Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB5316 Compare Versions

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1	1	89R16153 MLH-F
2	2	By: Talarico H.B. No. 5316
3	3
4	4
5	5
6	6
7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to the Independent Citizen Redistricting Commission and
10	10	the redistricting of the districts used to elect members of the
11	11	United States House of Representatives, the Texas Legislature, and
12	12	the State Board of Education.
13	13	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
14	14	SECTION 1. The heading to Title 5, Government Code, is
15	15	amended to read as follows:
16	16	TITLE 5. OPEN GOVERNMENT; ETHICS; REDISTRICTING
17	17	SECTION 2. Title 5, Government Code, is amended by adding
18	18	Subtitle C to read as follows:
19	19	SUBTITLE C. REDISTRICTING
20	20	CHAPTER 581. INDEPENDENT CITIZEN REDISTRICTING COMMISSION
21	21	SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
22	22	Sec. 581.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
23	23	(1) "Census year" means a calendar year in which the
24	24	United States decennial census is taken.
25	25	(2) "Commission" means the Independent Citizen
26	26	Redistricting Commission established by Section 28b, Article III,
27	27	Texas Constitution.
28	28	(3) "Immediate family member" means a person's spouse,
29	29	parent, child, sibling, in-law, or other individual with whom the
30	30	person has a bona fide family relationship established through
31	31	blood or legal relation.
32	32	(4) "Majority party" means, with respect to a
33	33	commission member, the political party with the most total votes
34	34	cast in the four statewide primary elections preceding the member's
35	35	appointment.
36	36	(5) "Minority party" means, with respect to a
37	37	commission member, the political party with the second highest
38	38	number of total votes cast in the four statewide primary elections
39	39	preceding the member's appointment.
40	40	(6) "Statewide primary election" means an election
41	41	held by a political party to select its nominee for governor or for
42	42	president of the United States. The term does not include a runoff
43	43	primary election.
44	44	Sec. 581.002. REDISTRICTING AUTHORITY. The Independent
45	45	Citizen Redistricting Commission exercises the legislative
46	46	authority of this state to adopt redistricting plans establishing
47	47	or modifying district boundaries for the election of the members of
48	48	the United States House of Representatives elected from this state,
49	49	the members of the Texas Senate, the members of the Texas House of
50	50	Representatives, and the members of the State Board of Education. A
51	51	plan for those district boundaries may be established or modified
52	52	only by the commission as provided by this chapter.
53	53	SUBCHAPTER B. MEMBERSHIP; POWERS AND DUTIES
54	54	Sec. 581.051. COMMISSION. (a) Not later than December 31
55	55	of each census year, the members of the Independent Citizen
56	56	Redistricting Commission shall be appointed and the commission
57	57	shall commence the redistricting process for the election of the
58	58	members of the United States House of Representatives elected from
59	59	this state, the members of the Texas Senate, the members of the
60	60	Texas House of Representatives, and the members of the State Board
61	61	of Education in connection with the census taken that year.
62	62	(b) The commission members shall:
63	63	(1) conduct an open and transparent process enabling
64	64	full public consideration of, and comment on, the drawing of
65	65	district boundaries;
66	66	(2) draw district boundaries according to the
67	67	redistricting criteria specified in this chapter; and
68	68	(3) conduct themselves with integrity and fairness.
69	69	(c) The selection process for commission members is
70	70	designed to produce a commission that is independent from
71	71	legislative influence and reasonably representative of this
72	72	state's diversity.
73	73	(d) The commission consists of 14 members as follows:
74	74	(1) five majority party members, each of whom:
75	75	(A) voted in at least two of the statewide
76	76	primary elections in the five years preceding the member's
77	77	appointment held by the majority party;
78	78	(B) did not vote in any of the four statewide
79	79	primary elections preceding the member's appointment held by a
80	80	political party other than the majority party; and
81	81	(C) voted in at least two of the three general
82	82	elections preceding the member's appointment in which the office of
83	83	governor or president of the United States appeared on the ballot;
84	84	(2) five minority party members who:
85	85	(A) voted in at least two of the statewide
86	86	primary elections in the five years preceding the member's
87	87	appointment held by the minority party;
88	88	(B) did not vote in any of the four statewide
89	89	primary elections preceding the member's appointment held by a
90	90	political party other than the minority party; and
91	91	(C) voted in at least two of the three general
92	92	elections preceding the member's appointment in which the office of
93	93	governor or president of the United States appeared on the ballot;
94	94	and
95	95	(3) four independent members who:
96	96	(A) did not vote in any statewide primary
97	97	elections in the five years preceding the member's appointment; and
98	98	(B) voted in at least two of the three general
99	99	elections preceding the member's appointment in which the office of
100	100	governor or president of the United States appeared on the ballot.
