MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON REDISTRICTING
Thursday, June 14, 2001
10:00 a.m.
Betty King Committee Room, 2E.20
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate
Rule 11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on
Redistricting was held on Thursday, June 14, 2001, in
the Betty King Committee Room, 2E.20, in Austin, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Jeff Wentworth Senator Kenneth
Armbrister
Senator Mike Jackson
Senator Troy Fraser
Senator David Cain
Senator Robert Duncan
Senator Rodney Ellis
Senator Mario Gallegos
Senator Florence Shapiro
Senator Judith Zaffirini
*****
The chair called the meeting to order at 10:05 a.m. A
quorum was established at 10:08 a.m. with the arrival
of Senator Duncan. The following business was
transacted:
The following members arrived after the roll was
called:
Senator Florence Shapiro
Senator Robert Duncan
Senator Mario Gallegos
Senator Zaffirini moved to adopt the committee minutes
from the previous hearing on June 6, 2001. There being
no objection, the minutes were adopted.
The chair reported that, since the last committee
meeting, very few maps had been submitted to the
committee by Members of Congress. The chair announced
that as a result of letters sent to the Members of
Congress notifying them that a Congressional map would
be considered by the committee with or without their
input, the committee received maps from Congressman
Silvestre Reyes, Congressman Henry Bonilla, and
Congressman Jim Turner. The chair received calls from
Congressman Joe Barton and Congressman Lamar Smith.
Other Congressmen notified the chair they were working
together on plans, but they were waiting for consent by
the Republican and Democrat delegations.
The chair stated that one of the reasons for this
meeting was to hear testimony from members of the State
Board of Education regarding the progress on a plan
that had the support of all board members.
State Board of Education member Geraldine "Tincy"
Miller and her independent consultant, Pat O'Grady,
testified about their current working map, PLAN 01009E.
Mrs. Miller stated that her plan met federal and state
guidelines regarding compactness of county lines,
minority opportunities, and the one person- one vote
redistricting rule. Mrs. Miller stated that her plan
is bipartisan and has the support of 11 of the board
members. Mr. O'Grady stated that he and Mrs. Miller
are attempting to draw a consensus plan that the
remaining four board members would support.
The chair asked Mr. O'Grady if any changes had been
made in the map that was presented at the last
committee meeting. Mr. O'Grady explained that he had
made modifications to District 13 in the Dallas/Tarrant
County area as well as to District 8. He also cut the
size of District 6, which was too large.
State Board of Education member Grace Shore testified
that she was opposed to PLAN 01009E, because it removed
Harris County from her district. Ms. Shore stated that
she prefers Senator Duncan's plan for her district.
Senator Duncan offered an explanation of his proposed
working plan for the State Board of Education. Senator
Duncan stated that he was working from the plan laid
out last week by Mrs. Miller and Mr. O'Grady. Senator
Duncan hopes to create a compromise map that would have
the support of all of the board members. Senator Duncan
stated he had hoped to introduce the plan at the
meeting, but some problems with the map were discovered
that needed to be fixed.
State Board of Education member Dan Montgomery stated
his opposition to PLAN 01009E, because the plan changed
his district too much. Mr. Montgomery faxed his
suggestions to at least six of the board members, but
none responded. Mr. Montgomery stated his opposition
to Senator Duncan's plan as it is currently drawn.
Committee members questioned the witnesses. Senator
Jackson wanted to know whether the number of State
Board of Education members who supported PLAN 01009E
had increased, decreased, or stayed the same. The
chair stated that the number was 11-4 pending receipt
of Senator Duncan's plan, which might be a plan upon
which all members could agree.
Senator Jackson then followed up with a procedural
question about whether or not the committee could pass
out a plan. The chair stated that the committee is
still operating under the rules adopted in January, and
that the committee can vote out a map if a majority of
the members agree.
The chair asked the members of the committee to contact
their Congressional members and State Board of
Education members for their proposed ideas and
suggestions for the next committee meeting.
Discussion took place regarding consideration of the
House Congressional plan. Senator Cain asked for an
update on whether the House Redistricting Committee was
still meeting.
The chair stated that the House Redistricting Committee
had passed out a Congressional plan, and that Chairman
Jones had sent a letter to Governor Perry. The letter
was read into the record by the chair.
Discussion took place regarding the future meeting
plans of the committee. Senator Duncan stated his
opposition to courts drawing the Congressional plan.
The chair indicated that he hoped to present a
Congressional plan at the next hearing.
In response to a question by Senator Jackson, the chair
announced that there are thirteen to fourteen proposed
Congressional maps which are available to the public
via the Internet.
Senator Zaffirini asked the chair if the Governor had
set a deadline for drawing Congressional and State
Board of Education maps.
The chair clarified that the Governor had not given the
committee a specific deadline. At the last meeting,
the chair announced that he hoped to answer the
Governor by the end of the month. At this meeting, the
chair announced the committee would meet on Tuesday,
June 26, 2001, and then hold, hopefully, no more than
two or three meetings after that.
There being no further business, at 10:49 a.m. Senator
Duncan moved that the committee stand recessed subject
to the call of the chair. Without objection, the
committee recessed.
____________________________
Senator Jeff Wentworth, Chair
____________________________
Robert Haley, Clerk