Focus Report, Volume 74, Number 8, March 1995 Page: 8
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House Research Organization
The court rejected the state's assertion that the
district encompassed a community of interest and
that the boundaries follow both natural and
commercial land use boundaries. Incumbent
protection, to the extent that it motivated the
Legislature, was not a countervailing force against
racial gerrymandering, the court said. Instead, racial
gerrymandering was an essential part of incumbency
protection.
Districts 18 and 29. The court said the
Legislature attempted to create a "safe" Hispanic
seat in the new Harris County District 29 and
compressed black voters in District 18 so "the
African-American community could continue to
elect a candidate of its choice." The court said
Districts 18 and 29 are even more "tailored" to
include minority voters than District 30. The court
noted that the number of precincts in Harris County
nearly doubled following 1991 redistricting and that
about 60 percent of the residents of Districts 18 and
29 live in split precincts.
The state said that since Districts 18 and 29
included residents of similar socioeconomic
background and were fully within Harris County
they were sufficiently compact. The court disagreed
and found Districts 18 and 29 to be a product of
unconstitutional gerrymandering because they were
"formed in utter disregard for traditional redistricting
criteria and because their shapes are ultimately
unexplainable on grounds other than the racial
quotas established for those districts..."LEGISLATIVE RESPONSE
The possibility that the Legislature may redraw
Texas' congressional boundaries on a contingent basis,
in case the existing plan is declared unconstitutional,
was raised by Rep. Delwin Jones, chairman House
Redistricting Committee, at the initial meeting of the
committee on January 31. This would avoid a special
session of the Legislature on redistricting, should the
Supreme Court rule against the state after the regular
session ends May 29. Sen. Gonzalo Barrientos,
chairman of the Senate Redistricting Committee,
publicly agreed, but his committee has not initiated
work on a plan.
Rep. Jones said the committee may consider
congressional-districting changes unrelated to the three
controversial districts. For instance, some Panhandle
lawmakers have said they would like to change the plan
so that districts do not divide the cities of Lubbock,
Amarillo and Pampa. Rep. Jones indicated that the
House committee would also consider technical
redistricting changes, such as eliminating precincts that
contain no voters ("zero population" districts).
- By Patricia Tierney A/ofsinHouse Research Organization
Texas House of Representatives
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, Texas 78768-2910
(512) 463-0752
FAX (512) 463-1962Steering Committee: Henry Cuellar, Chairman . Carolyn Park, Vice Chairman
Tom Craddick
Renato Cuellar
Dianne White DelisiRobert Duncan
Harold DuttonRoberto Gutierrez
Peggy Hamric
John HirschiRobert Junell
Mike KruseeAl Price
Leticia Van de Putte
Steve WolensPage 8
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Texas. Legislature. House of Representatives. Research Organization. Focus Report, Volume 74, Number 8, March 1995, periodical, March 13, 1995; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth641608/m1/8/?q=%22~1~1%22~1: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.