101	101	Sec. 581.052. TERM OF OFFICE. The term of office of each
102	102	commission member expires at the time the first commission member
103	103	is appointed in the next census year.
104	104	Sec. 581.053. QUORUM AND VOTING. Nine commission members
105	105	constitute a quorum. The affirmative vote of at least nine
106	106	commission members is required for any official commission action.
107	107	Each final redistricting map must be approved by the affirmative
108	108	vote of at least nine commission members, including at least three
109	109	majority party members, at least three minority party members, and
110	110	at least three independent members, as provided by Section
111	111	581.051(d).
112	112	Sec. 581.054. PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES. A commission member
113	113	is ineligible for a period of 10 years beginning on the date of
114	114	appointment to hold a federal, state, or county office elected from
115	115	this state. A commission member is ineligible for a period of five
116	116	years beginning on the date of appointment to:
117	117	(1) hold an appointed federal office representing this
118	118	state;
119	119	(2) hold an appointed state or local office in this
120	120	state;
121	121	(3) serve as a paid employee of or as a paid consultant
122	122	to:
123	123	(A) a member of the United States Congress
124	124	elected from this state;
125	125	(B) the legislature; or
126	126	(C) a member of the legislature; or
127	127	(4) register as a lobbyist in this state.
128	128	Sec. 581.055. APPLICATIONS. (a) Not later than January 1
129	129	of each census year, the state auditor shall initiate an
130	130	application process for commission members.
131	131	(b) The process must be open to all registered voters of
132	132	this state and promote a diverse and qualified applicant pool.
133	133	Sec. 581.056. APPLICANT REVIEW PANEL. (a) The state
134	134	auditor shall establish an applicant review panel consisting of
135	135	three interested citizens to screen applicants. The state auditor
136	136	shall randomly draw the names of three interested citizens from a
137	137	pool consisting of all citizens who have applied under procedures
138	138	established by the state auditor to serve on the applicant review
139	139	panel. The state auditor shall draw until the names of three
140	140	interested citizens have been drawn, including:
141	141	(1) one who would qualify as a majority party member of
142	142	the commission under Section 581.051(d)(1);
143	143	(2) one who would qualify as a minority party member of
144	144	the commission under Section 581.051(d)(2); and
145	145	(3) one who would qualify as an independent member of
146	146	the commission under Section 581.051(d)(3).
147	147	(b) After the drawing under Subsection (a), the state
148	148	auditor shall notify the three citizens whose names have been drawn
149	149	that they have been selected to serve on the panel. If any of the
150	150	three citizens decline to serve on the panel, the state auditor
151	151	shall resume the random drawing until three citizens who meet the
152	152	requirements of Subsection (a) have agreed to serve on the panel.
153	153	(c) An individual may not serve on the panel if the
154	154	individual has a conflict of interest described by Section 581.057.
155	155	Sec. 581.057. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST. (a) The state auditor
156	156	shall remove an applicant with a conflict of interest from the
157	157	applicant pool, including an applicant:
158	158	(1) who at any point during the 10 years preceding the
159	159	application date:
160	160	(A) was appointed or elected to, or was a
161	161	candidate for, federal or state office;
162	162	(B) served as an officer, employee, or paid
163	163	consultant of a political party or of the campaign committee of a
164	164	candidate for elective federal or state office;
165	165	(C) served as an elected or appointed member of a
166	166	political party's executive committee;
167	167	(D) was a registered lobbyist;
168	168	(E) served as a paid staff member for the United
169	169	States Congress; or
170	170	(F) contributed at least $2,000 or the amount
171	171	provided by Subsection (b) to any congressional or state candidate
172	172	for elective public office in any year;
173	173	(2) with an immediate family member who would be
174	174	disqualified as an applicant under Subdivision (1); or
175	175	(3) who is an employee of, a consultant to, party to a
176	176	contract with, or an immediate family member of the governor, a
177	177	member of the legislature, or a member of the United States
178	178	Congress.
