BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 2300 By: Danburg 03-24-95 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND The House of Representatives of the 73rd Legislature was elected under a plan drawn by the three-judge federal district court in Terrazas v. Slagle. In January, 1992, the legislature enacted a House redistricting plan for the 74th and subsequent legislatures. The changes made to the previous districts were substantial because of the population shifts. The new districts, together with changes in other districts such as those for the Senate and Congress, resulted in the drawing of new election precincts, including many with little or no population. PURPOSE As proposed, H.B. 2300 proposes changes to certain House districts as enacted in 1992 to exchange certain voting precincts between the House districts. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Exchanges certain territory between House Districts 134 and 137. SECTION 2. Amends the 1992 House Redistricting Act by adding a definition of "block group", to facilitate the descriptions of the districts reconfigured by Section 1. SECTION 3. States that this bill will not affect members or districts of the House of the 74th Lagislature. SECTION 4. Emergency clause. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION Pursuant to public notice posted March 23, 1995, the House Committee on Redistricting met in a public hearing on March 28, 1995. Representative Danburg explained the bill. The bill was reported favorably without amendment, with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed, by a record vote of 7 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting, and 4 absent.