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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the composition of districts for the election of |
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members of the Texas Senate. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The interim redistricting plan used to elect |
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members of the Texas Senate in 2012 ordered by the United States |
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District Court for the Western District of Texas on February 28, |
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2012, in the case of Davis, et al. v. Perry, et al. (No. |
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SA-11-CV-788), and identified as PLANS172 on the redistricting |
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computer system operated by the Texas Legislative Council, is |
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hereby ratified and adopted as the permanent plan for districts |
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used to elect members of the Texas Senate. |
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SECTION 2. In making this enactment the legislature finds |
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that: |
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(1) the United States District Court for the Western |
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District of Texas properly applied the decision of the United |
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States Supreme Court on January 20, 2012, in Perry, et al. v. Perez, |
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et al., 565 U.S. ____ (2012) (per curiam), in the creation of the |
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district court's interim plan for Texas Senate districts for use in |
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the 2012 elections; |
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(2) the district court's interim plan for Texas Senate |
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districts complies with all federal and state constitutional |
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provisions or laws applicable to redistricting plans, including the |
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federal Voting Rights Act; and |
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(3) the adoption of the district court's interim plan |
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for Texas Senate districts as a permanent plan by the Texas |
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Legislature will: |
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(A) diminish the expense of further time and |
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money by all parties in Texas' ongoing redistricting litigation; |
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(B) avoid disruption of the upcoming election |
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cycle; and |
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(C) provide certainty and continuity to the |
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citizens of Texas regarding the districts used to elect members of |
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the Texas Senate. |
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SECTION 3. Chapter 1315 (S.B. 31), Acts of the 82nd |
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Legislature, Regular Session, 2011 (Article 193e, Vernon's Texas |
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Civil Statutes), is repealed. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the |
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legislative session. |