Honorable Todd Hunter, Chair, House Committee on Redistricting
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB282 by González, Mary (Relating to the Independent Citizen Redistricting Commission.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.
The bill would set forth provisions regarding the Independent Citizen Redistricting Commission, including the selection of commission members, organization of the commission, as well as the commission's powers, duties, and administrative resources. The State Auditor (SAO) would initiate the application process for selecting commission members by January 1 of each census year, and the Secretary of State (SOS) would be responsible for providing administrative support to the commission in each census year until the commission's staff and office are fully functional. The commission would be permitted to hire employees, legal counsel, and consultants as needed.
The bill would take effect January 1, 2022, and would require the members of the commission to be appointed and the commission to commence the redistricting process for the election of the members of the United States House of Representatives elected from Texas not later than December 31 of each census year.
Currently, Texas Legislative Council (TLC) dedicates 17 FTEs to redistricting with an annual cost of approximately $2,000,000 for salaries, benefits, and operating costs. If TLC would be precluded by Section 581.154(e) of the bill from participating in the redistricting process for the election of the members of the United States House of Representatives elected from Texas and this function is transferred from TLC to the commission, the cost may be offset by a savings at TLC. If the cost is not offset by savings at TLC, there may be new indeterminate initial start-up and annual costs.
It is assumed that the additional responsibilities for the SAO and SOS that would result from the passage of the bill could be reasonably absorbed within existing resources.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
103 Legislative Council, 307 Secretary of State, 308 State Auditor's Office