179	179	(b) On January 1 of each year ending in the numeral 9, the
180	180	contribution amount prescribed by Subsection (a)(1)(F) is
181	181	increased or decreased by an amount equal to the amount prescribed
182	182	by that paragraph on December 31 of the preceding year multiplied by
183	183	the percentage increase or decrease during the preceding decade in
184	184	the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), U.S. City
185	185	Average, as published by the United States Bureau of Labor
186	186	Statistics or its successor in function.
187	187	Sec. 581.058. SELECTION OF APPLICANT SUBPOOLS. (a) After
188	188	removing individuals with conflicts of interest from the applicant
189	189	pool under Section 581.057, the state auditor shall, not later than
190	190	August 1 of each census year, publicize the names of individuals in
191	191	the applicant pool.
192	192	(b) From the applicant pool described by Subsection (a), the
193	193	applicant review panel shall select:
194	194	(1) a majority subpool consisting of 20 of the most
195	195	qualified applicants who would qualify as majority party members
196	196	under Section 581.051(d)(1);
197	197	(2) a minority subpool consisting of 20 of the most
198	198	qualified applicants who would qualify as minority party members
199	199	under Section 581.051(d)(2); and
200	200	(3) an independent subpool consisting of 20 of the
201	201	most qualified applicants who would qualify as independent members
202	202	under Section 581.051(d)(3).
203	203	(c) The applicant review panel shall select the members of
204	204	the applicant subpools based on relevant analytical skills, ability
205	205	to be impartial, and appreciation for this state's diverse
206	206	demographics and geography.
207	207	(d) Not later than October 1 of each census year, the
208	208	applicant review panel shall present the members of the applicant
209	209	subpools to the caucus leaders of the majority party and minority
210	210	party of each house of the legislature as described by Section
211	211	581.059.
212	212	(e) Before presenting the applicant subpools as provided by
213	213	Subsection (d), a member of the applicant review panel may not
214	214	communicate with:
215	215	(1) a member, or a representative of a member, of the
216	216	United States Congress, the Texas Legislature, or the State Board
217	217	of Education about any matter related to the selection process; or
218	218	(2) a member of the applicant pool.
219	219	Sec. 581.059. STRIKES BY CAUCUS LEADERS. (a) Not later
220	220	than November 15 of each census year, the caucus leaders of the
221	221	majority party and minority party of each house of the legislature
222	222	may each strike up to two applicants from each applicant subpool
223	223	under Section 581.058(b), for a total of eight possible strikes per
224	224	applicant subpool.
225	225	(b) After all strikes have been made as provided by
226	226	Subsection (a), the caucus leaders shall present the remaining
227	227	members of each applicant subpool to the state auditor.
228	228	Sec. 581.060. DRAWING TO SELECT FIRST EIGHT COMMISSION
229	229	MEMBERS. Not later than November 20 of each census year, the state
230	230	auditor shall select the first eight members of the commission by
231	231	randomly drawing:
232	232	(1) three applicants from the majority subpool who
233	233	were not struck under Section 581.059;
234	234	(2) three applicants from the minority subpool who
235	235	were not struck under Section 581.059; and
236	236	(3) two applicants from the independent subpool who
237	237	were not struck under Section 581.059.
238	238	Sec. 581.061. APPOINTMENT OF SECOND SIX COMMISSION MEMBERS.
239	239	(a) Not later than December 31 of each census year, the eight
240	240	commission members selected under Section 581.060 shall review the
241	241	remaining names in each applicant subpool and appoint to the
242	242	commission:
243	243	(1) two remaining applicants from the majority subpool
244	244	who were not struck under Section 581.059;
245	245	(2) two remaining applicants from the minority subpool
246	246	who were not struck under Section 581.059; and
247	247	(3) two remaining applicants from the independent
248	248	subpool who were not struck under Section 581.059.
249	249	(b) An appointment under Subsection (a) must be approved by
250	250	at least five affirmative votes of commission members selected
251	251	under Section 581.060, including at least two votes of commission
252	252	members drawn from the majority subpool, at least two votes of
253	253	commission members drawn from the minority subpool, and at least
254	254	one vote of a commission member drawn from the independent subpool.
