BILL ANALYSIS
Senate
Research Center S.B. 375
88R3522 BEF-D By: Huffman
Redistricting, Special
2/16/2023
As Filed
Senate
Research Center
S.B. 375
88R3522 BEF-D
By: Huffman
Redistricting, Special
2/16/2023
As Filed
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF
INTENT
Based
upon data from the United States decennial census, the Texas Legislature
redistricts state senate and house of representatives' districts, as well as
districts for the United States Congress and the Texas State Board of Education
(SBOE).
S.B. 375 reaffirms
current law relating to the composition of the districts for the election of
members of the Texas Senate.
As proposed,
S.B. 375 affirms current law relating to the
composition of districts for the election of members of the Texas Senate.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Provides that the purpose of
this Act is to ensure the legislature has fulfilled its duty to apportion the
state into senatorial districts at its first regular session after the
publication of the Twenty-fourth Decennial Census of the United States, as
provided by Section 28 (Time for Apportionment; Apportionment by Legislative
Redistricting Board), Article III, Texas Constitution.
SECTION 2. Provides that the districts used
to elect members of the Texas Senate in 2022, established by Chapter 5 (S.B.
4), Acts of the 87th Legislature, 3rd Called Session, 2021 (PLANS2168 in the
Texas Legislature's redistricting system), are hereby ratified and adopted as
the permanent districts used to elect members of the Texas Senate.
SECTION 3. Provides that the legislature
finds that the districts described by SECTION 2 of this Act are a continuation
of the districts used for the election of the members of the Senate of the 88th
Legislature.� Provides that the legislature, accordingly, finds that enactment
of this Act does not require a new senate be chosen for the 89th Legislature
for purposes of Section 3 (Election and Term of Office of Senators), Article
III, Texas Constitution. Provides that the legislature's findings expressed in
this section are consistent with the opinion of the court of appeals in Armbrister
v. Morales, 943 S.W.2d 202 (Tex. App.-Austin 1997, no pet.).
SECTION 4. Provides that the districts
described by SECTION 2 of this Act apply to the election of the members of the
Texas Senate beginning with the primary and general elections in 2024 for
members of the 89th Legislature. Provides that this Act does not affect the
membership or districts of the Senate of the 88th Texas Legislature.
SECTION 5. Effective date: upon passage or
September 1, 2023.