EC C.S.H.B. 2254 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS REDISTRICTING C.S.H.B. 2254 By: Jones, Delwin 5-7-97 Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND When House districts are drawn after a census, top priority is given to keeping population numbers within deviation percents, confirming contiguity of districts, and minimizing block or precinct splits. Sometimes lines are drawn that do not follow a natural boundary or split up communities and subdivisions. H.B. 2254 makes changes to previously drawn lines of state representative districts. PURPOSE H.B. 2254 makes changes to state representative lines to follow natural boundaries and make whole subdivisions, business districts and streets that are separated by currently drawn lines. 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 be revising the following Sections: Sec. 56 and Sec. 57 Moving this census block from House District 56 to House District 57 is to accommodate a subdivision being built near State Highway 84. Residents of this subdivision will have a McGregor address and will be serviced by McGregor's electric coop and the McGregor Post Office. The McGregor city limits and airport are directly across from the subdivision's proposed entrance. In order to eliminate any future confusion as to where these residents will be voting, this census block is moved to House District 57. The resulting boundary between House District 57 and House District 56 will also then better conform to an existing geographic boundary, which is a creek. Sec. 83 and Sec. 84 Corrects an error that was created by a highway being the dividing line between Districts 83 and 84. The mail boxes on that highway are in one district, but the houses on the opposite side of the road are in the other district. This correction puts the residents and the mailboxes in the same district. Sec. 119 and Sec. 120 To include in legislative district 119, a contiguous portion of the central business district located in the downtown area. Sec. 131 and Sec. 146 provides for changes in tract and block groups in District 131 to be better aligned with District 146, and tracts and block groups in District 146 moved to be better aligned with District 131. SECTION 2. These changes take effect with the primary and general elections in 1998 for the 76th Legislature. SECTION 3. Emergency clause. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE The substitute removes sections that make changes to districts 77, 78, 105, 109, 124, 125, 126 and 135. The substitute adds sections that make changes to districts 56, 57, 119, 120, 131 and 146. The original bill contained sections that make changes to districts 83 and 84. Modified districts 83 and 84 are included in the substitute.