Lege Lines: Redistricting Battle Drags On

Drew Darby

Gov. Rick Perry's plans for a quick special session on redistricting seem to have gone awry as lawmakers have announced far more extensive hearings than he seemingly envisioned.

Perry called the special session May 27 with simple instructions: Adopt the interim maps issued by a three-judge panel in San Antonio for the 2012 elections. The House and Senate quickly convened redistricting select committees and on May 30 launched into three days of rapid-fire hearings. House Committee Chair Drew Darby, R-San Angelo, initially planned to get maps onto Perry's desk by the middle of the first week of June. However, he seems to have given up on that timeline. On June 3, Darby announced that he was taking this show on the road, with committee hearings on June 6 in Dallas, June 10 in San Antonio, and June 12 in Houston. And the House is now not scheduled to reconvene until June 17. That will be 21 days into the special, which is constitutionally limited to 30 days.

James White

A core part of the delay is a disagreement with Perry over what the lawmakers are allowed to discuss. His original call would limit them to rubber-stamping the interim plans, a step broadly seen as an effort to block future legal suits: After all, who could sue over court-drawn maps? However, even the judges responsible for the maps wrote that they were stop-gaps and would not solve all potential constitutional and Voting Rights Act issues. Lawmakers seem unhappy that Perry would attempt to tie their hands by effectively barring substantive amendments, and they may have the courts on their side. At a May 30 hearing in the ongoing gerry­mandering case, two of the three judges made it clear they were unconvinced that Perry could place such strictures.

Breaking with Perry, Speaker Joe Straus is allowing debate on different maps, and representatives have taken him up on his offer. So far an additional six configurations have been proffered: three Congressional and two State House plans from Democrats and a Texas House design from Rep. James White, R-Woodville. The political consensus is that Democrats are presenting alternate maps to assist future legal challenges regarding minority participation and opportunities.

While that debate continues, lawmakers are filing bills covering everything from university bonds to the sale of Longhorn cattle from Big Bend. Since none of those issues are on the call, they will not be heard in committee – unless Perry decides to extend the business of the special.

COMING NEXT WEEK: A Wrap-up of the 83rd Regular Session: budget, water, education, transportation, the environment, and more.