255	255	(c) In making appointments under Subsection (a), the
256	256	commission members shall ensure that the commission reflects this
257	257	state's diversity, including racial, ethnic, geographic, and
258	258	gender diversity. However, the legislature does not intend that
259	259	formulas or specific ratios be applied for this purpose.
260	260	(d) Appointments under Subsection (a) shall also be made
261	261	based on relevant analytical skills and the ability to be
262	262	impartial.
263	263	SUBCHAPTER C. ORGANIZATION OF COMMISSION
264	264	Sec. 581.101. OFFICERS. The commission shall select by a
265	265	vote of at least two-thirds of its members one member as chair and
266	266	one member as vice chair. The chair and vice chair may not both be
267	267	majority party members, minority party members, or independent
268	268	members as described by Section 581.051(d).
269	269	Sec. 581.102. REMOVAL OF COMMISSION MEMBER. (a) After
270	270	having been served written notice and provided with an opportunity
271	271	for a response, a commission member may be removed by the governor
272	272	with the concurrence of two-thirds of the members of the senate for
273	273	substantial neglect of duty, gross misconduct in office, or
274	274	inability to discharge the duties of office.
275	275	(b) A commission member removed for substantial neglect of
276	276	duty or gross misconduct in office may be referred to the attorney
277	277	general for criminal investigation or to an appropriate
278	278	administrative agency for investigation.
279	279	Sec. 581.103. VACANCY. (a) A vacancy on the commission
280	280	shall be filled, not later than the 30th day after the date the
281	281	vacancy occurs, by appointment by the commission of a remaining
282	282	applicant who was not struck under Section 581.059 from the same
283	283	applicant subpool as the vacating member.
284	284	(b) If a vacancy on the commission occurs and no applicant
285	285	from the same applicant subpool as the vacating member is available
286	286	for appointment to the commission, the state auditor and an
287	287	applicant review panel shall solicit and select an appropriate
288	288	number of new applicants for the applicable subpool using, to the
289	289	extent practicable, the procedures provided by Sections 581.055,
290	290	581.056, 581.057, and 581.058(a)-(c) but disregarding the
291	291	deadlines provided by those sections. The commission shall fill the
292	292	vacancy as soon as practicable by appointment of one of the new
293	293	applicants described by this subsection.
294	294	Sec. 581.104. BUDGET. The legislature may appropriate to
295	295	the state auditor, the secretary of state, and the commission
296	296	amounts sufficient to implement the redistricting process required
297	297	by this chapter.
298	298	SUBCHAPTER D. COMMISSION POWERS AND DUTIES
299	299	Sec. 581.151. REDISTRICTING PLAN; STANDARDS. (a) The
300	300	commission shall establish districts described by Section 581.002
301	301	through a mapping process using the following criteria in the
302	302	following order of priority:
303	303	(1) districts must comply with the United States
304	304	Constitution;
305	305	(2) districts must achieve population equality as
306	306	nearly as is practicable;
307	307	(3) districts must comply with the federal Voting
308	308	Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. Section 10101 et seq.);
309	309	(4) districts must be geographically contiguous;
310	310	(5) the geographic integrity of each municipality,
311	311	county, local neighborhood, and local community of interest must be
312	312	respected in a manner that minimizes its division to the extent
313	313	possible without violating the requirements of any of the preceding
314	314	subdivisions; and
315	315	(6) to the extent practicable and to the extent that
316	316	compliance with this subdivision does not preclude compliance with
317	317	any of the preceding subdivisions, districts must be drawn to
318	318	encourage geographical compactness so that nearby areas of
319	319	population are not bypassed for more distant areas of population.
320	320	(b) For purposes of Subsection (a)(5), a community of
321	321	interest is a contiguous population that shares common social and
322	322	economic interests that should be included within a single district
323	323	for purposes of that population's effective and fair
324	324	representation. Communities of interest may not be determined
325	325	based on relationships with political parties, incumbents, or
326	326	political candidates.
327	327	(c) The place of residence of any incumbent or political
328	328	candidate may not be considered in the creation of a map. Districts
329	329	may not be drawn for the purpose of favoring or discriminating
330	330	against an incumbent, political candidate, or political party. The
331	331	commission may not consider existing or previously used boundary
332	332	lines for districts used to elect members of the United States House
333	333	of Representatives, Texas Legislature, or State Board of Education
334	334	when drawing districts.
