The House Committee on Redistricting
77th Legislature
April 11, 2001
2:00 p.m.
Capitol Extension, E1.004
Pursuant to a notice posted on April 5, 2001, the House
Committee on Redistricting met in a public hearing and was
called to order by the Chair, Representative Jones, Delwin, at
2:10 p.m.
The roll was answered as follows:
Present: Representatives Jones, Delwin; Bosse; Counts; Dunnam;
Grusendorf; Hunter; Keel; Marchant; Moreno, Paul;
Pitts (10).
Absent: Representatives Glaze; Luna, Vilma; McClendon; Sadler;
Wilson (5).
A quorum was present.
HJR 95
The Chair laid out HJR 95.
Representative Jones, Delwin offered a complete committee
substitute.
The Chair recognized Representative Deshotel to explain the
measure.
Representative Deshotel explained the substitute and said he
thought redistricting should be the focus of a special session
where there would be no other issues before the legislature.
(Representative McClendon now present.)
(Representative Luna, Vilma now present.)
The committee substitute was adopted without objection.
Representative Counts moved that HJR 95, as substituted, be
reported favorably to the full house with the recommendation
that it do pass and be printed. The motion prevailed by the
following record vote:
Ayes: Representatives Jones, Delwin; Bosse;
Counts; Dunnam; Hunter; Luna, Vilma;
McClendon; Moreno, Paul (8).
Nays: Representative Grusendorf (1).
Present, Not Voting: None (0).
Absent: Representatives Glaze; Keel; Marchant; Pitts;
Sadler; Wilson (6).
HB 3521
The Chair laid out HB 3521.
The Chair recognized Rep. Domingo Garcia to explain the bill.
Representative Jones, Delwin offered a complete committee
substitute.
The Chair recognized Representative Garcia to explain the
substitute.
Representative Garcia spoke in favor of creating a Hispanic
opportunity Congressional district in the Dallas Fort Worth
area.
(Representative Glaze now present.)
Jose May testified that a Congressional district with a
Congressional majority should be created in the Dallas/Fort
Worth area.
Leroy Chavarria testified regarding the number of Hispanics in
the North Texas area and the need for a Hispanic Congressional
opportunity district.
Frances Rizo, representing the 23rd Senatorial District Chapter
of Tejano Democrats, spoke in favor of Hispanic Congressional
districts.
Bill Owens spoke in favor of HJR 95 and then spoke in favor of
applying the four equities of fair redistricting in drawing
Congressional districts.
The Chair recognized Representative Garcia to close on the
measure.
The bill was left pending without objection.
HB 3453
The Chair laid out HB 3453.
The Chair recognized Rep. Domingo Garcia to explain the bill.
Representative Jones, Delwin offered a complete committee
substitute.
The Chair recognized Representative Garcia to explain the
substitute. Representative Garcia spoke of the need to create
additional Hispanic House districts in Dallas County. He also
asked that letters from Dallas city officials be included in the
record.
Jose May spoke in favor of this proposal and talked about the
need to respect communities of interest in drawing house maps.
Frances Rizo, representing the 23rd Senatorial District Chapter
of Tejano Democrats, testified about the need to draw lines so
that the people are represented and so that their vote is not
diluted.
Ricardo Cisneros testified in support of Rep. Garica's bill and
in support of equal opportunity for all.
The bill was left pending without objection.
HB 2854
The Chair laid out HB 2854.
The Chair recognized Representative Garcia to explain the
measure.
Rep. Garcia spoke in favor of using statistically adjusted
census data in the redistricting process.
Julia Marsden of the League of Women Voters of Texas spoke in
favor of the bill.
Frances Rizo, representing the 23rd Senatorial District Chapter
of Tejano Democrats, spoke in favor of using statistically
adjusted data.
The bill was left pending without objection.
At 3:45 p.m., on the motion of the Chair and without objection,
the meeting was recessed subject to the call of the chair.
________________________
Rep. Jones, Delwin, Chair
________________________
Glen Hunt, Clerk