MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON REDISTRICTING
Saturday, March 4, 2000
10:00 a.m.
George R. Brown Convention Center, Houston, Texas
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule
11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Redistricting
was held on Saturday, March 4, 2000, in the George R. Brown
Convention Center, Houston, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Troy Fraser Senator Robert Duncan
Senator Mario Gallegos, Jr. Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr.
Senator Gonzalo Barrientos Senator Royce West
Senator Mike Jackson
Senator Frank Madla
Senator Jane Nelson
Senator Steve Ogden
Senator Florence Shapiro
*****
The Co-chairman Gallegos called the meeting to order at 10:05
a.m. There being a quorum present, the following business was
transacted:
Co-chairman Gallegos, Jr. moved adoption of the minutes from the
previous hearing held on February 16, 2000; without objection,
it was so ordered.
Houston Council members John Castillo and Gabriel Vasquez
welcomed the Senate and House Committees on Redistricting to
Houston. Co-chairman Gallegos and Co-chairman Fraser gave
opening remarks. Co-chairman Fraser reminded everyone that
there will be a bone marrow drive for Representative Ronnie
Crownover at the Capitol on March 15th. He urged everyone to
attend.
Senators Jackson, Ogden and Brown and Representatives Bosse,
Noriega, Zbranek, Williams and Coleman each spoke briefly on
Redistricting.
David Hanna, of the Legislative Council, gave a presentation on
One person, One Vote.
Testimony on Census 2000 was given by Marshall Turner and
Alfonso Mirabal of the U.S. Census Bureau.
At 11:55 a.m. Co-chairman Fraser moved that the committee stand
recessed until 1:00 p.m; without objection, it was so ordered.
At 1:25 p.m. the committee reconvened. The committees continued
to hear testimony from Marshall Turner, Alfonso Mirabal and Dr.
Steve Murdoch.
Alan Ware, of the Texas Legislative Council, discussed
population projections and communities of interest.
The following people testified on Redistricting:
Blum, Edward (Campaign for a Color Blind America Legal
Defense & Educ. Found.), Houston
Campos, Marc (self), Houston
Coleman, Rep. Garnet (House District 147), Houston
Damiani, Stephen (self), Houston
Danburg, Rep. Debra (House District 137), Houston
Denton, Frank (Conroe Lake Conroe Area Chamber of
Commerce), Conroe
Eschback, Karl (self), Houston
Garabay, Cruz (State Young Tejano Democrats), Houston
Korbel, George (self), Austin
Llamas Rodriguez, Olga (Latina P.A.C.), Houston
Mata, Johnny (League of United Latin American Citizens),
Houston
Milburn, Ruth (Common Cause), Houston
Mindiola, Tatcho (self), Houston
Noriega, Rep. Rick (House District 145), Houston
Olivo, Rep. Dora (House District 27), Rosenberg
Pate, A.J. (self), Houston
Reyes, Frumencio (self), Houston
Swartz, Barbara (League of Women Voters of Houston),
Houston
Webster Sr., Wade (self), Houston
Wilkerson Jr., Walter (Montgomery County Republican Party),
Conroe Williams, Rep.
Thomas (House District 15), The Woodlands
Yarbrough, Ken (House District 138), Houston
Zbranek, Rep. Zeb (House District 20), Winnie
Registering, but not testifying:
Deshotel, Rep. Joe (House District 22), Beaumont
Gentry, Fran (NAACP), Houston
Tillinghast, Scott (self), Houston
Wood, Jerry (City of Houston), Houston
The Co-Chairman Gallegos moved that the public testimony be
closed; without objection, it was so ordered.
There being no further business, at 4:20 p.m. Co-chairman Fraser
moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of
the chair. Without objection, it was so ordered.
______________________
Senator Troy Fraser, Co-Chair
______________________
Senator Mario Gallegos, Jr., Co-Chair
______________________
Tara Cowen Rejino, Clerk