335	335	(d) Not later than September 15 of each year following a
336	336	census year, the commission shall approve a final map that sets
337	337	forth the boundary lines of the districts for the election of the
338	338	members of the United States House of Representatives elected from
339	339	this state, the members of the Texas Senate, the members of the
340	340	Texas House of Representatives, and the members of the State Board
341	341	of Education. On approval, the commission shall certify each final
342	342	map to the secretary of state.
343	343	(e) The commission shall issue, with the final map, a report
344	344	that explains the basis on which the commission made its decisions
345	345	in achieving compliance with the criteria listed in Subsection (a)
346	346	and shall include definitions of the terms and standards used in
347	347	drawing the final map.
348	348	(f) If the commission fails to approve a final map with the
349	349	vote and by the date required by this section, the secretary of
350	350	state shall immediately petition the Texas Supreme Court for an
351	351	order directing the appointment of special masters to adjust the
352	352	boundary lines of the districts required to be included in that map
353	353	in accordance with the redistricting criteria and requirements
354	354	provided by Subsections (a), (b), and (c). On approval of the
355	355	special masters' map, the Texas Supreme Court shall certify the map
356	356	to the secretary of state and the map constitutes the certified
357	357	final map for the districts included in the map.
358	358	(g) The boundary lines of the districts contained in a
359	359	certified final map apply beginning with the next statewide general
360	360	election and any corresponding primary elections.
361	361	Sec. 581.152. OPEN MEETINGS. (a) The commission is a
362	362	governmental body for purposes of Chapter 551.
363	363	(b) Notwithstanding Chapter 551, the secretary of state
364	364	must post notice on the secretary of state's Internet website of a
365	365	meeting of the commission for at least:
366	366	(1) 14 days before the date of a meeting, other than a
367	367	meeting described by Subdivision (2); or
368	368	(2) three days before the date of a meeting held in
369	369	September of a year following a census year.
370	370	(c) Except in a closed meeting authorized by Subchapter D,
371	371	Chapter 551, a member or employee of the commission may not
372	372	communicate with or knowingly receive communications about a
373	373	redistricting matter from anyone outside of an open meeting.
374	374	Sec. 581.153. PUBLIC INFORMATION. (a) The commission is a
375	375	governmental body for purposes of Chapter 552.
376	376	(b) The commission shall post information relating to
377	377	redistricting and all data considered by the commission in a manner
378	378	that ensures immediate and widespread public access.
379	379	Sec. 581.154. EMPLOYEES AND CONTRACTORS. (a) The
380	380	commission may hire employees and hire or contract with legal
381	381	counsel and consultants as needed in the manner provided by this
382	382	section.
383	383	(b) The commission must make hiring, removal, or
384	384	contracting decisions for employees, legal counsel, and
385	385	consultants by the affirmative vote of at least nine members,
386	386	including at least three majority party members, at least three
387	387	minority party members, and at least three independent members as
388	388	described by Section 581.051(d).
389	389	(c) The commission shall ensure that at least one of the
390	390	legal counsel hired by the commission has demonstrated extensive
391	391	experience and expertise in implementing and enforcing the federal
392	392	Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. Sec. 10101 et seq.).
393	393	(d) The commission shall establish for individuals
394	394	described by Subsection (a):
395	395	(1) clear criteria for hiring and removal;
396	396	(2) communication protocols; and
397	397	(3) a code of conduct.
398	398	(e) To the extent practicable, the commission shall avoid
399	399	selecting employees, legal counsel, or consultants who would be
400	400	disqualified from commission membership because of a conflict of
401	401	interest described by Section 581.057(a).
402	402	Sec. 581.155. PUBLIC OUTREACH. (a) The commission shall
403	403	establish and implement an open hearing process for public input
404	404	and deliberation that is subject to public notice and promoted
405	405	through a thorough outreach program to solicit broad public
406	406	participation in the redistricting public review process.
407	407	(b) The hearing process must include hearings to receive
408	408	public input before the commission draws any maps and hearings
409	409	following the drawing and display of any commission maps. In
410	410	addition, the commission shall supplement hearings with other
411	411	appropriate activities to further increase opportunities for the
412	412	public to observe and participate in the review process.
413	413	(c) The commission shall hold a public hearing in each
414	414	proposed congressional district and display maps for public comment
415	415	in a manner designed to achieve the widest public access reasonably
416	416	possible.
