87R11732 TJB-D
 
  By: Collier H.B. No. 3054
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to establishing principles to govern redistricting plans
  enacted by the legislature.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subtitle B, Title 3, Government Code, is amended
  by adding Chapter 319A to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 319A. REDISTRICTING LEGISLATION
         Sec. 319A.001.  PRINCIPLES GOVERNING LEGISLATIVE
  REDISTRICTING. (a)  In enacting legislation adopting or modifying
  a redistricting plan for the election of the Texas Senate, the Texas
  House of Representatives, the State Board of Education, or the
  members of the United States House of Representatives elected from
  this state, the legislature shall ensure that the plan, including
  any modifications to the plan, conforms to the following
  principles:
               (1)  a plan shall avoid unnecessarily dividing counties
  and municipalities in the formation of districts, and district
  boundaries shall to the extent practicable be coterminous with the
  boundaries of counties and municipalities;
               (2)  a plan shall to the extent practicable keep intact
  communities of interest defined by social, economic, racial,
  ethnic, cultural, industrial, commercial, and geographic
  commonalities;
               (3)  a plan must protect minority voting rights in
  accordance with applicable state and federal constitutional and
  statutory requirements, including the federal Voting Rights Act of
  1965 (52 U.S.C. Section 10101 et seq.); and
               (4)  the districts in a plan must be equal in population
  as nearly as practicable in accordance with the other principles
  described by this subsection.
         (b)  The principle described by Subsection (a)(1) applies to
  a plan for the election of the Texas House of Representatives in
  addition to the requirements of Section 26, Article III, Texas
  Constitution. District lines shall to the extent practicable be
  coterminous with the boundaries of counties and municipalities.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.