MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
ON LEGISLATIVE & CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING
Tuesday, March 18, 1997
11:00 am
Senate Chamber
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule
11.11, a public hearing of the Senate Committee of the Whole
on Legislative & Congressional Redistricting was held on
Tuesday, March 18, 1997 in the Senate Chamber at Austin,
Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Gonzalo Barrientos Senator Teel Bivins
Senator J.E. Brown Senator Eddie Lucio,
Jr.
Senator Kenneth Armbrister Senator Florence
Shapiro
Senator David Cain
Senator John Carona
Senator Robert Duncan
Senator Rodney Ellis
Senator Troy Fraser
Senator Mario Gallegos, Jr.
Senator Michael Galloway
Senator Chris Harris
Senator Tom Haywood
Senator Jon Lindsay
Senator Gregory Luna
Senator Frank Madla
Senator Mike Moncrief
Senator Jane Nelson
Senator Drew Nixon
Senator Steve Ogden
Senator Jerry Patterson
Senator Bill Ratliff
Senator Eliot Shapleigh
Senator David Sibley
Senator Carlos Truan
Senator Jeff Wentworth
Senator Royce West
Senator John Whitmire
Senator Judith Zaffirini
Lt. Governor Bob Bullock
*****
The Chair called the meeting to order at 12:50 pm. There
being a quorum present, the following business was transacted.
The following members arrived after the roll was called:
Senator Teel Bivins
Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr.
Senator Florence Shapiro
The Chair made opening remarks, stating that the meeting was
intended as an organizational meeting to adopt the rules of
the committee, to hear a brief presentation from Rick Gray on
the status of the legal challenges to legislative and
congressional districts, and to hear briefly from staff of the
Legislative Council. The Chair stated that public testimony
would also be taken from the general public on the three
redistricting bills posted for hearing.
The Chair explained the contents of the committee packets
which were distributed to members' desks, and introduced
members of the committee staff. The Chair explained the three
bills posted for hearing, and shared his personal observations
on the current redistricting issues and how they should be
resolved. The Chair then discussed some basic guidelines for
public testimony, and emphasized that written testimony can be
submitted now or later. The Chair asked for comments from
other members of the Committee. There were none.
Senator Brown assumed the Chair and laid out the proposed
committee rules. The Chair recognized Senator Barrientos to
explain the rules. Senator Barrientos moved adoption of the
rules and the motion prevailed by a voice vote.
Senator Barrientos resumed the Chair.
The Chair recognized Rick Gray, attorney at law, to report on
the status of the racial gerrymandering challenges to
legislative and congressional districts, and to address the
issue of population deviation in the court-ordered
congressional redistricting plan. Senator Sibley questioned
Mr. Gray.
The Chair recognized David Hanna of the Legislative Council to
talk about the risk of enacting the court-ordered
congressional redistricting plan without eliminating the
population deviation. Senators Sibley and West questioned Mr.
Hanna.
The Chair recognized Alan Ware, Program Director, Research
Division of the Legislative Council, to explain the computer
services that are available. Senator Armbrister questioned
Mr. Ware.
Senator Truan assumed the Chair.
The Chair recognized Representative Delwin Jones, Chairman of
the House Committee on Redistricting, representing himself, to
testify on congressional redistricting. Senators Sibley,
Gallegos, and Bivins questioned Representative Jones.
The Chair laid out S.B. 714 (congressional redistricting; Plan
C746) and S.B. 715 (senate redistricting; Plan S730) and
recognized the author, Senator Barrientos, to explain the
bills.
The Chair laid out S.B. 879 (senate redistricting, Plan S856)
and recognized the author, Senator Sibley, to explain the
bill. Senators West and Ogden questioned Senator Sibley.
The Chair recognized David Edmondson, General Counsel of the
Committee, to summarize the correspondence the Committee has
received to date that contains testimony on redistricting
matters.
Senator Barrientos resumed the Chair.
The Chair recognized Bill Owens of San Antonio, representing
himself, to testify on congressional redistricting (S.B. 714).
Mr. Owens offered a Houston area and Dallas area plan (Z 602
C522, Plan C739) and a statewide plan (Z 602 C500, Plan C707).
Senators Sibley and Bivins questioned Mr. Owens.
There being no further business to come before the Committee,
Senator Truan moved that the Committee of the Whole Rise and
Report Progress. The motion prevailed and the Committee
recessed at 2:00 p.m.
_________________________________
_________________________________
Gonzalo Barrientos, Chair Kimberly
Herry, Clerk