417	417	(d) The commission shall publicly display a preliminary map
418	418	for each district for any office and shall accept public comment for
419	419	at least 14 days after the date the preliminary map is first
420	420	publicly displayed. The commission may not display any other maps
421	421	for public comment during that 14-day period.
422	422	(e) The commission shall review all public comment and other
423	423	testimony received at each hearing and make any necessary revisions
424	424	before approving a final map.
425	425	(f) The commission shall make an audiovisual recording of
426	426	each hearing conducted under this section and ensure the recording
427	427	is made publicly available on the legislature's Internet website
428	428	not later than 48 hours after the hearing concludes.
429	429	Sec. 581.156. LEGAL CHALLENGE. (a) The commission has sole
430	430	standing to defend a legal challenge to a final map certified under
431	431	Section 581.151 before a court other than the Texas Supreme Court or
432	432	a Texas court of appeals. The legislature may provide adequate
433	433	funding and other resources to the commission to defend a certified
434	434	final map. The attorney general shall, at the commission's request,
435	435	represent the commission in defense of a certified final map. The
436	436	commission may, in its sole discretion, retain legal counsel other
437	437	than the attorney general to represent the commission in defense of
438	438	a certified final map before a court other than the Texas Supreme
439	439	Court or a Texas court of appeals.
440	440	(b) Any registered voter in this state may file a petition
441	441	for a writ of mandamus or writ of prohibition, not later than the
442	442	45th day after a final map is certified to the secretary of state,
443	443	to bar the secretary of state from implementing the map on the
444	444	grounds that the map violates the Texas Constitution, the United
445	445	States Constitution, or any federal or state statute.
446	446	(c) If the court determines that a final certified map
447	447	violates the Texas Constitution, the United States Constitution, or
448	448	any federal or state statute, the court shall fashion the relief
449	449	that the court deems appropriate, including the relief described by
450	450	Section 581.151(f).
451	451	SUBCHAPTER E. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT AND OTHER RESOURCES
452	452	Sec. 581.201. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT BY SECRETARY OF STATE.
453	453	Following the appointment of new commission members in each census
454	454	year, the secretary of state shall provide administrative support
455	455	to the commission until the commission's staff and office are fully
456	456	functional.
457	457	Sec. 581.202. PER DIEM AND EXPENSES. (a) A commission
458	458	member is entitled to a per diem of $300 or the amount provided by
459	459	Subsection (b) for each day the member is engaged in commission
460	460	business.
461	461	(b) On January 1 of each census year the per diem amount
462	462	prescribed by Subsection (a) is increased or decreased by an amount
463	463	equal to the amount prescribed by that subsection on December 31 of
464	464	the preceding year multiplied by the percentage increase or
465	465	decrease during the preceding decade in the Consumer Price Index
466	466	for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), U.S. City Average, as published by
467	467	the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics or its successor in
468	468	function.
469	469	(c) A commission member is eligible for reimbursement of
470	470	expenses incurred in connection with the member's performance of
471	471	duties under this chapter.
472	472	(d) For purposes of calculating expense reimbursement, a
473	473	member's residence is considered to be the member's place of
474	474	employment.
475	475	SECTION 3. Section 2058.002(a), Government Code, is amended
476	476	to read as follows:
477	477	(a) The legislature or the Independent Citizen
478	478	[Legislative] Redistricting Commission [Board under Article III,
479	479	Section 28, of the Texas Constitution] may officially recognize or
480	480	act on a federal decennial census before September 1 of the year
481	481	after the calendar year during which the census was taken.
482	482	SECTION 4. Chapter 581, Government Code, as added by this
483	483	Act, applies only in relation to a United States decennial census
484	484	taken on or after January 1, 2030. The establishment or
485	485	modification of district boundaries in connection with a United
486	486	States decennial census taken before that date, including any legal
487	487	challenge, is governed by the law in effect immediately before the
488	488	effective date of this Act, and the former law is continued in
489	489	effect for that purpose.
490	490	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2029, but only
491	491	if the constitutional amendment proposed by the 89th Legislature,
492	492	Regular Session, 2025, to establish the Independent Citizen
493	493	Redistricting Commission to redistrict the Texas Legislature,
494	494	Texas congressional districts, and State Board of Education
495	495	districts and revising procedures for redistricting is approved by
496	496	the voters. If that proposed constitutional amendment is not
497	497	approved by the voters, this Act has no effect.