86R1799 BEF-F
By: González of Dallas H.J.R. No. 124
A JOINT RESOLUTION
proposing a constitutional amendment establishing procedures for
public involvement in redistricting of state legislative districts
and congressional districts.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. The Texas Constitution is amended by adding
Article XVIII to read as follows:
ARTICLE XVIII
Sec. 1. In this article:
(1) "Redistricting plan" means a plan for dividing
this state into senatorial districts, representative districts, or
congressional districts.
(2) "Website" means an Internet website under Section
2 of this article.
Sec. 2. (a) The legislature shall ensure that, as soon as
practicable after a federal decennial census is taken but not later
than February 1 of the year following the year in which that census
is taken, the public has access to an Internet website with
information about the legislature's redistricting activities based
on that census.
(b) The legislature shall ensure that the website:
(1) is continuously updated to provide advance notice
of public hearings, committee meetings, and legislative debates on
redistricting plans;
(2) contains the most recent available information
regarding voting age population, voter registration, and election
returns for election precincts and census tracts in this state,
including detailed maps depicting that information;
(3) allows individuals to submit comments on any
redistricting plan being considered by the legislature and to
submit questions, comments, and other information regarding the
legislature's redistricting activities; and
(4) includes any other information required under this
article.
(c) Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, the
legislature shall ensure that any comment submitted to the website
by a member of the public regarding a redistricting plan or
otherwise related to redistricting is publicly available on the
website not later than 72 hours after submission. The legislature
may exclude from the website obscene, threatening, harassing, or
similarly offensive comments or comments unrelated to
redistricting but shall provide copies of those comments to adult
members of the public on request.
(d) The legislature shall ensure that the information
required to be included on the website relating to the
legislature's redistricting activities based on a federal
decennial census remains accessible to the public on that website
until the website relating to the legislature's redistricting
activities based on the next federal decennial census is
established.
Sec. 3. During the 60 days after the day this state receives
notice of the apportionment of United States representatives and
before considering any redistricting plan, the standing committees
of the senate and the house of representatives with primary
jurisdiction over redistricting shall solicit input from members of
the public regarding the legislature's criteria and procedures for
considering redistricting plans by:
(1) publishing and posting on the website those
criteria and procedures;
(2) holding public hearings in the manner provided by
Section 6 of this article; and
(3) publishing and posting on the website a transcript
of or link to a video recording of each hearing not later than the
seventh day after conclusion of the hearing.
Sec. 4. (a) A committee of the senate shall post the
information required by Subsections (b) and (c) of this section
regarding a redistricting plan at least 10 days before reporting a
senate bill to enact the plan from the committee. A committee of
the house of representatives shall post the information required by
Subsections (b) and (c) of this section regarding a redistricting
plan at least 10 days before reporting a house bill to enact the
plan from the committee.
(b) For each plan subject to Subsection (a) of this section,
a committee shall post on the website and, if practicable, publish
in newspapers of general circulation throughout the state:
(1) a map showing each district in the plan;
(2) for each district in the plan:
(A) the total population and voting age
population of the district, including a breakdown of those
populations by race and by membership in language minority groups;
and
(B) the number of registered voters in the
district including, to the extent available, a breakdown of that
number by political party affiliation, race, and membership in
language minority groups;
(3) a statement explaining the committee's reasons for
proposing adoption of the plan and reasons why the proposed
adoption will best serve the public interest;
(4) any dissenting statement provided by a member of
the committee who did not approve the plan; and
(5) notice that members of the public may submit
comments regarding the plan through the website, at a public
hearing, or by any other available means.
(c) A committee shall post on the website a machine-readable
file containing the information described by Subsections (b)(1) and
(2) of this section.
(d) A committee shall hold public hearings on a proposed
redistricting plan in the manner required by Section 7 of this
article.
(e) A committee shall publish and post on the website a
transcript of or link to a video recording of each hearing not later
than the seventh day after conclusion of the hearing.
(f) A new or amended version of a redistricting plan that
has previously been subject to notice or a hearing under this
section is separately subject to the requirements of Subsections
(a) and (d) of this section unless the committee determines that
compliance with those requirements is likely to prevent adoption of
the plan before the end of the legislative session.
Sec. 5. Not later than the seventh day after the day the
legislature passes a bill enacting a redistricting plan, the
legislature shall post on the website and, if practicable, publish
in newspapers of general circulation throughout the state:
(1) a map showing each district in the plan;
(2) for each district in the plan:
(A) the total population and voting age
population of the district, including a breakdown of those
populations by race and by membership in language minority groups;
and
(B) the number of registered voters in the
district including, to the extent available, a breakdown of that
number by political party affiliation, race, and membership in
language minority groups;
(3) statements by the president of the senate and the
speaker of the house of representatives explaining the
legislature's reasons for adopting the plan and reasons why
adoption of the plan will best serve the public interest; and
(4) any dissenting statement provided by a member of
the legislature who did not approve the plan.
Sec. 6. (a) This section applies to the hearings required
by Section 3 of this article.
(b) The standing committees of the senate and the house of
representatives with primary jurisdiction over redistricting shall
jointly hold at least five public hearings on redistricting
criteria and procedures before considering any redistricting plan.
(c) The committees shall hold each joint hearing in a
different congressional district in this state, including one joint
hearing in the congressional district with the greatest change in
population since the previous congressional apportionment. The
committees shall consider holding other joint hearings in
congressional districts that have experienced large changes in
population.
(d) The committees shall provide public notice at least
seven days before each joint hearing. The notice must include the
time and location of the joint hearing and notice that members of
the public may provide comments on the criteria and procedures the
committees will use to consider redistricting plans and on other
issues related to redistricting.
(e) The committees shall allow individuals at remote
locations throughout the state to view and provide public testimony
at the joint hearings by videoconference.
Sec. 7. (a) This section applies to the hearings required
by Section 4(d) of this article.
(b) Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, a
committee of the senate shall hold at least five public hearings on
a senate bill to enact a redistricting plan before reporting the
bill from the committee and a committee of the house of
representatives shall hold at least five public hearings on a house
bill to enact a redistricting plan before reporting the bill from
the committee. A committee may hold fewer than five hearings if the
committee determines that holding one or more of the hearings is
likely to prevent adoption of the plan before the end of the
legislative session.
(c) Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, a
committee shall hold each hearing in a different congressional
district in this state, including one hearing in the congressional
district with the greatest change in population since the previous
decennial congressional apportionment. If the committee is unable
to hold hearings throughout the state, the committee shall allow
public participation in the hearings from various congressional
districts throughout this state by videoconference.
(d) A committee shall provide public notice at least seven
days before each hearing. The notice must include the time and
location of the hearing, notice that members of the public may
attend the hearing and provide comments on the plan, and notice that
members of the committee will be available at the hearing to explain
the reasons why adoption of the plan will best serve the public
interest.
(e) A committee shall allow individuals at remote locations
throughout the state to view and provide public testimony at the
hearings by videoconference.
SECTION 2. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 5, 2019.
The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the
proposition: "The constitutional amendment establishing procedures
for public involvement in redistricting of state legislative
districts and congressional districts."