EC H.B. 6 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS REDISTRICTING H.B. 6 By: Jones, Delwin 2-26-97 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND At the end of the 74th session, the House approved a redistricting plan to present to the federal courts as a settlement of the redistricting lawsuit. The federal courts approved this plan in August 1995, with the exception of three counties that were not cited in the redistricting suit. In effect, the plan approved by the courts defines the current districts of House members as of the 1996 election cycle. H.B. 6 maintains the current districts and adds changes that were approved by the 74th Legislature. These changes affect three counties: Jefferson, Williamson, and Collin. The changes made to the three counties were all agreed upon by the members affected of the 74th and 75th sessions. The changes to Collin county were requested by election officials to facilitate elections by eliminating 0 populated VTD's. Corrections to Williamson county make a community and two cities whole instead of divided. The changes to Jefferson county make a town whole and contained within one election district. PURPOSE H.B. 6 is the plan approved at the end of the 74th Session, including changes to three additional counties to the settlement plan approved by the federal courts. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Article II, Chapter 2, Acts of the 72nd Legislature, 3rd Called Session, 1992 with changes to: Jefferson county, Williamson county, and Collin county and maintains changes approved by the court and 74th Legislature to Dallas, Bexar, and Harris counties. Sec. 21 and Sec. 22 Provides for the changes in tract and block groups to Jefferson county to make the town of Groves whole and contained in District 21. Sec. 52 and Sec. 53 Provides for the changes in tract and block groups to Williamson county to make the community of Anderson Mill and the city of Round Rock whole and contained in District 52, and the city of Leander whole and contained in District 53. Sec. 66 and Sec. 67 Provides for the changes in tract and block groups to Collin county to eliminate 0 populated VTD's and provide for election officials to administer elections more efficiently. Sec. 99, Sec. 100, Sec. 101, Sec. 102, Sec. 103, Sec. 104, Sec. 105, Sec. 106, Sec. 107, Sec. 108, Sec. 109, Sec. 110, Sec. 111, and Sec. 114 Provides for the changes to tract and block groups to Dallas county that were approved by the 74th Legislature and the federal courts. There is no change in these districts from the 1996 election cycle. Sec. 123, Sec. 124, and Sec. 125 Provides for the changes to tract and block groups to Bexar county that were approved by the 74th Legislature and the federal courts. There is no change in these districts from the 1996 election cycle. Sec. 126, Sec. 127, Sec. 128, Sec. 129, Sec. 133, Sec. 134, Sec. 135, Sec. 136, Sec. 137, Sec. 138, Sec. 139, Sec. 140, Sec. 141, Sec. 142, Sec. 143, Sec. 144, Sec. 147, Sec. 148, and Sec. 150 Provides for the changes to tract and block groups to Harris county that were approved by the 74th Legislature and the federal courts. There is no change in these districts from the 1996 election cycle. SECTION 2. The effective date of these changes begins with the primary and general elections in 1998 for the Texas House of Representative members of the 76th Legislature. These changes do not affect the current House members or districts of the 75th Legislature. SECTION 3. Emergency Clause.