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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 Legislature and the United States House of |
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Representatives from Texas. |
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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 House of Representatives in 2012 ordered by the |
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United States District Court for the Western District of Texas on |
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February 28, 2012, in the case of Perez, et al. v. Perry, et al. (No. |
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SA-11-CV-360), and identified as PLANH309 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 House of Representatives. |
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SECTION 2. 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 3. The interim redistricting plan used to elect |
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members of the United States House of Representatives from the |
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State of Texas in 2012 ordered by the United States District Court |
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for the Western District of Texas on February 28, 2012, in the case |
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of Perez, et al. v. Perry, et al. (No. SA-11-CV-360), and identified |
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as PLANC235 on the redistricting computer system operated by the |
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Texas Legislative Council, is hereby ratified and adopted as the |
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permanent plan for districts used to elect members of the United |
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States House of Representatives from the State of Texas. |
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SECTION 4. 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 plans for use in the 2012 elections; |
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(2) the district court's interim plans comply with all |
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federal and state constitutional provisions or laws applicable to |
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redistricting plans, including the federal Voting Rights Act; and |
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(3) the adoption of the district court's interim plans |
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as permanent plans by the Texas 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 legislature and the United States House of Representatives from |
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Texas. |
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SECTION 5. The following laws are repealed: |
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(1) Chapter 1271 (H.B. 150), Acts of the 82nd |
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Legislature, Regular Session, 2011 (Article 195a-12, Vernon's |
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Texas Civil Statutes); |
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(2) 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); and |
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(3) Chapter 1 (S.B. 4), Acts of the 82nd Legislature, |
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1st Called Session, 2011 (Article 197j, Vernon's Texas Civil |
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Statutes). |
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SECTION 6. 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 September 1, 2013. |