equal protection provision) and Fifteenth (prohibiting voting discrimination because of race) Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, the federal Voting Rights Act, and Article I, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution.

During the 76th Legislature (1999), the committee was charged to gather information regarding the existence and location of communities of interest to be considered in the creation of legislative, congressional and state board of education districts; to monitor related federal developments, including those affecting the conduct of the 2000 federal census and enforcement of the Voting Rights Act; to coordinate with the Texas Legislative Council the development of software applications and support services relating to redistricting for the 77th Legislature; and to conduct public hearings in appropriate locations to obtain public input on all issues relating to the redistricting of legislative, congressional, and State Board of Education districts following the release of the federal census in 2001.

The regular session of the 77th Legislature adjourned on May 28, 2001, without adopting a senate, house, congressional, or State Board of Education redistricting plan. The Legislative Redistricting Board (LRB) convened on June 6 and adopted plans for the senate and the house, which were submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for preclearance under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. While the LRB's senate plan (PLAN01188S) was eventually upheld by the federal district court, legal challenges were made to its house plan. The DOJ denied preclearance of the LRB house plan on November 16, and on November 28 the federal district court put in place a new house district plan (PLAN01369H), which modified the LRB house plan to address the DOJ's objections.

In December 2000, three legal challenges were filed in Travis County district court regarding congressional redistricting in Texas. After the regular session of the 77th Legislature concluded, the governor did not call a special session to consider congressional redistricting. On November 14, the federal district court issued an order adopting congressional districts (PLAN01151C) for the 2002 elections.

Legal challenges were filed against the old State Board of Education (SBOE) districts, and on November 2, 2001, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas issued an order adopting new SBOE districts based on the 2000 federal census (PLAN01018E) for the 2002 elections.

(Sources include: Texas Constitution, Article III, Section 28 and Article V, Section 7a; U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 2; V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 24.941 et seq.; and the Texas Legislative Council's Texas Redistricting web site, http://www.tlc.state.tx.us/redist/redist.html , accessed on May 5, 2011.)

From the guide to the House of Representatives Committee on Redistricting records, 1971-2001, undated, bulk 1990-1992, 2000-2001, (Texas State Archives)

The Texas House of Representatives Committee on Redistricting has jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to legislative districts, both House and Senate, and any changes or amendments; congressional districts, their creation, and any changes or amendments; establishing districts for the election of judicial officers or of governing bodies or representatives of political subdivisions or state agencies as required by law; and preparations for the redistricting process. Redistricting entails the revision of existing districts into new districts with different geographical boundaries. The Texas Constitution (Article III, Section 28) requires the legislature to redistrict seats in the Texas House of Representatives and the Senate during its first regular session after publication of each United States decennial census, which occurs in each year ending in zero. The U.S. Constitution (Article I, Section 2) calls for reapportionment of congressional seats according to population from a decennial census. Texas state law (Senate Bill 2, 72nd Legislature, 2nd Called Session, 1991) provides for a decennial reapportionment of State Board of Education boundaries, and the Texas Constitution ( Article V, Section 7a ) and state law (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 24.941 et seq.) provide for a statewide reapportionment of judicial districts within three years of the federal decennial census. As a result of these provisions, the 72nd Legislature was involved in redistricting the boundaries for the Texas House of Representatives and Senate, the U.S. Congress, the State Board of Education, and the state's judicial districts.

The basic purpose of decennial redistricting is to equalize population in state and congressional districts after publication of the federal census indicates an increase, decrease, or shift in population location. Two primary requirements govern all redistricting decisions. First, districts of a given type (Texas House of Representatives and Senate, U.S. Congress, State Board of Education) must have equal or nearly equal populations; and, second, districts must be drawn in a manner that does not have the purpose, and will not have the effect, of denying or abridging the right to vote on the basis of race or language group. These requirements are based on the guarantees of the Fourteenth (the equal protection provision) and Fifteenth (prohibiting voting discrimination because of race) Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, the federal Voting Rights Act, and Article I, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution.

(Sources include: Texas Constitution, Article III, Section 28 and Article V, Section 7a; U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 2; V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 24.941 et seq.)

From the guide to the House of Representatives Committee on Redistricting records, 1966-1992, bulk 1990-1992, (Texas State Archives)